Older Still

Michael had another birthday this year.  It seems to happen every year.  This time he decided to turn 47.

Let that sink in for a moment.

So what do you buy for a 47-year-old man who has expensive taste and operates in a world you largely don't understand?  Why, you get him a knife forging experience!  Be sure to make it a surprise though.  Be advised...when he awakes in the morning complaining that his back hurts, you will feel nervous that he won't actually be able to make a knife.  Forge ahead anyway. 

But first you should make him Mandalorian-shaped waffles for breakfast so he has energy to swing that hammer.

It was an incredibly clever and well-received gift!  Despite his agony over the amount of strength it took to make a railroad tie into a knife, he and Kitty had a marvelous time.  Did I mention that you should include Kitty in this adventure?  Well, you should. 

After my bladesmiths successfully finished their creations, we hit up the salt water taffy store and then went to lunch at a mighty tasty restaurant.  I guess it's alright for an old man to fill his arteries with grease on his birfday.

We then drove to the airport to pick up my niece and spent the evening watching a movie.  It was a good day all around.

The next morning was Michael's actual day of birth.

I made biscuits and gravy to further cement his arteries.  Kitty used her new knife to cut open the biscuits for her dad.

Then I gave him ice cream that I had shipped from that place in Chattanooga he's fond of.  And THEN I gave him his very own hoverboard.  An old man on a motorized toy...nothing could possibly go wrong.

After church we dined on steak and artichokes, and enjoyed the ice cream in homemade waffle bowls.  Kitty also surprised the ol' guy with an electronic Harry Potter themed card that she coded herself.  Her father beamed with pride.

Man!  I'm pretty good at this whole birthday thing.

Happy 47th to Mykey!