Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 I'd-a never expected it. But this morning, I looked in the mirror and there was an Elder Statesman lookin' back at me. Fourteen lustrum behind me. First day of my eighth decade on the the planet. And most of the men in my family don't make it past fifty... Dang!! 22 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Better buy a lottery ticket. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canton Chris Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Congrats! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Seamus Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 (edited) Nuther 8 days and I'll be joinin' ya. And OH...by the way....Happy Happy Edited September 6 by Sixgun Seamus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Well done, well earned. Celebrate! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 sure beats the alternative 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgavin Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Hot dang... I didn't think you were that old from the look of your photo. I'm only in my 7th decade 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactus Jack Calder Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Congratulations Hardpan. Now the easy part is over. You need to bear down and start writing more of your memoirs before they slip your mind. Those ‘College Days’ adventures you have chronicled are a good read. I know of what I speak. I’ve fifteen lustrum and one year. My Grandkids say I am starting to repeat myself. CJ 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 1 hour ago, DeaconKC said: 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Jones, SASS 2263 Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Happy Birthday! I'm not too far behind you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Warm it up for me. I'll join you in 6 months and 9 days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Happy Birthday, Hardpan! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Hair, SASS #29557 Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Happy Birythday, Hardpan, ya beat me by 6 months! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singin' Sue 71615 Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 8 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said: I'd-a never expected it. But this morning, I looked in the mirror and there was an Elder Statesman lookin' back at me. Fourteen lustrum behind me. First day of my eighth decade on the the planet. And most of the men in my family don't make it past fifty... Dang!! Happy 'geezer' birthday!!! May you have 20 more!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 seems like only yesterday ......i still look in the mirror in the morning expecting to see that sixteen year old face looking back , 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted September 7 Author Share Posted September 7 (edited) THANK YOU ALL!! So, Sassparilla Kid arrived late yesterday and spent the night - and late this morning, said "Dad - I got ya a birthday present - but it's down at the ranch." That would be my godsons ranch - his dad was the late Hank; my college fraternity brother and essentially the big brother I never had. SO.... we saddled up and headed down to the ranch. An hour later, we pulled into the driveway by the tractor barn - aka "the shop." "Well... do you see it?" And there it was. A 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle. Now, a digression: "Back In the Day," I had many adventures in my 1973 Super Beetle, "Otto." Yellow, "Texas Gelb," that li'l car served for many years as my hunting and fishing rig. Twice I had blacktail bucks in the luggage compartment. And, with Koni high-performance struts and shocks mated with sticky Pirelli tires, it would handle far better than a TR-6. Otto sported a nice Blaupunkt stereo mated to ten speakers; two woofers, four mid-range and four tweeters. I have terrific memories of bombing along forest roads blaring everything from the William Tell Overture to the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Wonderful times! One of the dumbest things I ever did was to sell Otto... that magnificant, "Texas Gelb" (yellow!) Volkswagen. But I did... and ever since, I've lamented. The car that greeted me this afternoon is rough - it's going to require a LOT of work; but The Kid, my godson, and I are up for it. There will be some welding required to replace body panels, a fair amount of mechanical work (the engine is fresh and the transmission is sound!), paint. Speaking of paint! This beast is a sad grey; she's been re-painted at least twice. But, with part of the dash and the door panels removed, her original paint is revealed: Texas Gelb! She will be Texas Gelb again~!!! Gotta ask - any suggestions for a name for the new "chariot??" This is exactly what Otto looked like, except for the seat covers: Otto's were black. Edited September 7 by Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 I realized at this weekend's shoots, I've been a Silver Senior for the past eight months. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted September 7 Author Share Posted September 7 19 minutes ago, Three Foot Johnson said: I realized at this weekend's shoots, I've been a Silver Senior for the past eight months. Yer a kid~!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 Boys I'm a year into Patron and I'm here to tell you, it don't get any easier like I had been told. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot, SASS #13748 Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 Happy Birthday Hardpan! I had to go look up Lustrum. Five years. The word “lustrum” just sounds old timey. I would prefer “Celsius”. Today you are 21 in Celsius. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Seamus Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 22 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: Happy Birthday Hardpan! I had to go look up Lustrum. Five years. The word “lustrum” just sounds old timey. I would prefer “Celsius”. Today you are 21 in Celsius. Oh come now....you should be ashamed of yourself.....anyone whoever watched "Rooster Cogburn" should know the meaning of lustrum. (When the judge told Rooster he had served the court for almost two lustrums) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 I'm surrounded by old people. I'm only 70 OLG 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 Hardpan Ive been occupying ES for almost 3 years. Welcome aboard. Now, as to the car, Jersey Bratt had a yellow 73 Super beetle that her then husband traded out from under her for a s@*tbox stationwagon, and she is still mad about that! She does love VWs. Have fun Imis 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795 Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 I had a '72 Super in "Texas Gelb". It had been ridden hard when I acquired it. Wasn't quite as dependable as my '70 standard was. The '70 was a beautiful dark green with a black interior. I also had the book on the beetle's history, "Small Wonder". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 (edited) 19 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said: I'd-a never expected it. But this morning, I looked in the mirror and there was an Elder Statesman lookin' back at me. Fourteen lustrum behind me. First day of my eighth decade on the the planet. And most of the men in my family don't make it past fifty... Dang!! Better come out and shoot our Sept match to seal the deal. Call the car Cooter. Edited September 7 by Snakebite 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 Happy (belated) Birthday and congratulations on reaching a giant milestone. I learned to drive a stick on a '73 Beetle....my stepfather probably still has whiplash from me figuring out how to use a clutch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 (edited) Is the replacement Otto going to have a working hood I MEANT TRUNK latch, or will you (in a fit of nostalgia) chain this one shut too? Edited September 7 by Alpo can't even blame this one on otto - I done it 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgavin Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 Only one problem with Otto: it's tough to have a trunk monkey. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 Happy belated Birthday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103 Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 By golly now proud of you! Lead on, Pard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 By golly welcome to the club! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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