The Difference Between Young and Old

A guy in my office turned 60 last week. Normally, Lew is a lively and youthful kind of a guy. But, this turning 60 thing really hit him hard. All week long, he just kind of sat in his office, quiet-like. It got to the point where the boss finally asked him to tell everyone that he was okay because he was getting tired of the endless parade into his office asking if there was something wrong with Lew.

Yesterday, in the elevator coming back from Lew's Birthday Lunch, I was struck by a question - when does one age start and another one end? I mean, I turn 42 next week. Is that middle-age? I don't feel middle age. I feel vital and youthful. But, when I was much younger, 42 seemed really old. So, it must be, at least, middle age.

The Husband and I talked about this today while running Saturday errands. He says that middle-age is between 40 and 60. When I told him that I didn't feel middle aged, he told me that there was no such thing as Pre-Middle Age. What, I can have PMS, but can't be PMA? That really stinks.

The question remained - what is old? It seems that when I was (much) younger, "old" was easy to identify. When I was in grammar school, high schoolers were old. When I was in middle school, high schoolers were cool and college students were old. When I was in high school, well, my parents told me that not only were college students old; they were too old. Throughout this, my parents were the one constant. They were old. However, they seemed to get younger (not to mention, a whole lot smarter) the longer I was out of high school.

OK, since I can't define old, I'll try to define momentary feelings of oldness. These I can remember clearly. You know, those specific milestones that make you "feel" older. You'll recognize them. Like first time a younger man called me "ma'am". Well, just pound a stake into my heart! The next time was when a "little person" I had once baby-sat got married. To add insult to injury, this "child" later had the audacity to have children. So, whack that stake one more time! The last time I acknowledged these fleeting moments of "oldness" was when the first surgical resident at the my hospital was younger than me. At that point, I decided to ignore any further insults to my youth.

It's a good thing, too. Because otherwise, I could have been devastated a couple of years ago when I became Grammie Gail to a special little one. Instead, I learned that what Grandma Q once told me was true. Grandchildren will keep you young.

So, for my 42nd and his 2nd birthday, here is a birthday dinner that I won't have (we will be stopping at a Nations' Burger on our way to the mountains for my birthday) and a cake Xander will have when I bake it for him next month.

Cornish Game Hens with Rice Stuffing & Oven Roasted Veggies
Serves 2.

2 whole Cornish game hens
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 small Granny Smith apple
2 cloves garlic -- coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter -- melted
1/2 medium red bell pepper
1 medium zucchini
6 cloves garlic
1/2 small red onion
3 small carrots
6 small mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Remove and discard giblet from hens. Rinse hens with cold water and pat dry.

In a small sauce pan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add rice. Stir, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Peel apple and coarsely chop. When rice is done, immediately remove from heat, stir in apple, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of rosemary. When rice mixture cools enough to handle, spoon it into the body cavity of both hens. Place a roasting rack in a large, deep roasting pan. Place hens on rack. Baste hens with melted butter. Drop whole garlic cloves into bottom of roasting pan.

Roast hens, uncovered, in a preheated 400 degree oven. While hens are roasting, cut red bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, and carrots into large pieces. Place the cut vegetables and mushrooms in bowl. Pour in olive oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary and thyme. Toss to coat vegetables. After 30 minutes of roasting, add vegetables to roasting pan. Roast for an additional 30 minutes.

Oreo Cookie Cake
Serves a bunch of kids (and a few adults).

1 box chocolate cake mix
2 containers vanilla frosting
1/4 package regular Oreo cookies
1/2 package mini Oreos

Place regular Oreo cookies in a zip-lock bag. Hit with a book or something to break them into medium to small pieces. Follow recipes on box for making a jelly roll. Allow cake to fully cool. Spread a medium to thick layer of frosting on cake. Sprinkle liberally with Oreo cookie pieces. Carefully roll into a roll. Frost rest of cake. Separate mini Oreos and embed into the icing..