The best birthday card so far this year arrived in the mail today. It was from my dad and came along with a copy of the newsletter birth announcement that he created, printed and mailed out 47 years ago.

Bark, (Baby Bark Special) was churned out at the birth of each McClelland kid. This issue included a column by older brother, Dan, an advice column with a letter from Bewildered Boy, and actual advertising from Santa Maria Printers and Stationery and Simas Sporting Goods.

I celebrated my birthday relatively quietly at our Serene Lakes cabin with Lisa’s entire family present.