I'm getting old

My birthday is coming up.  Its not a huge one; just the run of the mill "Half Way To 70" birthday that all people throw a crazy party for. (At least that's what I'm telling myself) 35 is the new 20, right?  Well if that is the case I certainly don't feel it.

Case in point:

The other day I took the two younger ones to a store to pick up some necessities. It had rained the night before and this establishment apparently lets their shopping carts be al natural (stores them outside).  So no cart ride for the one year old, just riding in the sweet and comfy seat of daddy's arms; being shipped between right and left just as the feeling is being removed from the hand.  No big deal.  Only a few things to get.  And besides, I have the middle one to help carry stuff. (HA. Nice try.)

So we (I) grab a basket as we walk in the store which the older one carries.  She carries it for a total of 30 seconds; right about the time it comes to put something in it.  Granted the somethings were two bottles of syrup so they were pretty heavy. C'mon kid. Help a brother out! Onward we go; me with baby AND basket, child with not a care in the world. When we get to the next items to get, I set the basket down and look around for the rest of the things we need.  They were all in the same area and I figured just leave it on the ground and make trips back and forth instead of lugging it with me.  A great idea, I thought.  That is until the middle child comes over with the most helpful voice, "Here, daddy. You left this back there."

So much for that idea of not carrying the basket.  Somewhere in this exchange of baby and basket wrangling something went in my back.  It wasn't immediate.  I didn't really feel it until the ride home. But boy did I feel it.  I must have tweaked something just right (or wrong, depending on your outlook) because later that day I couldn't do a damn thing.  It hurt to breathe. It hurt to fart, and that had become an issue because I had Kashi cereal for breakfast and that stuff cleans you out.

Long story short I blew my back out, but it is on the mend.  Nothing a little Alieve and a warming pad can't cure. It is not 100% as of yet but it'll get there.  It better.  I'm not ready for an old man back problem.  I'm not even half way to 70 yet!