Happy Birthday, Daddy

My father just had his 89th birthday. Last weekend, my father, daughter, son, and I took a Father's Day hike. The photo above was taken five hours after we started the hike, after hiking three hours in similar terrain or worse. My father is on the right. See the notebook? He is making a plant list for a ranch in eastern Washington. The guy is tireless. How does he do it? Here are some hints:

1. Keep reading and learning
2. Become a recognized expert for something you know, not for what you can do
3. Keep active in several social groups
4. Live well BELOW your means and build some savings – it relaxes you
5. Plan on working until you are at least 70
6. Stay trim – It helps prevent joint problems, heart disease, diabetes, and lots of other stuff
7. Get lots of exercise -- Walk about 5 miles per day, with some on rough terrain to improve your balance
8. Diet -- He eats a big breakfast at 7, a big lunch at 12 sharp with vegetables, protein, and starches, and a small supper at 6, with NO snacking.
9. Water – Forget the ubiquitous water bottle. He goes 1-2 hours between drinks of water, even when he is working hard.
10. Alcohol and drugs – Heavy drinking for him is a glass of wine with dinner. He doesn’t take any other drugs, not even a daily aspirin.
11. Sleep – He regularly gets 8-9 hours of sleep every night
12. Don’t be so obsessive-compulsive (Who, Me?)