AUSTIN, Texas, September 18, 2005 — How does it feel to be eighty-nine? I have no idea. But that's how old my dad will be. When we were talking to the financial advisors the other day, they said, "There is a fifty percent chance one of you will live to be ninety." Yeah, whatever. My dad has said that he is going to live to be ninety.

"Then what?" I asked.

"I'll take another option," he said

I'm going to treat him to brunch and take his good friends and FFP's parents along.

Better go have a little workout. FFP and I go together. Save gas, you know. I ride the bike and do some lower back, upper back and ab stuff. As usual: something, not enough.

After the workout, we shower and get ready for our brunch for Dad. I read some papers and goof off.

Our brunch is fine. Dad, his friends, Forrest's parents seem to enjoy the buffet. We get them to make a key lime dessert for FFP's dad that isn't on the buffet.

I had salad, a little serving of huevos rancheros, a single eggs benedict, bacon, a macaroon and a Bloody Mary. Time to nap. I don't really. Just read the papers. I've been sneezing. My throat feels a little scratchy. Oh, no. Can't get sick before I go on my trip. I take some Echinacea.

We walk to Fonda San Miguel Restaurant around six for the Zach Scott Actor's benefit. We meet and greet and the place gets crowded by the second. We huddle at a table in the bar with our tablemates. Finally we get to the table. We get to sit with Quincy Kuykendall and Larissa Wolcott. We meet and greet a lot of patrons and actors. We finally nudge our way through the buffet and get some sensational food. I drink a couple of glasses of white wine. My throat hurts a little. Troubling.

There are speeches and all the actors are introduced, some raffles and we work our way out saying goodbye to people. We walk home.

We go to bed soon enough. I wake a little while later troubled by my headache and sore throat. I decide to take more Echinacea. I dig out a decongestant in the kitchen. It's one of those twelve hour ones that says 'non drowsy.' This seems to translate to 'keeps you awake' for me and I toss and turn all night. The head feels less congested and the throat feels better each time I awake (or just turn over from sleeplessness) and look at the clock. I hate it when I get sick and I almost never do. It is especially bad when I leave town in a couple of days. But I'm getting better. Aren't I? Really? I decide to skip water aerobics in the morning. If it's an allergy thing, being outside for an hour won't help.