In the August column, I mentioned I'd turned 70, and quite a few folks wrote to say I looked 10 years younger. Thanks for that, but the truth is the photo in this column is 17 years old and has been retouched. And I'm a bit reluctant to get another taken since I've misplaced my teeth and hairpiece. Life without them can get ugly, so think of me as I once was.

Sept. 21 was our youngest son's 38th birthday, and when we called him in Dallas he commented that next year he'll be as old as his mother. When Barbara hit 39 she quit counting and celebrated No. 42 as the third anniversary of her 39th birthday. The kids liked that and had great fun talking about Mom's birthday celebrations. On Dec. 4 she'll celebrate the 31st anniversary of her 39th birthday. Her pictures don't need retouching, and she has all her teeth.

Staying young must have something to do with convertibles. Barbara's first one was a 1957 Ford, which she bought from our nephew who had a car business in Marin County. It drove OK, except the second time she stepped into the car her foot went through the floorboard. If the brakes had failed, Barbara could always have dragged her feet.

The next convertible was a stick-shift 1978 VW, which she loved. Our three kids learned to drive in it. And it followed us when we moved from California to New York in 1980 and to Boston in 1988. But by 1990 it had rusted out, so she sold it in a tearful ceremony.

Then Barbara bought a 1990 Ford Mustang convertible, another stick-shift job. But by 2002 it had problems, so she got rid of it.

For the past two years Barbara had been without a convertible, and it made her out of sorts. Then three weeks ago she spotted a good-looking 1998 VW Cabrio with the required stick shift and bought it.

Last weekend we put the top down and drove to Pacific Grove, and along the way got honks and thumbs-up from young folks.

Bet they were also wondering what she was doing with that bald, toothless geezer.

When Barbara isn't waiting for the birth of her first great-grandchild in March 2005, she can be found cruising with the top down on Highway 17. Thumbs-up.