As I will be celebrating my 91st birthday in 2040, I very much hope that I will be able to live to see it in full physical and mental health so that I can still enjoy the benefits of life to the full. I would then like to be able to read in the newspapers that Russia, China and North Korea have developed into model democratic republics following non-violent overthrows, which have flourished economically and are able to offer their populations prosperity and security.
Our athletes are also able to shake off the unfortunate loser syndrome and the soccer team only fails in the semi-finals of the World Cup. As a happy great-grandfather, I can have a really good laugh at the clumsy, funny pranks of the great-grandchildren, which doesn't always please their parents. But they are still children with an unbridled thirst for action and nothing is really safe from them.
After celebrating our 66th wedding anniversary in May, I took a short trip to Mariazell with my wife to finally see the place for myself. I've been planning this trip for at least 20 years. Otherwise, when the weather is good, we take short walks along the Danube to watch the boat traffic between Vienna and Bratislava from a bench on its banks.
In the evening we watch TV, ZIB and, if possible, a movie before retiring for the night.