Geriatric??

NanKate I love Rummikub too. The word version is not as compulsive though.

Galen Do you have no intellectual or other hobby that can occupy your time and stimulate your mind? My passion is archaeology, which consists of much more than excavating on site (which I do not do). I attend talks and I am involved in the running of my local archaeological society.We run study groups researching different periods in our county. I also do extra mural classes at my local university, which nearly always involves at least one piece of written work.

I am not dismissing or downgrading craft activities, I do, and have done bargello work for years and have recently returned to sewing and have been doing a series of sewing classes tutored by May Martin, of Sewing Bee fame, but I would be lost without my more cerebral pursuits as well.

I didn't know there was a word version Nonnie - it's a really addictive game I find.

I've not read through the whole post but have only one word of advice. Learn to play Bridge. There is nothing better for those lttle grey cells than playing this King of card games. You meet people, use your brain, you can play it in a wheelchair or with MS, and up to a very old age. In our Club the oldest member is 93.

I play in the club and now play every evening on-line for an hour or two a day with players from everypart of the world- free. Bill Gates is a Bridge player and I think he set it up.

When I was very young and at the convent school, I became convinced that the most deadly sins were

Smoking
Drinking
Wearing make up
Playing whist.

I used to smoke
Played bridge at university
Sometimes wear make up
Drink? What? Moi?

I do read archaeology. I was bought up on Mortimer Wheeler and Leonard Woolley.

I sometimes do the DT crossword on line. I must try to find a news agent who delivers it. The last one folded years ago.

I read a lot, all sorts of books and of course my tribunal papers when the work is around.
At the moment I've a 26 page upper chamber tribunal on use of wheelchairs in relation to ESA to read and my papers for Monday, to say nothing of 8 one foot square squares to crochet to finish the quilt I'm making.

Very busy without stirring from my chair.

At 27 I too was elderly primagravida, and got l0 days in hospital - you woz robbed FlicketyB. I enjoyed every minute of my l0 days post delivery, specially as it was end November and we had no gas /heating at home because UK was changing to north sea gas. As for when is elderly I agree that its usually the decade ahead of where one is, and old a couple of decades
more. 65 is the new 45 after all specially if you are lucky enough to have good health. At 66 and fit, I still struggle to think of myself as elderly. I may reluctantly concede I might be midldle aged though - but then so might my sil who is 45. Dont forget we will never be as young as we are today, so enjoy it all.

I too had 10 days in hospital when my son was born in 1974.

One day the staff couldn't find me when it was feeding time. I was located in the TV Room watching Wimbledon. They were not pleased with me for neglecting my son, but I explained 'I may never get the opportunity to watch it again' !!

My DS and I often laugh about this and I am still a tennis fan.

I am going back to demand my three extra days!!

I remember I had 10 days when my first was born and my GP attended the birth.

He also came round to the house on several occasions afterwards to see how I was coping.

When I had my twins of course that was a different matter, I had to go into the hospital as it was a double delivery.

After they were born I was transferred to the Nursing home where I stayed for 10 days .