Age

We had a family (tea) party last weekend and we decided to take some photographs of the 5 generations of our family. My grandma, my mum, me, my son and his children. We then took a lovely photo of my 4 year old grandson sitting on my grandma's knee and I sat for a few moments thinking to myself that these two people are 94 years apart (and have so much in common) Amazing.

Perhaps it's all relative to how much you used to do when you were younger.

We've a lorry load of winter wood arriving this week, I hope, I had a rather complicated phone discussion in French with my woodman which left me none the wiser... he speaks with a very rural dialect If, and when, it arrives OH (85) will be wielding the chainsaw while I hold and stack. DD1 thinks we should be sectioned for our own good

As for Altzheimers, a friend told me years ago that she first realised her mum was beginning to suffer from dementia when she forgot where she'd left her car whilst out shopping in a town she knew like the back of her hand. Well, if that's one of the early signs I must have been pre-dementic (if there is such a word) for the past 50 years! I can't even find the car in a supermarket car park... and don't start me on airport parking!

But apart from fat ankles, which really annoy me, the rest of me seems to be working quite well for my three score years and ten.

And I agree about the smoking, janerowena When I see the facial wrinkles on my French my neighbours I feel so smug about giving up the ciggies 40 odd years ago!

Yes, I can go along with the idea that age begins at 70.

I am 71. Recently I have started to feel I am getting old. My eyes seem to be more sunk into my face. I shall probably be having a hip replacement in the next few months and the last straw was the dentist yesterday. I had a painful infected tooth a few weeks ago and this has got to be extracted (tomorrow). I have been warned the tooth next to it might become upset by this, go into a decline and have to be extracted as well. This will mean I shall be missing the back three teeth on the bottom left and dentist suggests a 'plate'.

A plate? Surely I'm not old enough for false teeth.

Oh and implants are not possible because I don't have enough bone left (whatever that means).

Forget to mention a huge varicose vein which has suddenly appeared over my right knee.

petallus - I know it's all relative and of course you don't want a plate. Your post made me smile I have had false teeth since I was 11 !!

KatyK since the age of 11?

I shall take heart then!

Yes! Through parental neglect. Not a pleasant experience and as you can imagine knocked my confidence somewhat as a teenager but it is what it is.
I hope yours can be saved

When my DH was seriously ill two years ago and admitted to ICU where he then contracted pneumonia, on of the nurses said to me that he was lucky because if he had 'just had pneumonia' he would have been admitted to the elderly ward and not received the necessary care he obviously needed. He was 72 at the time and a very young 72 at that.

petallus I hope you are alright through all that.

I have depressed everybody haven't I? I should keep my miserable thoughts to myself. So sorry.

KatyK, my granddaughter,7, was told by her teacher that grapes are bad for your teeth. It has taken her parents years to get her to eat a variety of four fruit, including grapes, and four veg. They are very annoyed.
Her teeth are perfect.

I think its all in the hands, mine have lots of little lumps and bumps, veins, when I lift my arm my forearm is all wrinkly, when I wave my bingo wings continue to wave long after I have stopped waving. I have a double chin on my double chin and wrinkly skin beneath that. My boobs dangle, my bum is very squidgy, I have joint aches, wind and belch more than I used to when younger, I fart when I bend to pick the washing up, if I go for a long 'health' walk it makes me want to pass wind or rush to the loo when I get home. My roots need 'doing' more that the 2 months they used to. I HAVE to sit in the same seat and get stressed if anyone sits there, my children do, I am sure, just to annoy me. I also have a mole on my macular which the consultant told me it is just like all of the lumps and bumps older people get, nothing to worry about. Back to the hands.

Otherwise I am happy and healthy if a bit overweight. (working on that one)

By the way I am 66

Flowerofthewest that is the funniest post I have read for a long time.

Sorry! Shouldn't laugh I know.

Quoting:

"when I wave my bingo wings continue to wave long after I have stopped waving." I love it!

I am going to tell my family that it is not only me with the >>whisper<< farting.

Well I am a year on from you Flower and still surviving.

I was walking across the road today and suddenly I felt a short flash of pain in my knee so I hobbled to the pavement. It happened about 4 times whilst I was out. It seems so unfair as when I set out to go shopping I felt pretty chipper.

I don't know about you but I have a picture in my mind of most of the regulars on Gransnet and to me I imagine everyone to be in their 50s. Odd isn't it ?

Flower love your post - so funny, I relate to it so well.

I am 65 and all of a sudden have these varicose veins on my left leg, they look awful. Great big lumpy things with matching thread veins. I'm going on a 'hot' holiday in October and have thankfully found an ankle length swishy nearly see through skirt that is part of a matching set of my swimsuit and I will be covered right to the ankles with glimpses of leg !!! ... I will position the skirt splits so that they aren't at the worst bits of leg.... lol....

Yep... boobs dangle.
Yep.... squidgy bum has dropped.
Farting - all the time.
Yep.... forearm like crepe when lifted up.

Also, starting to get all sorts of wee skin tags around the back of my neck/shoulders. Veins on hands are sitting up.
Oh, .... also, age spots starting on hands.

I'm sure when I get gel nails done (for holidays etc) the girl is thinking.... ''' is it worth it - would you just look at the hands''' lol...

I often wonder if I could staple my loose skin up. Then just trim off the excess. I hadn't realised my forearms were about to get saggy, the bingo wings are bad enough.

I have never felt old or my true age, until this week that is. After deciding to spend the kid's inheritance and tick off a few things on my bucket list I booked a holiday which included various activities. I tried to book in to do snorkling and boogie boarding only to be told that the cut off age was 65 and could not do it. It will grieve me if I see an unfit 50 year old participating as I sit and watch.

Ask them why. Suggest it is ageism. People can be prosecuted for age discrimination. The company should have a straight forward fitness requirement for all those doing any of the afore mentioned activities that is objective, measurable and implementable and not biased against older people.

Some car hire companies refuse to insure drivers over 70.

Flower I burst out laughing at your post. But at least you don't suffer from constipation.

I'm glad the taboo subject of farting has come up. I don't mind doing it in front of DH but DGS aged 25 lives with me and I'm embarrassed if he is around. I think my neighbour heard me the other day. Too late I realised he was in the garden as well.

I know it can only get worse. My father and grandmother were terrible farters in their eighties. The family were often in fits.

So why is it that when I go round National Trust houses, the only one it happens to is me?

@CoolGran - only now starting with the skin tags? I've had them since my 20s!

As for the farting - well, we all do it a dozen times a day -- just as well, really, as otherwise we might die. But you ladies are sop embarrassed about it! Among the male of the species, a fortissimo blow on the bowel bugle is likely to receive a round of applause, and ribald shouts of "I'll name that tune in one!", and "Stop that, Brown! Yes sir, certainly sir, which way did it go, sir?"