Embracing Old Age

!

That last bit was definitely crossed out.

Ok Galen let's be having it. Pour it all out to us.

I promise I won't laugh

Why didn't I think of doing that Aka?!

Good bit of writing.

I have only just joined Gransnet and I am very glad I did. What very nice caring ladies.

I hope you don't mind Gracesmum but I looked at your photo and why are you down. You are very pretty and glamourous !

I'm working on my diatribe to send to anyone who might have any influence! Grrrrrrrrrrrr!

reading your messages today makes me feel good. as long as my brain continues to function fairly well i can cope with being a real oldie. thanks all.

As its been a really awful experience Galen it might help to share it.

Yes, a wonderful piece of writing allule thank you

Welcome back Galen, we've missed you. Sorry you had problems getting home - rant away if it helps.

same link blued

Perhaps Gransnet could get Penelope Lively on for a web chat. She's got the book out.

allule that is a lovely piece of writing. Reassuring really. Thank you very much for putting that up.

I'm having one today I'm afraid. I suspect it's been exacerbated by all the travel problems yesterday when I was in transit for about 14 hours.

Quite Nellie. Rant away when you need to (and any one else for that matter) Most of us are good at listening and sympathy because lots of us need that sometimes too.

Just hope we don't all have a bad day on the same day

thought this article today was brilliant...expresses it all so well, I wanted to point it out...
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/05/penelope-lively-old-age

Spot on Nellie. It's knowing that, in the grand scheme of thing,s our problems could be much worse that adds a certain amount of guilt to our feeling of fedupness. But when it kicks in you can't beat a good moan to a few mates and a cup of tea .

I am just catching up with this. As others have said I know I am relatively lucky. I do not have to worry if I can keep the house warm in winter. I can eat well but I have never been extravagant with anything much and can easily keep my living costs to suit my income.

I know very well that others have much worse problems. I don't have a very satisfactory relationship and I have quite a few aches and pains that do prevent me from doing everything I want to.

Most of the time I muddle through trying to keep cheerful, but every so often family angst and aches and pains get me down and I feel in need of a moan and some tea and sympathy and a virtual hug.
So if I do wake up and feel very fed up with everything please let me just have a rant once in a while

I am quite sure I am not the only one to feel like this.

Other GNrs do usually respond with a supportive hug which goes a long way to help. I/(we all?) know we should count our blessings but there are times to count your blessings and time for a hug.

To tell someone who is feeling particularly down to count their blessings, tends to land them with guilt as well as the rest of their worries.

Hmm! I was 54 when first DGC was born and often when I was looking after her as a baby /toddler people were not sure if I was Mum or grandma.
Now , 8 years on, everyone is sure I am DGC number 4's grandma!

..not as scary as seagulls....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=snKdCTfKee0

Chickens are terrifying creatures.

I look at my twin and think "My God, I look old"! But, can't grumble, I haven't been to the doctor for years, apart from my flu jab, which is tomorrow.

So right, merlotgran. Chickens are wonderful companions for cheering us up.
Gosh, gracesmum, your life style is amazing! Where do you get the energy?
For many of us it's the little things that make daily life worth living, I think.
For me it's finding a great book in the library, or an occasional day out to Exeter and seeing a film, or even just watching the birds in the garden, or finding some different wildflower in the hedgerows. But don't imagine that I go around like some country fairy tripping the light fantastic!... this week has been awful because of a beastly cold. I caught sight of myself in the mirror and looked about 99 at least! UGH !!!!
But today I feel better and look more like 79! And the sun has shone a little.. Life is still sweet much of the time.

Keep chickens, Bunch. Their clucking and fussing is very theraputic. I have one that follows me into the greenhouse and potters about while I pot up! Our cat adores them and settles down alongside them when they are having a staff meeting laze around in a dust bowl. If I'm late with the afternoon corn they'll come and find me and they are so comical when they get cross with eachother.