Embracing Old Age

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.

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 .

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

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

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.

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

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

same link blued

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

Yes, a wonderful piece of writing allule thank you

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

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.

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

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 !

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

Good bit of writing.

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

I promise I won't laugh

That last bit was definitely crossed out.

!

right back at you missis. [shrug]

No j08 why don't you go ahead and have a good laugh at someone else's problems? After all, they're probably pretty trivial compared with your husband's inability to text.

And another #slightlypathetic

Good article allule

Galen I'm sorry to hear you weren't looked after on your journey. A few moments of helplessness in a wheelchair brought me up sharp when I realised just how much many people with disabilities have to depend on others/strangers/officials to help them with transport. Raise a stink!! If we can add some power to your elbow, say the word.

THE SENILITY PRAYER :
Grant me the senility to forget the people
I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and
the eyesight to tell the
difference.

Absolutely. We could do:

Twitter
Facebook
Local paper
Write to the chief exec about your dreadful experience
MP

I'm happy to do any / all of these.

Just say the word. Unity is strength.

Aka!