Growing old disgracefully (win a copy of Virginia Ironside's new book)

OK. Compensations for growing old.

Well, I love high heels and have some really cool ankle boots but I wear thick inner soles, which makes it easier.

I still work, so I like to wear pencil skirts and little jumpers but in this weather there are big knickers (instead of the g-strings) and a thermal vest underneath. (yes I do tuck it into my knickers)

I deferred my pension but I am now drawing it as well as working and next weekend I'm off to PC World to buy a tablet, new laptop or smart TV or maybe all of them, for my retirement, whenever that is. (or maybe that's just an excuse)

Both my daughters work in technology in London and I have to try and keep up with them. They keep me feeling young, and keeping up with my GD is also a bonus when you are fit.

Going to get a membership to our local gym next month to tighten up all the saggy bits that have appeared over the last few years. Don't like them.

Feeling tired now......

Bring on the HI heels mischief !!

Thongs , em , will think about them ?

[moon[

The obvious 'growing old disgracefully' tip is - to Say What You Think. It's quite liberating. To be honest, my friends ( I still have them!) would tell you I was doing it long before I got my bus pass!

Jeni: Not at all - there's nothing disgraceful about that it's quite sensible!

Pamaga: Goth Weekend! I never thought of that ...

I don't like to "act my age". I can get away with about ten years younger and I'm happy with that.

My church at the time certainly considered me disgraceful, and only out of politeness allowed me to leave on my feet - they have been known to throw someone out the door. That was when I "came out".

Write your life story; every life, what ever you have been involved in, is interesting particularly for your friends and family. An alternative to the standard childhood, teenage years, work, children etc Is "My life in 10 objects"
Have a go you may surprise yourself.

When someone says something that you don't like,
Don't just reply and say 'On yer bike',
Just pretend you can't hear what they say,
They'll soon think you're deaf and they'll go away!
Remember to repeat yourself once or twice,
You know you're doing it but it's rather nice,
Everyone thinks you are going senile,
But the laugh is on them as you hide a smile.
It's nice getting older, you're respected more,
People even offer to open the door,
But I draw the line at help crossing the road,
The youngsters don't know the highway code.
I'm sixty-two and I feel about twenty,
I'm active, I'm fit and I'm getting plenty!!!

Tetchy Butty ? Toi? Surely not.
Maybe we can combine growing old gracefully and disgracefully - a kind of pick and mix approach.
I offer you a recent example as my entry in this competition.
Joining in with a jolly drinking game suggested by completely pissed niece last weekend. She was drunk. I didn't need to be to participate (that's the graceful bit - I do not need several pints of Kahluah and milk plus a few beers to join the fun).
Other participants were DS2 and his cute buddy.
This is the game:
Think of a film title and substitute the word Vagina for one of the words in the title. Her favourite to date was "Vaginas in the Mist"
I won the accolade of the evening for "Last Vagina in Paris"

Marry a man ten years younger and then have the time of your lives embarrassing your children.

Using the excuse of having a bad memory to get out of doing things I don't want to do as it doesn't upset anyone they just go "ahh bless its her age"

I think we lose the ability to do things because we have stopped doing them. Last year I was walking with my GS while he road his little bike with trainer wheels. He got way ahead of me and called out, " run, Grandma," so I did, right past him, he looked a bit surprised. Now he expects me to jump with him on his trampoline, which I now can. I have found that once I started doing things I used to do it all came back, once I got past the wobbly legs, that is. I started bike riding again over Christmas, at first I thought I was going to fall off but after a couple of rides I was back riding with ease.

I have scoliosis too, I didn't know until my late forties. I don't think it has ever been noticeable but now I can see my back isn't as straight as it was and I am very conscious of standing up straight. My parents were very strict about having a good posture, which I think was good for me.

To banish wrinkles, all I have to do is remove my specs. It also banishes my face......

rode where did I get road from...

I make an effort NOT to make that umph noise when I stand up! I go to Pilates every week so keep quite supple. I read the latest magazines, which my daughter passes on to me. I don't watch the usual tv programmes, but search through all the channels to find something unusual. Every day is a new day, and has a host of possibilities. I love life, enjoy my husband, my children and my grandchild.

For me, seeing friends and having a laugh lifts my spirits no end. Yesterday I had breakfast with two women I had met when our kids were little. We went to a cafe we'd never been before and couldn't stop giggling when we saw that we had raised the average age of the clientele by 30+ years! It was fun watching the young people around us and speculating on what they did. We talked about lots of things from whether we'd try to intervene if we saw a young man being attacked by a mob, jump off a harbour to save a baby (both news stories this week) to imagining arranging a flash mob dance with Zimmer frames - I'm sure we won't actually do it but I came home in a great mood after a good breakfast, long walk and lots of laughs. Having not been v well for several weeks, this was a real treat.

just read this week's mumsnet newsletter - the one on childish things. We are a load of lightweights when it comes to disgraceful behaviour.
Obviously more practice is required. "do something out of character at least once a week" - now that would be an interesting challenge wouldn't it?

Have just been listening to Aung San Suu Kyi on Desert Island Discs.
No hint of disgraceful, just grace and dignity.
Why is the idea of the disgraceful so appealing?
Maybe we would all like to live life free of the shoulds and should nots that have (maybe) hemmed us in for decades?
But do we want to be Patsy? (from Ab Fab - the epitome of disgraceful)

Oh yes Jess Patsy has a lot to recommend her! She simply doesn't care about what anyone else thinks!

When we retired and moved I decided I was not going to bother with anyone I didn't want to (you have to at work) and that from now on I would say what I think. Obviously I would not be discourteous or nasty but if I felt something needed to be said I would say it. It is so liberating! Now I almost never do something because someone else wants to, I had 40+ years of doing things for other people and now it is my turn. This leaves me so many options.

It is great to have no more aspirations for the next salary increase or promotion. Not to have to worry about paying for something the boys need or whether DH's job is going to move us again.

I love the expression on people's faces when I say something they think is outrageous or suggest something they think I am too old to think about. Why not? Live for today, tomorrow might not come. It is surprising how little it matters. Yesterday I told the doctor's Receptionist how much the way she had treated me a couple of days before had meant to me, effusively! It made her day. On the other hand I told the pharmacist at a supermarket I would not be coming back because he had spoken to me as if I was stupid! I used to just let these things go.

I just love the idea of doing a flash mob with a zimmer frame as I have one in my lounge room having inherited it from DD's deceased MinLaw. You will all have to come to Australia and we can do it on the Opera House promenade. Or I will have to win the casket (Lotto) and I can return home first class. A good celebration for the 80th birthday I had this past week. Cheers from Australia with a heart often in the Uk.'

One of the joys of growing old is that you hane so many memories to reflect upon and share with the next generation and with anyone who has time to listen!!

Can I use my luggie instead of a zimmer please?
My zimmer is in for an upgrade to the sports model at the moment!

Flash mob gransnet dance with zimmer frames and luggies (?) at Sydney Opera House - we'd be a YouTube sensation!

Cheers from London with a heart still often in Canada.

Well I let it be known that I wanted a scooter ( no not a mobility scooter but one of those ones the children have) as my secret santa present from the family. Santa was good and it arrived. I have had such fun scooting with my grandchildren round the Tarn and local park. I do get some interesting looks and a lot of smiles, particulary from walkers the same age as me. Many have commented how much fun it looks. It is so exhilarating and I would rcommend it to anyone!

It's fun, isn't it! I had a go on my GS's scooter and was reluctant to hand it back to him. I wouldn't be happy with it on the pavements around here - they're a disgrace!

Yes well "go" movealot. I agree that there are positive aspects to not giving a damn. But Patsy overdid things just a tad don't you think? Just a wee bit. Lines of cocaine on the toilet seat? Falling over drunk?
If I had to choose it would be grace rather than disgrace.

If you could see me now Jess you might think I'd been doing all of that! Flat out on the sofa with a bad back and drugged up to they eyeballs . It was her attitude I liked, I hasten to add not her habits..................