Down to earth with a bump!!

Human origins :upper Paelolithic (sp!)-circa.1.5 million yrs. ago.? Human(aquatic) organisms - trilobites/human cells 3 million yrs ago?!

Hope you had a lovely birthday gaga

Twenty years ago when we were both 40, hubby and I were on holiday in Torquay. We were buying tickets for a boat trip. Hubby jokingly asked for two OAP tickets. The young guy didn't blink an eye and issued the tickets! Talk about embarrassing. We felt very ancient that day!!

Happy birthday Gaga.

Oh bags, it's a fact. We do get ignored. In the pub for Sunday lunch yesterday and the owner addressed every single question/remark to DD. DH and I were obviously the 'also rans'. Mind you, when at the end of the meal I told him what I thought of the ridiculous lump of meat I had been expected to chew my way through, he had no choice to talk to me!

Gagagran Happy Birthday!

Have a lovely day Gaga.

Well no Anya - being a gruff Yorkshireman he is not usually prone to such romantic gestures. However, he has just been out in the rain and come back with two large bunches of roses/lilies/irises plus a box of chocs so my gloom has lifted and I am feeling surprised and treasured. Just what I needed to fight the age-glooms! I am a lucky GN.

Well that sounds wonderful to me Gaga

You say 'we' so I'm presuming MrGaga is making your breakfast or perhaps taking you out for coffe and cakes? Never mind the weather, just wrap up warm and enjoy x

We are going to DD's for a birthday meal late afternoon and that will work its magic as I know I will get a lovely welcome and cuddle from my darling GC who are always loving and seem to enjoy being with us, their devoted grandparents!

Just felt the years weighing heavily this morning and the leaden sky doesn't help with that. I am normally very cheery!

Thank you for the good wishes and "goodies" - even though virtual they will taste delicious I am sure!

exMotherinLaw is right having good health is a factor in how we age. I am old now not just elderly and until recently have had good health all my life. Even BC at 62 didn't make me feel ill. I was lucky in that. Surgery and radiotherapy was ,to me, and I do know not to others , an inconvenience.. I now have dodgy knees and can't walk far and that has been very ageing but I have retained my sense of humour and interest in the world, another important factor.
Happy birthday * Gagagran* put that smile on,you are still here, that must be good news.

Have you anything planned Gaga? Hope you do enjoy your day,

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I hope the day turns into a happy birthday for you, gaga. Best wishes

It's my birthday today and I can no longer think of myself as being middle-aged. I am elderly, senior, or just old. Whatever word is attached, another year has been added to the total and I am feeling glum. Not helped by the heavy rain and leaden sky. Need cheering up Granspals.

Yes, embracing old age is a good thing, there are some good days and really bad days, but on the whole age is not something I worry about. We are all getting older.

I like your "Embrace Age" approach, absent.

Feeling old, being old is nothing to be ashamed of.

I was meandering through this thread for the last couple of minutes when the phone rang. It was a pleasant-sounding woman asking if I needed a medical alarm service. Now I am sure that these are useful for people of any age with serious or debilitating conditions, but I am equally sure that she had a list of "oldies" to contact. I thanked her for ringing and told her that I didn't think I needed the service. She as courteous enough to say "goodbye".

A fantastic friend of mine, almost 30 years my senior, used to help out delivering lunches to the 'old folk' in her village - some of them 15 years younger than her! She does acknowledge she has been blessed with very good health. She walked up Snowdon to celebrate her 80th!

Amused recently when a nurse clerking me into hospital asked 'Have you passed the menopause?' Oh yes, a couple of decades ago!

When my Dad was 85 he still talked about "picking up his old ladies" to drive them to church. He really didn't regard himself as old.

It means bordering on oldness rather than youngness. Some councils are getting very silly.

Banning the word isn't going to change anyone's attitude.

Factoid - a local council has have banned the use of the word elderly as it implies general dodderiness. Not keen on the word seniors myself either. My Grandpa used to smoke them.

I agree with comments that have gone before, age is only a number, attitude and your life all important. Its the media that's the problem with the word "old" and to whom it is applied or whose opinion is looked for re the subject. See the Dove wrap around advertisement in today's Telegraph newspaper. Most of the women are under 60!! I'm sixty nine and rarely think of myself as old, don't we all try and keep up. Sometimes trying to do too much or illness slows us but we are much younger than our parents were!!

I'm 67 too Marmight. After three hours on a plane I can manage the leaping up bit - it's the persuading the legs to move and co-ordinate I then have a problem with! I hope I'm not the only person who stands up as soon as the seat belt sign goes off simply so I can jiffle around to get my knees into action. I think I have knee dementia.

Getting old is an achievement. It doesn't bother me, but I just feel my body is getting there before me.

acqua I like to think that by watching my actions, he and perhaps all the other younger seated passengers who studiously ignored the mother and baby might, in the future, consider those less able than themselves. As I said, I am a very active 67 years od and hopefully don't look it and I really didn't need a seat having sat on a plane for the best part of 3 hours..... I just sat on it because it was there and free and was happy to give it up.