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Is there a point when you realise you're too old for .......

(85 Posts)
Willow500 Sun 22-Apr-18 07:20:53

No not that! I've been idly looking through Right Move at properties way out of our league financially but suddenly realised if we miraculously won the lottery I no longer would want to buy a 6 bedroomed luxury house with vast acres of garden or dozens of rooms. Gone are the days when a huge house even appeals. All that cleaning, all that gardening - although I guess if you did win the lottery you'd be able to employ a little man grin

Are there things you once desired but now feel too old to want or need?

Grannyknot Sun 22-Apr-18 07:30:21

Willow mine has nothing to do with acquisitions: I went down a high, long and twisty slide at a play centre recently with my little grandson beside me (two slides side by side) - when we got to the bottom me having only just survived, he turned to me and said "That was too fast for you, Gran". grin

Blinko Sun 22-Apr-18 08:01:12

Climbing through a playbarn with my grandson. I've done that for the last time grin

Auntieflo Sun 22-Apr-18 08:06:36

Climbing out of the landing window, onto the garage roof, to clean the window. No more.

silverdarlings Sun 22-Apr-18 08:09:07

STILL!! Learning "K Pop" dancing =South Korean with Grandaughter

MawBroon Sun 22-Apr-18 08:15:54

How odd Willow that is almost exactly my reaction as I fantasise, looking at properties on Escape to the Country!!!
After years of wanting a huge garden I find myself thinking “Well I could sell off the paddock or let the grazing”!

tanith Sun 22-Apr-18 08:18:18

Swimming in the sea with a gravel beach unless it’s very flat, found my feet sink in the gravel/pebbles and I can’t keep upright I look like a beached whale ? . It’s fine on firm sand .

Witzend Sun 22-Apr-18 08:31:35

It's quite a while since I used to fantasise about a lovely house in the country.
I was cured of it by many visits to friends who lived down a tiny, steep lane in rural N Devon, where you needed to drive at least 10 minutes every time you needed a pint of milk, and even walking the dogs safely meant getting in the car first.
No thanks!

On a different tack, when going anywhere with warm sea it used to be a priority to make sure there would be water-skiing available. For the past several years, not only do I not feel up to it any more, I don't even care that I don't want to do it any more!

Bathsheba Sun 22-Apr-18 08:44:05

I spent most of my younger life yearning for the means to own a large detached house, with several bedrooms so that family could come and stay without getting fold up beds out and squeezing ourselves onto the put-you-up sofa. Oh and the big garden! Yes, I wanted that too so I could have a summer house, and a play area for the children and all their friends, and a lovely big vegetable garden.
I can barely remember having the energy to cope with all that sad

Welshwife Sun 22-Apr-18 08:46:05

I agree about the house and garden - I think I might go for a beautiful apartment in a nice town within easy distance of JL and other such places and good restaurants - with a lovely balcony - because if I won the lottery I would be able to pay the maintenance costs and employ the necessary help.
Also I could have pots at a suitable height to grow my geraniums and roses etc.
I would definitely employ someone to change the duvet covers!!

Jane10 Sun 22-Apr-18 08:58:48

I don't know if, for me, it's a matter of 'too old for' or rather 'grown out of' a wish for more things. I like to see fabulous jewellery but I don't want it. Similarly with houses, cars, smart clothes, designer shoes and bags etc.
I enjoy experiences rather than objects or items.
Is there not a Hindu thing where as you get older you give away everything? No pockets in a shroud.
Oops. Sorry. Bit of a downer.

Greyduster Sun 22-Apr-18 09:12:00

I know the feeling, tanith. I have trouble staying upright and moving around in rivers these days, added to which, having got in (which quite often involves just a rather undignified slide down the bank) I quite often struggle to get out! So I have decided this year that I will hang up my waders.

Skweek1 Sun 22-Apr-18 09:15:01

I would still love a small country cottage with a herb garden, a veg garden, fruit garden, a bit of lawn (maybe with a wild flower meadow also) and a few flower beds and an orchard, with space for a few goats and bee hives so I could be self-sufficient (my father's dream, also), ideally in an area like the Malvern Hills, where I grew up. But unless I win the Lottery (which I don't do!) I'm stuck in the place I live - I absolutely loathe it here and would live anywhere else - the only house I will ever own depends on inheriting from MIL. Don't want shoes, jewellery, clothes, sports cars, yachts or anything else luxury. Want a life of ease, not luxury.

Grannybags Sun 22-Apr-18 09:17:29

Low down two seater sports cars. Something comfortable and reliable to get me from A to B is fine now!

Marthajolly1 Sun 22-Apr-18 09:21:07

Riding my bike. I always loved to be cycling but over the last couple of years I started to wobble a bit which worried me I've also moved and now live on a hill side so my lovely bike hasn't seen daylight for too long now.

milkflake Sun 22-Apr-18 09:22:19

This is the 2nd thread today that has me thinking, yes that's me! My Dad used to say if he won the lottery he would give it to the family as he had no need for it ( he had very little money of his own) so I did think how strange. Now I feel the same, all I would do is buy a small bungalow in a lovely area , which I can't afford just now, and a new car. The children would get the rest.
I have no desire now to jet off to far flung places and have all the material things I need.
If I could buy something to help with arthritis that would be one of the few things on my list.
It's good to know others feel the same as I do.

Nannylovesshopping Sun 22-Apr-18 09:25:12

Eyeing up younger fit mengrin

Apricity Sun 22-Apr-18 09:41:42

It's those very basic day to day decisions about is this the last washing machine, house, car, dog/cat that I will buy? Will I buy the expensive model or brand that will last a while or the cheaper model that will only last a few years? Do I make that move, do that extension, the new kitchen.........????

Also the recognition of just how transient and how utterly meaningless so many of the things are that people think are soooo important. Eg. Expensive jewellery, clothes etc as others have noted. Love the no pockets in a shroud comment Jane10.

And the secret envy of youth, knowing that they have the luxury of time to change things in their lives - whether they do or not is another question.
Oh the pain of the intimations of mortality.

PS. This gloomy post is from someone who loves her life, her partner and family and (most of the time) is in pretty good health and is a big fan of sunsets, rainbows and the beauty of the world around us.

NanaandGrampy Sun 22-Apr-18 09:49:58

I agree about the house and garden but more than that i WOULDN'T have a sports car !

For years I desperately wanted an Aston Martin but having been kindly been given a lift in one recently to a play I can categorically say , too low and too hard to get out of now !

I now want a huge SUV LOL , I don't mind stepping up but stepping down is too much of a challenge!!

GabriellaG Sun 22-Apr-18 09:52:38

I once wanted to own a racehorse. I got as far as owning a fetlock (or maybe it was a hoof) but the ongoing expenses were cutting into my holiday treats.
I still love horses and content myself with exercising two of hers when she's on holiday.

ninathenana Sun 22-Apr-18 09:53:17

NLS I'll never be too old for that !!

I've never wanted the 6 bed house with 3 acres. I used to dream of a detached period house with an all round garden. Now it would be a 4 bed bungalow so no stairs to climb or clean and with enough garden to keep H happy. I would still like to be able to afford to go cruising at least once a year.

Overthehills Sun 22-Apr-18 09:53:21

I’m with Willow and MawBroon. In my case “been there, done that”!

GabriellaG Sun 22-Apr-18 09:55:34

Skweek1

That sounds perfect. Not too much, just enough.

tonibolt Sun 22-Apr-18 10:00:08

I agree. I’d move house, but only because we are in the position of having to drive for everything, and we have no public transport nearer than 3.5 miles away. I wouldn’t want a bigger property (one spare bedroom does for all the stuff we don’t quite know where to keep!). The only thing I would like is a downstairs shower room as the OH struggles with the stairs sometimes

LadyGracie Sun 22-Apr-18 10:01:15

I'd like a nice bungalow with 3/4 bedrooms, an easily kept manageable pretty garden and a nice view, not unlike our mountain view now, but in a much quieter location.