Doodledog
Juicylucy
I totally understand your dilemma, I’m 66 but look and feel 56, so I’m told. Im not ready for the knitting clubs etc that go with retirement. My mind is to young and active to succumb to those. Looking at my friendship group I’m lucky I have 3 friends that are on my level. We fit in with 40-50s age group better than our own. We are not mutton dressed as lamb it’s our teenage granddaughters that keep us young and up to the minute with what’s going on.
Wow! What a judgemental post.
Most groups that meet in the day 'go with retirement', as younger people tend to be at work. It's not a case of 'succumbing' to knitting, either - I have knitted since the age of 7, throughout teenage and young womanhood, and never found that it affected my activity levels or youthful outlook . I don't have teenage grand-daughters, but don't really need other people to keep me 'up to the minute', as I have a mind of my own, and have never been 'mutton dressed as lamb' either - I dress for myself, not to convince myself that I look younger or to fit in with the people I know.
If you don't fit in with people of your own age, could it be because you so clearly look down on them and make assumptions about their outlook and interests, which are likely to be as varied and wide-ranging as those of any age group? If you start to see them as likely to be 'on your level', you might find that they are willing to accept you as a friend. I am younger than you, and also have friends of mixed ages - that's not at all unusual. It works both ways though, and your younger friends may well be using you as an example of how well they tolerate older people in their lives.
Hear hear Doodledog!
A few posters here seem to equate full make-up and smart clothing with a youthful attitude - rather simplistic in my view. Being open-minded and looking beyond the “packaging” makes worthwhile friendships far more likely.
However, there is also some excellent advice and I wish the OP success in her search.