People who have beaten ageism (or ignored it)

I walk with a group weekly throughout the year. A few walkers are in their 80s with one of 94. We do about 4 or 5 miles on a hilly terrain. They often overtake me on the hills. An inspiration.

today during my dog walk I met a lady and we started to chat about our dogs as the conversation continued we discovered we both had a Dales horse.I'm 67 and said I hoped to still be riding at 70,my new role model then said she was 78 and still riding!!

She made my day...with any luck I,ve got another 10 years. Her only concession to age was a lighter saddle!!

smart train of thought

I’m quite pleased with myself being halfway through my first trimester of an Industrial Design degree. I’ll be 61 when I graduate. It only took my young classmates a very short time to accept me.

I have spoken about my 85 year old neighbour who works in the voltenteer bureau.

In my extended family there is a lady, 101, this year she was made an honourary Bard at Wales National Eistefford for many years dedicated to the Welsh language and her poetry. She went up to Anglesey to receive this honour, and what an honour. She organises a weekly quiz night, still teaches Welsh, tutors children who want to enter the URDD, she did this for my daughter forty years ago, is active in many activities in the town, and has now bought a mobility scooter because her legs are not as strong these days ! She is also having a book published .

My parents-in-law are my example, both in their eighties and both working virtually full time. My mother-in-law is still working as a, very much in demand, musician and choral director, and my father in law continues to work in his role as a national adviser/advocate for carers. He is also a regular conference speaker, sits on inquiry panels and publishes good practice guidelines that have been adopted internationally.
I am very proud of them both and I think that their achievements are extraordinary regardless of their ages.

SET not set!

A new depute head started in our school. I spent a considerable time helping her to sett up various IT projects, developing a new school website and intranet. She had told her husband that I had been invaluable. He had visions of a young, tech savvy teacher. When she pointed me out in the car park, he couldn't believe that this elderly lady was the IT co-coordinator for the school and a mentor for the LEA.