Feeling old

[rafezetter]

The aircraftery is closed for a while because for some time we've had a small leak in the corner of the shower base and I thought I should finally fix it.
This is one of two showers and it's a tiled job so quite a bit of work involved in opening it up. With the deconstruction of the base done, the wife uttered the dreaded words we all know, 'I've been thinking..'
And what was occupying her was, small house, just the two of us, two toilets yes, good but no need for two showers and if we (meaning I) removed it totally together with repositioning a few internal walls we could enlarge the small third bedroom, gain a big hall cupboard etc. etc. There are some suggestions from the head office that you just know will brook no arguments.
Now two weeks into the renovation, two to three to go and I must say its quite nice to get back into the sort work that requires ladders, a skillsaw, gib board, framing timber and a 20oz hammer.
But, the down side!
Somewhere along the line I've got old and full on 8 hour days are a struggle. I hurt in places I didn't know I had. I'm terribly stiff when I wake up in the morning and not, I might add, in the same way I was when I was younger. Tired out in the evening and recently the ultimate indignity of falling asleep at the dinner table and faceplanting my chicken salad.
I'll see the job through but unless I regain a bit of my former zing and enthusiasm this will be my last big reno job.
I'm nearing 78, over the hill and the downward slope is getting steeper

Wow 78, had no idea, to still be that able to do that at your age is quite a feat. Being in the trade myself and almost 53 I know your pain - nothing that liberal amounts of deep heat and a single ibuprofen can't make more manageable

Being the "other" form of stiff in the mornings is overrated, it just makes it harder to pee and deus knows I need that more now than the other!

 

[Bingy man]

I’m in awe that you are doing that work. You are doing work that many of ANY age would be aching and tired from.

I include myself in that. I’m 55 but I have a physical disability having lost the use of my right arm in 1996. I found ways around most things but sometimes I need to utter the dreaded words “I think I need some help here”. I carry injuries that cause me discomfort probably because I didn’t say that soon enough. But I’m sure when you are used to having done things yourself it’s hard to, right?

Also it’s lovely to have read so many kind hearted replies to your post.

good luck,

Steve

Absolutely- I spent many years not asking for help as there was no one reliable enough. I’m different now and I have to recognise my weaknesses but it’s nothing to be ashamed of . Lifting heavy and awkward items on your own will lead to injuries and time off work . Take care.

 

[Jacob]

One thing I'm trying to do is give up the booze. Not a severe alcoholic but a bit of a routine paid for the following day. 2 weeks into zero alcohol and feeling much better! Instead of relaxing with a drink you have to find something useful to do.

 

[Yojevol]

Many years ago my young grandson was trying to understand what death was all about and what the word 'dead' actually meant.
We had recently suffered the loss of two of his great grandfathers, one of whom he knew, the other was just a name to him. His only experience of death so far was a blackbird found in his garden.
He was discussing this with his Granny (my other half) saying 'Now I know GG is dead (he was able to relate the d word with the fact that he hadn't seen his GGfather for some time). I'm told that ggfather Ted is also dead but you Granny, you're not dead, you're just old'
Granny replied 'You're not wrong there'
Brian

 

[JEC]

I saw a t shirt recently which said. "It's wierd being the same age as old people". Struck a chord with me.

 

[Jameshow]

My dad after the first of a couple of Stokes (80) was advised to get a fall alert pendant, his response was what do I need one if those for? They are for old people.

 

[MichaelAD]

Getting older is not for wimps.
I was born in 1945 and Germany surrendered (I'm just saying).
Lotsa medical problems, lotsa physical problems, no mental problems (but how would I know....
Playing bridge I notice that many of the other players seem to be very old...then I realise that they are my contemporaries, but I'm surely better looking.

Slower, gentler pace to my life these days, but I count my blessings and I'm grateful.

 

[mikej460]

I'm 77. Recently got an old trumpet from Freecycle and am learning to play.
Has a big advantage over acoustic guitar; I can hear it and it only needs three arthritic fingers to play it.
Also learning new stuff when old is supposed to keep you frisky, but not yet convinced.

No no Jacob, it's whisky that makes you frisky

 

[Jacob]

No no Jacob, it's whisky that makes you frisky

Dunno. Bin there dunnit got the T shirt!

 

[niall Y]

I know I am old, because my grandfather stares back at me from my shaving mirror every morning

 

[Thingybob]

CPC 464, 6128 lol!!

Sinclair ZX81

 

[Jacob]

I know I am old, because my grandfather stares back at me from my shaving mirror every morning

I got a shock after having a cataract op new lens. For first time in 60+ years I could see my face in a mirror but without glasses! Quite unfamiliar.

 

[niall Y]

I got a shock after having a cataract op new lens. For first time in 60+ years I could see my face in a mirror but without glasses! Quite unfamiliar.

Brings to mind a quote from Mr Shakespeare " My glass shall not persuade me I am old, so long as youth and thou are of one date."

Trouble is 'Thou' is getting on a bit ,as well.

 

[Thingybob]

Im 72 in January and we moved to Devon in Feb this year after 42 years in a big old Victorian house in Manchester , now we live in a bungalow and i did plan not to do any major renovations just get my workshop up and running to make my miniatures but it was not to be so in the middle of rebuild of bathroom then new kitchen but when there finished i wont feel guilty spending time in workshop i do feel a little tired in the evenings but thats down to the sea air (lol) . Anyway getting /being old is a mind set i know young people with more ailments and are tireder than me so plod on Mc duff thats my idea

 

[MikeJhn]

You know when you are old, its when your waist size is bigger than your inside leg measurement.

 

[Pineapple]

One thing I'm trying to do is give up the booze. Not a severe alcoholic but a bit of a routine paid for the following day. 2 weeks into zero alcohol and feeling much better! Instead of relaxing with a drink you have to find something useful to do.

I too, gave up the "Odd Night Out" many years ago, because it got me into more problems than fun.
I finally came to realise that the odd night out was more frequent than I'd accepted.
After all, what's the difference between a life-style and a habit ? Or a habit and an addiction ?
After several years of back & forth between drinking and not drinking I am now "Ten Years Free"
I only ever buy alcohol now to be used in the cooking...I bought 8 cans of Guinness last Christmas, (just for the gravy) & now it's October and I still have 4 of them in the bottom cupboard ! I don't even remember that they are there most of the times when I'm making gravy.
I still have my naturally "Addictive Personality" but nowadays it's the money; which I used to spend on booze, that I'm Addicted to !
I find that being able to spend it on my family, instead of giving it to the Alcohol-Tax-Man, has improved my, and my family's
happiness levels enormously ! - - - Having found that I could defeat the booze, I gave up tobacco too, after 59 years of being an addict.
- - - So now the Tax-Man has to search around for other mugs to rob ! - - - I'm much richer now...
- It was my self-indulgent lifestyle that was keeping me so poor ! - (Such a silly boy - and I'd thought I was intelligent.)
Good Luck with your "Trying to give up" - Don't give up giving up just because you've had the occasional wobble. - Just try, try & try again !
I'm sure that like me, you will eventually, find that voluntary abstinence brings unexpected rewards.

 

[NFav]

This thread is so inspiring.
I've been spannering in the motor trade since I was 18.
41 later and I'm planning to do less spannering and more woodworking.
I'm inspired that I can look forward many years of creating sawdust & chips, and hopefully some nice things to show for my efforts.

 

[DRC]

The aircraftery is closed for a while because for some time we've had a small leak in the corner of the shower base and I thought I should finally fix it.
This is one of two showers and it's a tiled job so quite a bit of work involved in opening it up. With the deconstruction of the base done, the wife uttered the dreaded words we all know, 'I've been thinking..'
And what was occupying her was, small house, just the two of us, two toilets yes, good but no need for two showers and if we (meaning I) removed it totally together with repositioning a few internal walls we could enlarge the small third bedroom, gain a big hall cupboard etc. etc. There are some suggestions from the head office that you just know will brook no arguments.
Now two weeks into the renovation, two to three to go and I must say its quite nice to get back into the sort work that requires ladders, a skillsaw, gib board, framing timber and a 20oz hammer.
But, the down side!
Somewhere along the line I've got old and full on 8 hour days are a struggle. I hurt in places I didn't know I had. I'm terribly stiff when I wake up in the morning and not, I might add, in the same way I was when I was younger. Tired out in the evening and recently the ultimate indignity of falling asleep at the dinner table and faceplanting my chicken salad.
I'll see the job through but unless I regain a bit of my former zing and enthusiasm this will be my last big reno job.
I'm nearing 78, over the hill and the downward slope is getting steeper

Let me tell you Kittyhawk I celebrated (ha ha) my 80th a few weeks ago. Now, with my past lifestyle whereby I had an awful lot of fun both work and play which resulted in 5 spine ops and other replacement ops, etc, etc, I'm now at the mercy of " if anything (healthwise that is) can go wrong or break" it does. Plus nobody can warn you when you are in your 20s 30s 40s or 50s "you'll suffer for this later you wait and see" because we are all human and not hypochondriacs mainly, so we carry on wrecking our bodies.
Also, there is not a good handbook that I have come across, that warns one or informs one properly about growing old and what to avoid or expect.
So rest assured you are not alone.

 

[clogs]

me n her just mixed n laid about 1 ton of concrete this morning...26-28 degrees n sunny......
now feel like I've been hit by a train....then it backed up over me....lol....
last week it was 2 tons for a conc pad in the garden....
these jobs are to small for anyone to come n do....
so what do u do but roll ur sleeves up....
biggest problem tho, go to bed knackered around 10 then up at 3 for a pee and cant sleep till 6.....grrrr....

 

[ian33a]

Pushing 61 and slowing down somewhat. I'm not sure, in my case, if the slowing down is a physical/mental thing or simply because retirement allows me to run at a slower speed. Probably a bit of both.

I know I am lucky in that I've been retired since the age of 57 - but it was all part of a life plan. The ongoing plan is keeping the slope of decline as gentle as I can make it rather than fighting it and then falling off a cliff at some point.

One thing is sure, moving to the countryside now that we don't need to be in the city has been a revelation. While there are some downsides, the upsides are massive, and it my wife and I are embracing everything that it offers and, hopefully, this will less the slope of decline that little bit more.