Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Concessions to ( BUT outweighed by advantages of) Aging



(The Cliffs of St. Bride's, Newfoundland. September 2008)

· Decaff cappuccino at night.

· Going to bed when tired and not fighting it with caffeine.

· Eating my greens even when I don’t particularly like them

· No more stiletto heels

· No more nighties, no more slinky flowing negligees, no more baby dolls.
T-shirts and pyjama bottoms with pockets rule!

· Getting up when I damn well feel like it with no apologies.

· Reading a book in one day.
·
· Spending a whole day knitting

· No more panty hose (tights).

· Comfy bras.

· Saying no to invitations for events I don’t want to go to.

· Embracing my so-called eccentricity.

· Wearing coats,hats and gloves. No, I usen’t to. I hate excess clothing. But now I just get cold.

· Wearing special little snow gliders on my boots as falls now hurt too much.

· Writing well into the dawn hours if I damn well feel like it.

· Taking on jobs that appeal and rejecting the ones that don't.

· Not wearing makeup.

· Going to matinees.

· Seniors' Discounts (and I keep forgetting!!)

· One of the rarely discussed advantages of aging is feeling like that irresponsible child again, with the bills taken care of, less worries, a newly discovered sense of adventure and a feeling of possibility. Once one is blessed with health and a bit of cash. And I do not take either of these enablers ever for granted.

· Being surprised and thrilled (still) at my pension and OAS dropping into my bank account like magic every month. Like pocket money from a benevolent mama. And recently there was a one-time government bonus payment of nearly $1,000 to every pensioner in Newfoundland. Mein Gott! What a country!

12 comments:

  1. I could have written that list!

    Enjoy the new age.

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  2. I'm getting there, WWW, I'm getting there. Just a few more years, but I have many of the symptoms already. Being single helps too. The liberation of my female self.

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  3. Irene:
    Yes, it is extremely liberating
    being answerable to no one!
    XO
    WWW

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  4. Well, I don't think I make any concessions to age but maybe I'm fooling myself. I still do all the things I used to, including lots of caffeine and enjoying my eccentricity. I don't drink much alcohol but then I never did, I never had much tolerance for it. Of course my body plays up more and my sleep is very erratic (I woke up this morning at 4am). I'm certainly enjoying life as much as before and I haven't had to give up anything I really value (I still climb the Mourne Mountains!). Hopefully I'll drop dead before old age proper causes me serious problems.

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  5. Well Nick,
    I still hike too and as to giving up anything with reluctance, that hasn't happened (yet!).
    I can honestly say I've never enjoyed life as much as I do now.
    Ain't it grand!
    XO
    WWW

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  6. I recognise many items from your list WWW, as well as being reminded of that sweet poem by Jenny Joseph

    When I am Old
    I will wear Purple!

    When I am an old woman,
    I shall wear purple - -
    With a red hat which doesn’t go,
    and doesn’t suit me.
    And I shall spend my pension
    on brandy and summer gloves and satin sandles,
    And say we’ve no money for butter.
    I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
    and gobble up samples in shops
    and press alarm bells
    and run with my stick along public railings,
    and make up for the sobriety of my youth.
    I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
    and pick flowers in other people’s gardens
    and learn to spit!
    You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
    and eat three pounds of sausages at ago,
    or only bread and pickles for a week,
    and hoard pens and pencils
    and beermats and things in boxes.
    But now we must have clothes that keep us dry,
    and pay our rent
    and not swear in the street,
    and set a good example for the children.
    We must have friends to dinner
    and read the papers.
    But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
    So people who know me
    are not too shocked and surprised
    when suddenly I am old,
    And start to wear purple!

    :-D

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  7. One of my favourite poems, T, and thanks for commenting with it.
    And my daughter presented me with the book a long time ago, I must find it when I'm back in Toronto.
    We all need to practise these principles. So very many have gone without collecting one bit of pension. I miss them every day.
    XO
    WWW

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  8. ah, excellent. i already live that way, mostly. it's why i decided against a career as a supermodel....

    no makeup, no stiletto heels.

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  9. Somehow I knew you were getting lots of practice, Laurie!!!
    XO
    WWW
    PS tho those runways are sure missing out!

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  10. Ah but I can't help admiring those cougars in their defiant leopard-skin body-hugging dresses as well.

    I shall probably go the tweed & twinset route myself (the route less travelled) as think I shall always enjoy turning heads, & the epitome of Englishness shall be so alien by then, I shall really stand out! Alas comfortable bras mean they are not really doing their job & it is time to buy a new one, but I guess you knew that already WWW!

    Love the picket fence on the cliff edge - ace photo!

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  11. Laura:
    I find the cougars a little sad, actually.
    And as to bras: mine fit very well and are new but don't have the gravity defying "balcony" appearance they once did with wires and thingies to push up, etc.
    Now they are cotton, admittedly wild colours, but cotton and oh so comfie.
    Tweed and twinnie, you will have to post a pic when the day happens!
    XO
    WWW

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