Thursday, January 12, 2012

Pulling up my socks as high as they'll go

I know I'm getting old when I realise that:

Walking slowly - with Milly sniffing, scampering and leaping around in the leaves and bushes nearby - is much nicer with my hands clasped behind my back, old-professor style.

Going out during week nights is a chore, not fun. Home is my favourite night spot - no make up, no shoes - no effort.

Saying, "I'm going to tape this show because it's on after 10pm so I'll watch it tomorrow before dinner" is doubling the old-bag-o-meter. 'Taping' betrays my origins way back to video cassettes and staying up later than 10pm is just, well, too tiring these days.

Drinking an ice cold, strongbow cider in front of the telly is best when accompanied by .... knitting. One gulp, two rows, one gulp, two rows.

Junk mail for weekly supermarket specials are now read from cover to cover. "Oh, so is that why we have two 100 jumbo packs of bog rolls jammed in where my suitcase should be," says Love Chunks.



There's no point trying to find the end of the roll of sticky tape when you're tired or in a hurry.

Once you've rubbed in all the cream on your face, mirrors are best avoided.

There really is no nicer feeling than having all the dishes done and kitchen lights off by 8pm.

And my mother was right. Tucking my t-shirt into my undies and jeans *does* make me feel warmer under my jacket.

26 comments:

Jackie K said...

OK I'm old too - because I relate to AND AGREE WITH all these except the cider (not a fan) and the knitting (can't do).

Kath Lockett said...

You could substitute them for Baileys and crochet?
Gin and tapestry?
Vodka and dress making?

Anonymous said...

'Go out? Must we?' We do go out for dinner often enough, but never hang around long. The movie theatre is now for visiting during the day. I feel some slight guilt that we don't go to more plays etc, but only slight.

Pandora Behr said...

I agree with most excecpt the undies in the knickers one - sorry - can't do that.

And you missed the one about when you go out to pubs making sure there's seating and it's not too noisy, cos there's no way you're going to a crowded pub to stand around and drink...

Dianne said...

Your post made me smile Kath - I found your site through diane b and was interested to see that you hailed from my home state of South Australia - and now you're living in beautiful Geneva - now that's a different corner of the world.
I agree going out at night is just too much like hard work!!

Plastic Mancunian said...

Bonjour Kath,

Ho Ho - so true - apart from the knitting - and the cream.

I love going out but it really IS a chore these days - so much so that I try not to go out in midweek and only one evening (at most) at the weekend.

Oh to be young again.

:-)

Cheers

PM

drb said...

I cringed when I read the first line but thankfully I can't agree with any of these. ;-)

Hopefully, I will agree with any of the list only when I am 65.

River said...

The end of the sticky tape should be folded over itself for a millimetre so as to create an easily found edge for when you next want to use it. Why am I the only one who ever does this? I have no trouble at all finding the edge on my sticky tape.

You're right about the kitchen being cleaned up by 8pm, it's a lovely feeling being relaxed by the TV knowing that the days work is complete.

Elephant's Child said...

After dark is bed time. Going out? After bed time? Very rarely a happening thing. And yes, I am a fully fledged old bag myself. Can't knit though.

Baino said...

You're such a dag!

diane b said...

Wait another twenty years and then you'll know what getting old is like. I forget why I went to the fridge or why I went into the next room.
We go out for lunch instead of dinner. Invite guests for lunch instead of dinner. We go to the daytime movie sessions.

Wally The Walrus said...

Ha ha ha ha... yes, I can relate to all these things. Although I have a bad habit of sitting up until midnight reading.

Kath Lockett said...

Me too Andrew. I prefer a 6.30pm restaurant booking over 8pm any day (or night).

Pandora, I didn't miss out the pub one because, well, I don't go to pubs any more. We've got better wine at home, cleaner toilets, better (or no) music and the company is 100% wanted.

Welcome, Dianne! Yep, a Murray Bridge girl, then Adelaide for Uni/work, over to London for a couple of years, back to Adelaide. Fell in love and joined Love Chunks in Melbourne, then up to Darwin, back to Melbourne before heading over to Adelaide for eight years. Then the lure of Melbourne called again before.... Geneva! (whew, I think I'll go and lie down now).

PlasMan you mean that you STILL survey yourself in the mirror after rubbing in your face cream? ....hang on, you *do* use moisturiser, don't you? If not, what's your secret to youth??

DrB, are you telling me that you *can* always find the end of the sticky tape?

River, that's always a practical idea and I keep telling myself that I'll do that until I get busy and forget and, a week or so later need the sticky tape again, go rustling around the kitchen drawer (or Sapphire's room) and realise that the end is hiding again....

Of course Baino. Even my 'about me' section says so! :)

Day time movie sessions are brilliant, dianeb because afterwards you can do something to work off the quadruple sized Kit Kat and gallon of coke that you consumed. Or, in my case, the smuggled-in block of chocolate, carton of iced coffee and bunch of grapes.

Wally, at least it's reading after midnight, so you do still qualify for Old Fart status. If it was drinking or dancing it'd be a different story.

Fen said...

oh man I dread to think what I'll be like when I'm actual Nanna age, I'm practically one now!

Hannah said...

Unfortunately my penchant for late-night snacking precludes the kitchen-lights-off-by-8pm one, but I must say my 24-year-old heart sings along with many of these!

Kath Lockett said...

And what's wrong with that, Fenstar? :)

Hannah, I'll admit that the lights frequently get turned back in in our kitchen after 8pm too - there's wine, Baileys, herbal tea and chocolate to be had!

Jayne said...

Yes, tuck it in cos it'll stop you getting a chill in the kidneys (as my mother had wont to prattle).
I'm with you - way better to stop indoors after 3pm.

Cat J B said...

Oh yeah, agree with quite a few of those. Can't imagine what I was thinking when I was younger.....just the idea of dressing up in tight jeans and a short top on a freezing night to go and stand around in a smoky pub.....who was that person? As I sit here in my pj pants, holey woollen jumper and about to get into my electric blanket warmed bed. Yup, I'm very glamorous these days, but soo much more comfortable!

I don't tuck though, but my mother-in-law loves to tuck in the kids and they hate it, hehehe....

Anji said...

How old are you Kath?

I agree with you on all of that except for the T-shirt which is left untucked so that it doesn't emphasize the lumps and bumps.

Kath Lockett said...

Jayne, my mother was obsessed with chilled kidneys too! And piles, come to think of it....

CatJB, wait until you're 43 (there's your answer, Anji) and living in a country where the maximum is 2C. Tucking in is very, very comforting. :)

Anji, lumps and bumps are unavoidable for me, but I am grateful for the hugely thick winter parkas I have to wear here. Very kind to those of us with several 'winter layers' of our own thanks to wine, cheese and chocolate.

Cathy said...

You keep tucking Kath! It's one of the first lessons I learned after arriving in France and it has a lot to be said for it! I did end up throwing out the Damart spencer my mum bought me 'because you'll be so COLD over there dear' though! And a word for diane b : I'm the same age as Kath but I frequently forget why I went into the room or what I was looking for when I opened that particular cupboard and I have to write EVERYTHING down or I forget it immediately. Not a sign of aging but more an indication of multitask overload, I like to think!

Kath Lockett said...

You're a treasure, Cathy!

I did some serious tucking today when we went out to the brocante at Plainpalais. At one stage a chilly gust of wind slapped our faces and all three of us went "OOOOHHH!" in unison. We ended up linking arms and shuffling around the markets in a weird trifecta group hug to keep warm....

....only to return home a few hours later to afternoon sun streaming through our living room windows and seeing the dog sunning herself on the floor in total bliss.

drb said...

Yes, Kath, I *can* always find the end of the sticky tape. Just a matter of good eye sight and touch plus patience.

Kath Lockett said...

Onyer, drb. I can find it too, but NEVER when I'm in a hurry. That's Murphy's Law.

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