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Today something made me realise I was getting older

  • 09-04-2018 4:08pm
    #1
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭


    There was a branch of a tree needed cutting back. Too high for a stepladder. A few years ago I would have climbed up with a pruning saw in hand but today I decided it was beyond me.

    What, today, said to you " hey, not any more" or "That means you're old"?


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Comments

  • #2
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,006 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Loads of things.
    When I started to use a walking stick on rough ground (its a huge improvement, but still)
    When I can't get down to ground/floor level without an indepth plan of how I am going to get back up again.
    When I need to step up or down a bit of rough ground and realise that while it is not that significant, my knees are just not going to do it.
    And - dammit - when I can't get the lid off a jar that someone else just then unscrews, no problem!


  • #3
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    looksee wrote: »
    Loads of things.
    When I started to use a walking stick on rough ground (its a huge improvement, but still)
    When I can't get down to ground/floor level without an indepth plan of how I am going to get back up again.
    When I need to step up or down a bit of rough ground and realise that while it is not that significant, my knees are just not going to do it.
    And - dammit - when I can't get the lid off a jar that someone else just then unscrews, no problem!

    I have a friend who, when he bends down or gets on his knees, says he asks himself if there's anything else he can do while he's down there.


  • #4
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,006 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Daughter and I are proposing to move to a fairly large bit of wild woodland...see above :D ... Since I have fallen twice now - nice soft landings on leaf mould and mud so no injuries - she is insisting that I will not be allowed to wander off without my phone in my pocket!


  • #5
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Heebie wrote: »
    I think you misspelled "smarter" there OP. :)

    Am I missing something here???


  • #6
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,006 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Nothing to see, move along there please! (posted in wrong forum, removed)


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  • #7
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    looksee wrote: »
    Nothing to see, move along there please! (posted in wrong forum, removed)

    I thought it was my age again. ;)


  • #8
    garancafan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,034 ✭✭✭garancafan


    I completely empathise with the measures one must take to get down while up or get up while down.

    My last 4 cars have been SUVs. Mrs gf has had to exchange her lovely low slung Volvo for an MPV just to facilitate my disembarking.

    We recently acquired one of those long-handled brush and broom sets. They're great but the dog also appreciates them so that sweeping anything up requires the adroitness-of-foot of a rugby winger - I didn't have that at 25 and I certainly don't have it now.


  • #9
    ouxbbkqtswdfaw
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,253 ✭✭✭ouxbbkqtswdfaw


    DoctorEdgeWild wrote:
    Joe looking for tears.

    looksee wrote:
    Loads of things. When I started to use a walking stick on rough ground (its a huge improvement, but still) When I can't get down to ground/floor level without an indepth plan of how I am going to get back up again. When I need to step up or down a bit of rough ground and realise that while it is not that significant, my knees are just not going to do it. And - dammit - when I can't get the lid off a jar that someone else just then unscrews, no problem!


    To get the lid off a jar, first puncture it with a knife.


  • #10
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    w3qo82k6dxz0iu wrote: »
    To get the lid off a jar, first puncture it with a knife.

    That sounds like a recipe for a trip to A&E.


  • #11
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,006 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Well no, it does work but it needs an artistic flick of the wrist and a reliably strong knife with a very sharp point and...yes you could be right. It also means that air gets into the jar of whatever.


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  • #12
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    looksee wrote: »
    Well no, it does work but it needs an artistic flick of the wrist and a reliably strong knife with a very sharp point and...yes you could be right. It also means that air gets into the jar of whatever.

    I know it works but I also have seen what a slip of a sharp blade does - all too often in fact and not just in my latter days.


  • #13
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    I had this jar opening problem recently. There was a speck of sunshine about the other day and I felt just grrrrrrrreat! Right, I'm going to start spring cleaning, sez I. Cleaning out some cupboards I found an old jar of mincemeat, you know the stuff you over-buy at Christmas and never use. Could I open it? Not a bit! Twisted and turned, grimaced and grunted, skin coming off my hands, blood vessels exploding on my neck, not a budge. I left it back on the shelf.....as you do. The next day I attacked it once more.....couldn't move it for love nor money. Handed it to himself. 'Open that for me', sez I. Well, he twisted and turned, grimaced and.....you get the picture. Total failure. I returned the jar to the shelf once more. The next day I held the top of the jar under the hot water tap, dried my hands, dried the jar, twisted it and.......it came off! Tah. Dah. As they say. :)


  • #14
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    I had this jar opening problem recently. There was a speck of sunshine about the other day and I felt just grrrrrrrreat! Right, I'm going to start spring cleaning, sez I. Cleaning out some cupboards I found an old jar of mincemeat, you know the stuff you over-buy at Christmas and never use. Could I open it? Not a bit! Twisted and turned, grimaced and grunted, skin coming off my hands, blood vessels exploding on my neck, not a budge. I left it back on the shelf.....as you do. The next day I attacked it once more.....couldn't move it for love nor money. Handed it to himself. 'Open that for me', sez I. Well, he twisted and turned, grimaced and.....you get the picture. Total failure. I returned the jar to the shelf once more. The next day I held the top of the jar under the hot water tap, dried my hands, dried the jar, twisted it and.......it came off! Tah. Dah. As they say. :)

    The appliance of science! Bet you a young lad won't have been able to open it either and wouldn't have thought of expanding the metal by heating it.


  • #15
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    (Polishes fingernails on shoulder!)


  • #16
    DunnoKidz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,587 ✭✭✭DunnoKidz


    Reminded the chemists' assistant to please not put childproof caps on my medicine bottles.

    Says to me "we'll make a note in your chart, to use only easy open caps ----> no problem, we do it alot for senior citizens."


  • #17
    Ted_YNWA
    Registered Users Posts: 71,799 ✭✭✭✭Ted_YNWA


    Maximiliano Yellow Opera wrote:
    I have a friend who, when he bends down or gets on his knees, says he asks himself if there's anything else he can do while he's down there.

    Same can be said for going up the stairs. I've gone "fekk it, it can stay up there" a few times.


  • #18
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    looksee wrote: »
    Well no, it does work but it needs an artistic flick of the wrist and a reliably strong knife with a very sharp point and...yes you could be right. It also means that air gets into the jar of whatever.

    Just whack the edge of the lid against the fridge or whatever, as many times as it needs, while yelling GERONIMO!

    Knives are dangerous..


  • #19
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,464 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    Not today, but a wee while ago I was getting up out of a lowish chair and just for a brief moment thought “wouldn’t a walking stick make this handier”, once it was thought I couldn’t unthink it. I’m getting old ok and have a degenerative spine condition.


  • #20
    Littlehorny
    Registered Users Posts: 2,351 ✭✭✭Littlehorny


    Mid 40's now and always been active. Just cannot believe how long it takes to recover from something. One Saturday pulled old fruit bushes up in the garden, the middle of my back was sore for weeks!
    Night out, don't go overboard on the drink and still knackered the next day, not hungover just tired.
    Also, you talk about a famous band or t.v show in work and a younger person have never even heard of them and say to you "I'll ask my mother or father about that when i get home tonight".


  • #21
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,006 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Littlehorny...I have kids who are past their mid-forties! Things may be creaking a bit but you have a long way to go yet :D


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  • #22
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Littlehorny wrote: »
    Mid 40's now and always been active. Just cannot believe how long it takes to recover from something. One Saturday pulled old fruit bushes up in the garden, the middle of my back was sore for weeks!
    Night out, don't go overboard on the drink and still knackered the next day, not hungover just tired.
    Also, you talk about a famous band or t.v show in work and a younger person have never even heard of them and say to you "I'll ask my mother or father about that when i get home tonight".

    40s is far from old. I have kids in their 40s. You are in your prime.


  • #23
    Littlehorny
    Registered Users Posts: 2,351 ✭✭✭Littlehorny


    Maximiliano Yellow Opera wrote: »
    40s is far from old. I have kids in their 40s. You are in your prime.

    That's what I keep telling the missus! :D


  • #24
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,006 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    I seem to recall my 40s were hard work, lots of kinda feeling decrepit and - oh I don't know, just hard work. I don't have nearly as much energy now and the last few years were pretty dire, but now things are settling down I feel as though I have relaxed into myself. Or something.


  • #25
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 40,927 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Chatting to an American friend today, and she said she thought the lead actor in teen wolf was hot. And I said "what? Michael j fox?"

    She hadn't a clue what I was on about.

    Felt really old LOL


  • #26
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    Littlehorny wrote: »
    Mid 40's now and always been active. Just cannot believe how long it takes to recover from something. One Saturday pulled old fruit bushes up in the garden, the middle of my back was sore for weeks!
    Night out, don't go overboard on the drink and still knackered the next day, not hungover just tired.
    Also, you talk about a famous band or t.v show in work and a younger person have never even heard of them and say to you "I'll ask my mother or father about that when i get home tonight".

    You're just a whippersnapper that is out of condition! If you do a bit of exercise, walking or whatever you'll snap back into better fitness. You'll soon be able to weed the garden without any misery.


  • #27
    Doltanian
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,201 ✭✭✭Doltanian


    I keep a stick in my shed for stirring paint, I feel old.


  • #28
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    Doltanian wrote: »
    I keep a stick in my shed for stirring paint, I feel old.

    Ditto! :D Everyone needs one of those!


  • #29
    Ave Sodalis
    Registered Users Posts: 7,547 ✭✭✭Ave Sodalis


    I'm far from old but it definitely gave me a Grampa Simpson moment recently. My teenage sister tells me "ugh, you just... wouldn't get it", accompanied by a dramatic eye roll, with a look of digust. Honestly, I thought that line was reserved for parents. I guess they changed what 'It' was.


  • #30
    Ted_YNWA
    Registered Users Posts: 71,799 ✭✭✭✭Ted_YNWA


    Back in my day ....


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  • #31
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    You're just a whippersnapper that is out of condition! If you do a bit of exercise, walking or whatever you'll snap back into better fitness. You'll soon be able to weed the garden without any misery.

    Sheer mythology is that!


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