When Did you realize you were old?

[Justme]

I remember not even thinking about it until the date I got the letter in the mail from A.A.R.P.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AARP

You could have knocked me over with a feather. I just stood there, wide eyed and mouth gaping open in disbelief. Then I got angry and I'm sure if someone handed the letter to me, I'd have knocked them out cold.

ME......old.......!.... FLIP YOU.... YOU SOB! I could have bent nails with my teeth. That set me off for the rest of the day until I saw my brother get the same letter. HEE HEE!

[Dave B]

About two years ago, aged 67, I was walking along the road near home when a cheeky kid, passing the other way, said (grinning all over his face), "Hallo granddad!"

Bloody granddad!! Er, yes, I suppose so . . . So that's what all these aches & pains and memory holes are all about then?

[Fia]

Justme.
Despite being nearer 60 than 50 I can't feel old as I work with folk far older than me. When I grumped at my arthritic knees a woman nearly 50 yrs older than me nodded sagely and told me this was only the start, adding "old age ain't for fearties*". *either Scots or Doric for folk who are afraid.

That set me off for the rest of the day until I saw my brother get the same letter. HEE HEE!

Are you twins?

[Alan C.]

This year when I had to stop bending down to do the weeding (much of) And had to start getting on my hands and knees/elbows.
One of the ladies I garden for turned 100 on 27th August and still comes out to inspect my work, I love her.

[Fia]

I met her! She's inspirational. Please give her my love

[Maria Mac]

I am just in the process of realising it now, aged 56. It's to do with my tastes and interests changing as much as my shocking memory and painful knees.

[animist]

as I'm only 66 the question does not really apply

[petemster]

A few years ago, in a bar in Glasgow's west end, two attractive young ladies
came right up to me, grinning broadly.
As I adopted my most suave and sophisticated look, one of them said to me,
"Hey, you look like Santa Claus!"

Say no more.

[Justme]

Damn. Get us all in an ampetheater and call it The Dust Bowl.

[Justme]

Justme.
Despite being nearer 60 than 50 I can't feel old as I work with folk far older than me. When I grumped at my arthritic knees a woman nearly 50 yrs older than me nodded sagely and told me this was only the start, adding "old age ain't for fearties*". *either Scots or Doric for folk who are afraid.

That set me off for the rest of the day until I saw my brother get the same letter. HEE HEE!

Are you twins?

No my brother is one year older than I, but AARP sends the matterial every year until you subscribe, then the junkmail you to death.

[Solus]

I'm like Hume Cronyn: I was born old.

[lewist]

I was 65 in July and had a blast of a party. I hope not to be old but I went for an eye test shortly after my birthday and when I was doing the paperwork for my new specs, the very efficient young woman made a comment about 'senior citizens', implying I was one. What do you say?

I also had a very hard day for work on Saturday at Carve Carrbridge, on my feet all day, 8.00am till 6.30pm and on Sunday I could scarcely move and slept all day.

[jaywhat]

In the last few weeks. Yes definitely feeling old.

[Tetenterre]

When, aged 51, I took some youngsters caving after not having been for a few years. There's a "feature" in Goatchurch Cavern (superb cave for 1st-timers: real variety) called the "Coffin Lid": a smooth slab of limestone about 25 ft high and inclined at about 30 deg off vertical. I always used to be able to free-climb it. I needed a colleague to throw a rope down. And my body ached for about 2 weeks afterwards.

Then about 10 years later, I got the free bus pass. I reckoned that entitled me to feel old, so I sort of accept it now...

[Dave B]

Goatchurch!

My first ever cave as well, as you say, just about every kind of feature (barring a sump!) I had to wait for the sump till we got to anther cave, can't remember the name, where you sort of floated into the cave down water shoot. Later: got it, Stoke Lane Slocker!

Would not even think of trying it now - I looked in the local climbing wall centre and just shook my head, drank my coffee and reminisced about Tryfan, the Glyders Scafell, the Buchaille and all the rest . . .

[Alan C.]

Lewis
I was 65 in July and had a blast of a party.

You certainly did! How much of your "sale or return" Booze did you return
It was 31%c that evening in Northern Scotland and the ice cold beer was much appreciated.

[lewist]

Alan! I did return some of the inferior wine but none of the beer. It was needed that day. I'm still on a high after the party which was more than a month ago. It really was a blast.

[Altfish]

When I started making groaning noises when I stood up

[Nick]

I was 65 in July and had a blast of a party. I hope not to be old but I went for an eye test shortly after my birthday and when I was doing the paperwork for my new specs, the very efficient young woman made a comment about 'senior citizens', implying I was one. What do you say?

I have been asked if I've retired for the last 10 years or so, so I know the feeling.

Once upon a time, when I'd had my eyes tested, I had to sign the paperwork. "Congratulations!" said the optician.

"Waddya mean, congratulation?"

"you've just tested your own eyes!"

(I'd signed in the wrong place....)

When I go in now, I usually say something daft, like "I've come to collect my dry-cleaning..."

They always seem to remember me. Can't think why.....

[Lifelinking]

I'll tell ya if and when it ever happens to me.

I may have white hair and gammy-knees but I reckon I can still give the young un's a run for their money. Especially in any pursuit that requires low-animal cunning and subterfuge.

Btw Justme.....

I could have bent nails with my teeth.

Taking your teeth out and putting them in a vice would be cheating

Spoiler:

But putting the nails in a vice is the way to go!