..to the Book Festivval, I had to run for the bus. I was so breathless when I got on it I could barely ask for my destination. Telling my friend of my dismay that I was not as fit as I thought I was, she pointed out that - 1 I had a pack on my back
2 I was pulling a suitcase 3 it was uphill 4 I had been sitting on the ferry for half an hour (no warm-up) and 5 I did actually catch the bus! I didn't feel so bad after that :-) ..in my old age, be able to put my suitcase in the overhead locker on a plane, manage the stairs in the Paris Metro, put on my socks without having to sit down, get in and out of the hammock and the low slung leather chair in the study, get dressed without falling over, push the wheelbarrow and lift pots up onto the porch, run for a bus, carry my own shopping, climb the ladders to prune the clematis round the window (I always have someone hold the steps!)... What would you add? All this may only be possible if I make some effort now, thus the recent review of the list of the eight things a human needs to be fit and well, at any age. All very basic common sense, but I someitmes need reminding and I think I now have a clearer picture of what I need to work on. I hope it has been of some interest to you too. I was once visiting my uncle in Edinburgh and as we hopped on and off buses I casually asked Uncle John do you ever take taxis? To which he replied ,equally casually, I will when I am older. He was 96 at the time. I hope we are all as lucky! Last but nt least of the eight requirements for human thriving is touch. Anyone who lived alone through lockdowns will know how very important it is to touch and be touched. A hug from a friend, linking arms on a walk, a kiss on the cheek, a pat on the shoulder or even a shoulder to cry on - all affect our wellbeng in profound ways. Being in tuoch with nature, getting in touch with a friend, being touched by soneone's kindness - not all touch is literal, but actual physical touch is essential - a massage, stroking a pet, a pedicure or a manicure, a facial even one given by yourself..it's not good to be out of touch. ..and the seventh essential for this himan to thrve is non energy nutrients - important things from food lke fibre, vitamins and minerals. I hope to get all I need from a good mixed healthy diet but I do take a supplement called Macushield (made from marigolds) which contains lutein and zeaxanthin thought to slow the development of macular degeneration. My daily juices of mostly apples, carrots and spinach are also good for eye health I am told. Another day of glorious weather with meals outside, a little gentle gardening and a nap in the hammock. Bliss. The next essential for human beings. I love love love sunlight and for a few days now we have had lots of it! Especially nice when you have a friend to stay. We don't habe to have direct sunlight on our skin to produce vitamin D, and we definitely don't want to burn (that is just foolish) but daylight, which is sunlight, is really important all year round. I plan to spend some time out of doors most days this winter, even in bad weather...
I hope the sun is shining where you are. Thinking about movement as an essential for human beings (back to that list.) Appaarently if there is a staircase and an escalotor 98% of people will use the esdalator even though all of us know that using the stairs will be better for our health in the long term We used to have to move constantly to live - to find food and fuel but life today is so comfortable that it is said some even complain if they can't get a parking place close to the door of the gym, and may not even see the irony. There is a new movement, as the pedulum swings, called doing the hard thing encouraging us to toughen up a bit. What do you think? Have we all got soft? Are we unable and unwilling to do the things which need a little effort? I must keep moving! The three black pots have been lovely in their pastel shades
..can be a real pleasure, althugh the first time I sat down at my table for a proper meal after my husband died I all but choked on it and couldn't eat it for crying. (Barry loved to cook and I absolutely loved being cooked for!)
Eating alone during Covid lockdowns was an awful experience I hope mever to repeat. I sit down to my meals, and set an attractive table no matter how simple the food.. That's a big part of the pleasure for me. Napkins, flowers, candles - I really enjoy all that and it's only a minute of extra effort. I am perfectly comfortable eating in restaurants on my own. Again there is that pleasure of someone cooking for me and I like to discreetly people-watch. I had two favourite restaurants in Glasgow which have both closed sadly. Betty's in York treat the solo diner particularly well, offering a good table and a newspaper. So nice. But eating with family and friends is extra special now that it is not an everyday thing. Perhaps if your life is busier than mine you will enjoy eating alone and having time to think? And really taste the food! I am so grateful for the luxury of beautiful food. ..the machinations of the food industry gets easier and easier the more I learn. Ultra processed foods are cheap, tasty, fast, easy and addictive. Even the savoury ones have sugar added. I have heard them called dysfunctional foods and I just don't want to go there. If I am tempted a look at the list of ingredients saves me! I have some wonderful technology on my phome which will read a photograph of a page at a time of my cookbooks and am currently exploring A Table For Friends by Skye McAlpine (thank you Liz). I love her philosophy. Relaxed, generous and realistic. An inspiration for one of my favourite activities - eating with friends. I want the lifeforce of growing things in my food. As part of my studies as A Student Of Old Age I see that I get energy from clean air and deep breathing, from drinking lots of water and taking cold showers, and from getting enough quaity sleep (need to do some work on this). Next on the list (see here) is energy and we get most of it from food. A huge subject, isn't it. I eat a pretty healthy diet and a craving for sugar is the only thing that can be a problem for me I would say. However, I am focussing on filling up with the good stuff before even thinking of the not-so-good, which works quite well for me as I really do like good food! I am increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables, and buying the best quality I can afford. What works for you? Do you notice your energy levels vary when you eat a certain way? Look at the wonderful life force/energy in this beautiful flower!
Erratic. For now I think I have accepted that my sleep is erratic. I probably get on average 7 hours a night and I guess that is ok. What I do well is nap! I resisted for a long time as I thought it might be counterproductive - ie if I had a nap in the afternoon I would sleep less at night, but this doesn't seem to be the case so I have cultivated The Art Of The Nap. That's the title of a lovely little book which makes a convincing case for the wisdom of the nap and with delightful photographs... I am especially good at napping in the hammock. Guilt free somehow, as it seems like a perfectly sensible thing to doo on a hot day. Do you drink lots of water? I have been drinking 5 or 6 glasses of water a day for over a week. How come I can forget for weeks at a time what a difference it makes to the way I feel and to my energy levels?
. Blessed with abundant clean water to drink and to bathe in, I always wash my hair in cold water, often start the day with a cold shower and sometimes take a cold bath. The most invigorating thing I do! Ever. Signing up for a monthly donation to Water Aid. Is it selfish to be paying so much attention to my own health? These kinds of thoughts do come into our heads, don't they? I came across a really good question in a health questionnaire (and you know I like a good question). Who else will benefit if your health improves? My first thought was my children, as they may not have to look after me when I am old. Then I thought everyone benefits. Not only will the people around me be less anxious and worried, but I wouldn't be a burden on the state and the wonderful NHS. And I will be more able to help others who need it. The thinking behind free travel for older people was that older people who can get out and about and be fit and active will save the country vast amounts of money. So, I will absolve myself of any feelings of guilt about focussing on my own fitness for the month (or what is left of it. August is racing by). Having got that out of the way, the next essential for my body is water.
It is still summer, as evidenced by the cornflowers. And today was unexpectedly beautiful. ..in my old age? (Yesterday I went to a beautiful 90th birthday party.) Iin no particular order I want intellectual stimulus the company of intelligent friends family time good health and to be useful. Wht would you add to the list? I don;t want the only pan for my old age to be the funeral plan! I have ordered five anemone September Charm and three agapanthus Navy Blue to extend the season in the bed which is mainly ox-eye daisies. A day's work in the garden is balm for the soul to me. I am so grateful for the sheer beauty of it all. The tiniest things like the tangle of tendrils from sweet peas with a gorgeous cosmos in a small glass delights me. The peace and prettiness on a sunny morning just had to be enjoyed. It would be churlish not to appreciate it to the full. My friend, an artist who loved beuty and the natural world, would expect no less than for us to keep going, and he would want no more than for us to be happy. He would know that those of us who are left behind will take care of each other.
I think the first clear plan I made for my own old age was a long time ago when I began noticing that some clever and capable people I knew were having to give up their careers because they had reached a certain (arbitrary) number of years, and they were not happy about it. I remember thinking that I didn't want someone else telling me when I should stop working. I became self-employed and freelanced. A lot less income, a lot more freedom! For me , it was the right decision and I have no regrets.
But we are all different... My new category is about old age. I have always been a bit coy about my age here on the blog, paartly because I realise that I am more often than I like to admit ageist myself, in the sense that I make assumptions about people based on the number of years they have been on the planet! Crazy really, not to mention morally reprehensible. So I guess I didn't want to risk being on the receiving end of this kind of thinking. (No offence, dear readers who never think ageist thoughts!) What to call this category then? I thought of Fit For Old Age, or Older and Yet Older :-) but settled on Simply..A Student of Old Age I love learning and plan to learn as much as I can about this fascinating subject, and given that I have always claimed that old age is ten years on from the age I happen to be at, I have plenty of time to swot it up!
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February 2025
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