Age - not just a number

You've seen them - the old folk moving their book closer and further, trying to find that focal point where they can read, and hoping it's not somewhere beyond arm's length.

This morning, that was me.  Not a book, but an attempt to re-thread my sewing machine needle.  And realising that it wasn't as easy today as it was a few months ago.

Quite frankly, it's scary.

But I'm starting to understand that there are some things creeping up on me as I grow older that I may not necessarily be able to do anything about.  And that these things can effectively kill stuff I wanted to do when I "retire".

Take the eye thing.  I recently invested in a 2m length of fine silver wire to play around with, to make something delicate and cool out of.  Delicate and cool means it's going to be small, intricate work.  And I fear that I actually won't be able to see to do it.  Which means all the other small, intricate work I had looked forward to doing is also going to fly out the window.  And that'll I'll instead have to learn to crochet like Granny did.  At least you can do it without having to see clearly :-)

Then there are the increasing aches and pains, loss of flexibilty, and tendancy to start a day with good intentions - but tire out by lunchtime.

Yesterday, that was me.  Beautiful Spring day, full of potential.  Got going at a decent hour, worked enthusiastically through the first few tasks, and then started petering out around lunchtime, and ended up feeling so tired and ill by 2pm that I had to go have a lie-down.  I guess I get to look foward to afternoon naps as an elderly.

The aches and pains?  I'm still trying to do everything I did 10 years ago, but finding it a little harder.  I have wrecked veins in one leg thanks to work position, work boots and work activities.  That leads to the kind of varicose veins that burn, ache, and cause you to get out of bed instead of sleeping in on a weekend.  Arthritis.  Yup.  Have worn my hands out and am now on "chronic medication" with a bit of help from natural ingredients. 

OK, I'm not ancient.  I'm somewhere around 46-ish (after 40 it's difficult to remember exactly how old you are without having to calculate it..).  Maybe I'm just worn out?  Maybe when I "retire" and live a bit more gently, eat properly and get enough sleep, these will all go away?

Hell, I hope so.