How old are you and how should you feel ???

[diggernotdreamer]

I have recently become quite interested in energy levels and age, probably because I am now nearly 52 and I am wondering how much longer you can expect to have good energy levels. Having grown all my own veg for over 20 years, mainly in town gardens and allotments, we bought a place with 3.5 acres so as we could expand what we already do. We are restoring an old house, put up two polytunnels, made a large veg garden, put up a chicken run, made 3 pods in our barn for the wizards engineering machines and various other stuff he has, extended the shed further to accomodate another old car and built various other animals runs, done fencing. We moved ourselves over here in a lorry we bought and made 5 trips over and back to bring all our stuff. Long and short, we now find ourselves running out of steam a bit, laying in in the mornings, but working later into the evenings and just generally feeling quite jaded. The wizard will be 60 in January.

So the gist of this is, are we normal or should we be able to do a lot more, or are we doing too much? I would be interested to know. We did have a teenager here the other day and we outworked him.

[Odsox]

Well I was about your age when we moved here, when "here" was just a holiday bungalow with a field. Since then I have renovated the original bungalow, which included fitting oil fire central heating and then taking it all out again 15 years later, built fitted kitchen units, built an extension which more than doubles the original house. I have built a large garage, built and rebuilt a 20' x 12' "subterranean" greenhouse, a 10' x 10' conservatory, a block built chicken house suite, a barn, a potting shed, a wood shed, a radio cabin, built a shed around an 18' caravan, erected 2 polytunnels, erected a small aluminium greenhouse, erected a kit-form metal shed, planted windbreak and chopped most of it down again when it outlived it's purpose, planted up an orchard, planted biomass willow and alder, concreted many paths, and most of it was done on my own.
All the time I was doing that I was also growing enough vegetables to keep us totally self sufficient as well as mowing half an acre of grass nearly every week and doing all the cooking.
Still doing it too, still self sufficient in veg, just about to start rebuilding the kitchen but building a bigger barn has now been postponed until next year, but that's only because of the weather this year.
Of course that's the thing about living in Ireland, if you slow down you will rust up.

[happyhippy]

I'm 51,and well I'm not sure how I should feel.I guess for my age I'm not "that"mature,and always say to people I'll mature when I get older!lol I used to walk alot which increased my energy levels but now OH seems to have given up the ghost and prefers sitting on his butt,I don't really like walking alone.I need to address this as I also used to practice yoga daily .I believe the more active you are the more energy you have and thats what I'm going to be working on in the future.I do feel more tired than I used to,and to be honest I'm finding it hard to get used to.

[Rosendula]

I'm 41 and feel a lot younger than I did 10 years ago when I was working for money full time. I'm fitter, healthier, happier and have far more mental and physical energy than I ever did. I wish I'd gone down this route right from the beginning instead of doing what was expected of me by 'normal' people.

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

Not sure I can be very useful. I'm 25 and seem to be permanently tired!

[oldfella]

Odd Question," How should you feel" I am 78 yr s old creak at the joints, still feel a stirring in the loins, not often, and is normally cured by going for a pee. I get up at 6 every morning to let out the animals and water the garden, eat a good breakfast, after which I do as I am told, by her indoors. After carrying out her instructions, I am then free to what I want, which, normally is to go across the field, to my old neighbour , 86 yrs old, and test the progress of last years Grape Harvest, which in the process of turning into wine, we are of course, helped in this work by the other two neighbours, 81 and 83 yrs of age one of whom suffers quite badly from flatulence," I'm getting on" is his excuse.
In the afternoon, the OH, 73 yrs and I retire to the bedroom, for a siesta, after which she will start to get ready to go for either a rehearsal, or concert, as she sings in the local Choir, and plays French horn in an Orchestra, as well as running the village Library. We have 3 large freezers which we fill every year from the garden, and 2 small chest freezers, which be full of our own chickens geese, and other meats we buy from our neighbours, and the rack in the cellar will be full of our own wines.

So to answer your Question " How should you feel when you get old" is that is up to you, there are no rules, and it is my belief is that you can only get out of life, what you put in.

To you and yours

Eddy ak Oldfella

[MKG]

I'm 35 and don't understand the question.

What?

I AM!!!!!

Mike

[Marmalady]

There is no rule everyone is different! It will all depend on your general health, your activity levels throughout life, your attitude etc

About 20 yrs ago, in her early teens, my daughter went through a phase of not eating properly - and nothing i could say would change her attitude untill one day i asked her which of her two grandmothers she wated to be like when she was old. She took the point!
My mother & mother-in-law were at the time both in their late 60's and both suffered from arthritis. MIL spent most of her day sat around the house, was often feeling unwell, could not/did not walk anywhere. In contrast my mother was as active as her arthritis allowed -including going down quarries hunting for rock specimens! She appeared to be a good 10 years younger than MIL. Even now at 88, on her "good" days she can do gentle digging in the garden, paint the kitchen wall etc

So as you get older, yes you will slow down and may need some help with any heavy work --but there is no reason why you should not enjoy your garden for a long time yet. Listen to your body -- if it needs rest, then rest --but not to the extent that you never get up again! All things in moderation - both activity and rest!

[Thomzo]

I really do agree that it's different for everyone but what is quite evident is that the more effort you put in when you are younger, the more you reap the rewards as you get older.

Quite recently, three people in my close circle turned 70 within a few months of each other. One is quite overweight, sits around all day moaning and blaming her 'age' for the fact that she struggles to walk, can't get up when she falls over, falls over regularly and is generally quite miserable as she doesn't believe that she's capable of doing anything.

Another is still working part-time as a cleaner, goes on a couple of foreign holidays a year, loves nothing more than chasing around after her grandchildren and is generally a very happy, fun-loving person. If she has any aches and pains, she never complains.

The third is partially disabled after damaging his back in a fall a few years ago. This limits his activity but he gently plods on, tending the garden, taking holidays, enjoying the company of family and friends. He rarely complains but simply explains when he has to sit down or stop what he's doing. He still manages a laugh and a joke even when he's struggling with the pain.

It really brought it home to me that if I wasn't careful I was going to end up like the first when what I really want to be is number 2 so I decided that now is the time to make sure I get fit and lose weight before it's too late.

I'm not sure I'll ever manage to be like my friend's mum though. She's just returned from cycling from Wiltshire to Germany and back - she's 82!

Zoe

[prison break fan]

I'm 67, still working as a gardener 3 mornings a week, manage my own garden and 2 allotments, but do find my strength has dinimished and I have to ask for help with heavy lifting. Hate it!! I walk the dog twice a day, cook, read, gossip with the neighbours, watch a bit of tele, go to bed early and get up early, but I would like to be like MKG and be 35 again!!! pbf.

[diggernotdreamer]

What an interesting set of replies. I think it has made me realise a few things. I am not as young as I was so cannot expect to be able to do all the things I want to do, but saying that I seem to have far more to do now than when I was younger and had a shop and small child. Oldfella, you are an inspiration, I feel that you are very relaxed and know what you are doing every day, so you have a plan. I need a plan of action so instead of floundering around, I just go and get on with the job I have allotted myself. I tire myself out just thinking of all the jobs that need doing and end up whizzing around doing things here and there but not actually always finishing what I started. It is easy to fall into a trap of believing you have to do everything at once, which is what we have been doing, we only moved here in December 2008 and have done so much, I guess you want to fit so much into the day as you get older, time gets more precious, but pacing yourself is also important. I must be quite fit, I did have to chase the alpacas back up the road a couple of days ago, which is up quite a steep hill and I didn't expire

Better have an early night tonight, I have a feeling the Wizard is pointing the walls tomorrow so I will be the labourer, mixing up the lime cement,

Good luck to you all

Lyn

[Susie]

Diggernotdreamer, all that and chasing alpacas up a hill as well? Yes you must be quite fit ;-).

It really brought it home to me that if I wasn't careful I was going to end up like the first when what I really want to be is number 2 so I decided that now is the time to make sure I get fit and lose weight before it's too late.

Yes, me too (I'm 37). I always had this idea there was no point trying to get fit when you were older than about 25, it turns out that isn't true at all. I don't know where I got that from, but now I can do loads of things I couldn't do when I was younger.

Not only can I touch my toes, I can put my hands flat on the ground! (You have to know my fitness history i.e. I don't have one to know what an achievement this is... ;-) ).

[MuddyWitch]

A 1961 vintage here & it was brought home to me very much recently that you can loose fitness very quickly if you are forced to be inactive. Probably more so after 45 or so. I was only forced to 'take it easy' for six months but I'm still fighting to get back to full pre-illness fitness levels, eight months on. I really do find that 'the more I do, the more I CAN do' so-to-speak. Fitness increases exponentially.

If some-one chooses to sit watching brain-dead telly then they'll pile on the pounds & kill brain cells where-as if they just go for a walk they'll feel much better, and if they dig a patch of land or paint a door or what-ever floats their boat, better still.

On the other hand, we all need a lazy week now-and-again to recharge.

MW

[baldybloke]

At 54 I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. Unfortunately my back is showing its age, with other bits that are aching in sympathy. My mind still thinks I'm a big kid and there is still a lot of fun still to be had, if I have any say in the matter.

[trinder]

oldfella -you are living the dream. Let's hope we all get there.x