Friday, November 12, 2010

One Old Woman

Old Age: First you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your zipper up, then you forget to pull your zipper down. LEO ROSENBERG

I’ve never been good at remembering names unless they’re very unusual but faces I never forget. I haven’t yet reached the age when one forgets to pull the zipper up or down.


I don’t really mind getting old. It’s getting old and fat I’m lamenting about. Since eating is one of the few pleasures I enjoy and moving around has slowed to snail-pace, I guess I’m stuck with the weight.

Pic from Google Images
Talk about moving and being physically active to keep off the kilos, even something as insignificant as weeding the garden is a problem. First, there’s the bending/squatting down to the ground and (when the little patch is clear of weeds,) the straightening up to standing position would take a while. The joints and muscles get locked in the squatting position and it takes ages for them to ‘unlock’ with minimal pain! Passers-by and neighbours who happen to see me weeding in the front yard might have even mistaken me for a stone sculpture, you know, like a garden gnome. No, not because of the physical resemblance—how could you!—but because I’d be ‘frozen’ while I wait for the joints to unlock. You might think I’m exaggerating but if you’ve never been old, you won’t know this until you’re my age.

Other than my stiff joints, and poor eyesight, I’ve been quite lucky health wise. No doubt I’d look better if I had my facial organs cut and pasted a little northwards. But that’s more for the benefit of the on-lookers who don’t appreciate reminders of how they’d look like in the not-so-distant future.

I still do all the housework and even mop upstairs and downstairs—when I feel like it! If I don’t fancy sweeping the floor, I won’t sweep. I prepare the meals too and if Mr. Hubby doesn’t find the food appetizing, that’s just too bad.

I leave you with a poem I found online. Enjoy it and if you care, leave a message for today’s my birthday and I feel really old! Cheers!

Pic from Google Images

WHEN I'M AN OLD LADY

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,

and bring so much happiness, just as they did.

I want to pay back all the joy they've provided.

Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues,

and I'll bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,

I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.

Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,

and when that is done, I'll hide under the bed!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they cook dinner and call me to eat,

I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat,

I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,

And when they get angry. I'll run. if I'm able!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click,

I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick.

I'll take off my socks and throw one away,

and play in the mud till the end of the day!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh,

I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.

My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,

and say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!"

 Author Joanne Bailey Baxter, Lorain, OH


7 comments:

  1. Happy birthday Tina :D

    You know you're not the only one who has problems with people's names. I have that problem too. And I'm 23.

    I wish you'll have a good year ahead of you :) God bless

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi:

    Since the present Agong was installed, I always joke with my buddies:

    "Mate, you know your are old, right? How do you know you are old?"

    "Yeah, how?"

    "When the Agong is younger than you, then you know you're old!"

    Most looked at me with that sudden realisation, and then have a good laugh.

    "Ha! HA! HA!"

    Any person who can laugh at himself/herself because of is/her age is ok in my books.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by... and for the birthday greetings.
    Rayner, whether we like it or not, we're all heading in the same direction... might as well go laughing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Tina! Happy Belated Birthday. May the years be kind and plentiful :)

    Sorry I didn't get to read your post earlier. Couldn't go online for the past few days. Hope you had a great one. Cheers :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy belated birthday Tina! cheers for good and beautiful yesteryears and another cheers for more good things in the future.

    ReplyDelete