Yes, B is growing the moustache for Movember and last night was challenged to extend it to a handlebar one – so now the hedgehog prickly kiss remains, but all in a good cause.
Meantime I owe the posts for the rest of our somewhat shortened trip. It was and still is hard to motivate myself and indeed find the time for this due to the overwhelming onslaught of problems created by my fathers time in hospital and subsequent needs of both him and my mother following his “release”. I nearly put an exclamation mark there, but I still find it hard to laugh much at all about any of it.
So, my salutary note to all of us thinking “whappened, I’m getting old, and don’t like to admit it” is that you really do need to face up to the inevitable – and plan for it! My Dad has stuck his head in the sand and assumed he is Peter Pan for years. As a result, now he cannot cope with life any longer he has left his offspring with an Everest size mountain of things to do in order to keep his household running. Fine, if I had nothing else to do….but in this life wives and daughters are no longer homebodies running the house and able to find time to care for the older generation. It sounds sad and brutal, but most of us just cannot do this, as we have families, jobs and, well, a life.
We all get old. It does sneak up on you, without a doubt. But as the signs multiply – you know, those aches and pains in parts you never thought about before, and the fact that a hangover lasts all day rather than just a few hours – take heed and make a plan!
At some point you need to simplify your life. Until that time, think carefully about what you are doing which complicates it. And throw unused stuff away! Be brutal, if you didn’t need or use or wear it in the last 12 months, chances are you never will again. Old advice, seen in many articles about decluttering, but nevertheless good advice.
Same for your finances. I am currently handling 4 bank accounts and several investments for my parents, plus a further 3 more bank accounts and multiple investments for my aunt who has no other relatives in my generation other than myself and my brother, but does have a young helper/gardener in the wings hoping to inherit which is an added complication that comes with the lone older person who becomes dependent on those around them to survive and therefore becomes vulnerable to this type of situation. Lets just say I don’t sleep easily or well these days. Assuming I make it to my 80s as they all have, I intend to have spent as much as possible and have the rest in maximum one or two accounts.
OK for now that’s enough. I am putting this in the rant category, as that is what it really is. Nothing I can do now except try to minimise the impact on my life currently and try not to be too resentful……that’s hard too.