Getting Old Gracefully?
66Rufford Abbey
It was such an unusually handsome day today that my wife and I decided to have lunch at Rufford Abbey, a 12th century ex monastic complex in Sherwood Forest, which fell victim to Henry VIII, as did all catholic monasteries during his reign.
As usual the food was just bearable but we sat outside in the glorious sunshine to eat it and that somehow made up for the food defects.
After lunch we walked around the complex, down the path to the lake taking photographs all along the route. Upon returning home we had a look at the photos and I was surprised at how old I am getting without realising it and how my wife keeps getting younger, which makes me feel even worse.
On top of it all, as we were looking at the photos, I received an email from my best friend which regrettably fitted my psychological state of mind at the moment, so I shall let you judge it for yourselves:
EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OVER 60
Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.
With a 5-kg potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.
Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.
After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-kg potato sacks.
Then try 25-kg potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 50-kg potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I'm at this level.)
After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each sack.
See how easy it is to spoil a perfect day?
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Ken, thank VERY much for your kindness. When you come over to visit, we shall take you to see the place :-))
Oh, and was it so difficult to press a button to rate up you lazy sot??? :-)))
I'm pressing Up and all the other complimentary descriptions other than "useful" right off, so don't give Ken credit for that!
I love the hub and the pix are just glorious. How nice to see the two of you enjoying such a pleasant outing! It's a lovely scenario and the geese or whatever they are look so pastoral. You're both more photogenic than anyone's a right to be, so don't be pity-partying about getting old. Graceful is ok - but old is outlawed! I have spoke!
Never speak disparagingly of old age, de Greek. It's a far, far better thing than the alternative.
Thanks for the beautiful photos and scenery and funny story.
I can relate to that, De Greek. Sounds like you had a great day. I'm not sure, though, that I could reach the last stage of that exercise. One potato sounds jolting. I'll stick to the sacks.
@ drbj better than the alternative indeed! :-)))
@ William, my thoughts exactly. Le's not strain ourselves :-))
Thank you both for passing by. I appreciated it :D
You both look wonderful - much better than the swan who seems to be giving you a colon smile.
Getting older is fun. We can do and say so many things that we couldn't when we were younger because now it's put down to either wisdom or senility. Sometimes both :-)
Yes, you do not want to unbalance the sacks, best not to put any potatoes in either. Anyway, it's better to have a well-lived in body that has known a good life, than a pristine, fit one that has never experienced anything. Glass of wine anyone?
Hi, I was beginning to wonder about the sacks getting heavier then I read the bit about the potato! ha ha It sounds a bit like something I would do! I used to use heavy weights, but now I use a tin of beans for each arm, that's the truth, oh well at least I am trying! lol thanks nell
Forgive me sire, I was busy lifting my two 25kg potato sacks, one must never never forget to rate Up for such a fine hub and next time when you add pics, put the check mark in the box so we can all enlarge them instead of squinting our tired old eyes to look at the beauty of your surroundings, the geese, ducks or swans included at no extra charge of course, must not forget my colon smile:0))
My apology again, I must remember to put my glasses on the photos are enlarged by simply following the 11 photos along the top. It's time for bed, my tired eyes are failing me:0) good night all.
I admit, I looked at the photo gallery of the 11 photos first and then read your hub, I just love photos. Your wife is beautiful in good shape, and you are a good looking dude too. Seriously, if you werent I wouldn't have said anything, would have commented on the scenery and such. :) I don't see an old couple in the photos , not at all! My s/o and I are the same baby boomer age, and we had our very first senior discount two weeks ago. Yikes! Thankfully it wasn't because of our appearance but because the cashier saw his age in his driver's licence. I don't feel senior in any way! LOL!
The photos are really beautiful, as they always say, your only as old as you feel.
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@ SilverGenes I forgot about LadyJane's World Renowned Colon Smile. so I hastened to correct the caption and I also hasten to give the link here:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Ive-Been-Warned-Stay-Away-
Thank you for reminding me :-)))
@ CMHypno your obvious knowledge on the subject of keeping fit with this method is impressive to say the least! I think I will join you in a glass. Cheers! :-)))
@ Nell, a full can of baked beans is it? Sure you are not cheating and using the half portion one? If so, you are my hero! :-)))
@ Brother saddlerider1, glad you sorted yourself out. We don't want our age to show now, do we? :-))
@ VioletSun I have gotten used to your comments now and any time you are late showing up, I get anxious :-))) Thank you for your kind words :-)
@ Research Analyst nice to see you here and thank you for your kind words :-)
OK...before I make any gaffes, please confirm that the person in the above pictures is indeed you, DG! :D
FP, yes it is I - Go ahead and do your worst! :D
Lovely pictures! Off to go get some potato sacks because I'm going to need them, especially if I continue sitting at the computer reading hubs :D
Why should I be the only one? Thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures. Thank you for a wonderful hub, as always. I got my potato sacks round my waist. There you are, aren't I privileged?
Loved it. Thanks.
It comes as a surprise to me that you will give in the pressure that our youth oriented society puts on people; if you are not productive anymore you are being immediately discarded and become a second class citizen.
Coming from the same part of the world as you and being part of a culture what celebrates wisdom over wrinkles and gray hair, I believe your fears are misplaced; lose the potato chips while keeping – your wit, and trust me, you will be just fine, Sir
LOl de Greek I will add this hub as a link from my exercises for people over 50 Hub! Remember you're not getting older, you're getting wiser. If it's any consolation, my husband has the same complaint when he looks at our photos :)
Perhaps old age IS settlng in, DG! It's so unlike you to overlook or ignore a comment!! What is it you say? Baaaaaaaad?
Well - using SG's formula, though, I can excuse the slip up, either on the grounds of your wisdom or senility - - - no - just make it - - - oh, I don't know - I forget so easily these days - - ! OH! Where IS that potato sack when I need it?
Or, better still the now imfamous colon smile!
And I've discovered the - (ready for this?) - the langorous colon smile!
: - )
ahhhhhhhh - Now for a little nap.
@ Shalini! You made it! I was wondering when you will show up! :D
@ Hi Hello, hello, we all carry a few extrra decorations around our waists :-) Thank you for passing by :D
@ David, thank you :D
@ Petra, I am not really worried about age. It's jsut taht I have put extra weight of late and I don't feel happy about it. Growing old does not bother me :D
@ Nellieanna, today is a busy day so I am behind with the responses. Langorous colon smile it is then :-))
And your other fan is back :-)
You I compare to Sean Connery, also to fine wine.
Lovely photos...glad to see you again.
You are a baaaaaaad girl for leaving me :-(
Men only get more handsome and sexy with age so what is the problem here? Your wife is beautiful and so are you. Good looking people are only good looking because of their inward beauty. Have you ever seen a really pretty girl, then have a conversation with them and see how ugly their personality or spirit is? It changes their physical appearance to me. Vice versa with not so pretty women or handsome men. You and your wife have such beautiful spirits that how could you both look anything but astonishingly beautiful and young? The sacks of potatoes will be much more enjoyable if you eat them! Much tastier than the missionaries that you boil up in the villiage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SMILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
De Greek,
I think you should stop posting these hubs about your lovely lifestyle...your''e promoting envy in the orher hubbers...that is, you're promoting envy in me!
There are many advantages to getting older but it also sucks! I must say I don't really like it. I just hope that when I'm 60 I'm in as good a shape as you ....but I doubt it.
Who needs potato sack lifting when you have your sense of humor? Thoroughly enjoyed the read and lovely wife---ok, you too.
@ Lisa, my love, I am not really worried about age :D I just put some weight on and sometimes it depreses me. Need to get it off :-))) - Thank you for your kind words :D
@ Jane, the Abbey is not too far from my home, but if you were to come hear and hear the natives speak, you will feel less nvious :D
@ Anglnwu how kind you are! Thank you :-))
Perhaps, I'd best not mention that mine was the second comment in this series and the only one not responded to and that your busy-ness produced no plural oversight here!!
Henceforth I shall hold off commenting till you've exhausted all your other comments. Anything for you! (to eliminate the replying overload! And you know I enjoy your work, anyway.) :-S hehe
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Nellieanna, NOW I see what you mean! I got confused because I replied to Nell above and I confused her name with yours. I am sorry if I have offended you and I hope you know I would not do such a thing intentionally. You should know by now that I look forward to your comments, but if you feel more comfortable and you have it in your heart to hold one ommission against me, then by all means hold off commenting until you are sure to be responded to :D
Well Well Well, that young chic on your arm will def keep you young and to heck with getting old, is that a pot leaf on your girl friends shirt, you old devil ;)
No, no pot. We do not do drugs of any kind. We don't even drink, now that I think of it. Just an occasional glass of wine. Oh well, we survive on love :D
Just pullin your leg a bit... One glass of wine is healthy given it's red wine. Great hub seriously!
De Greek, I loved the pictures. Your wife is lovely and you are a good looking couple. It looks like you really had a lovely day in that setting. As for lifting potatoes? I don't think so.
Pamela99 you are being your usual kind self :-)
nice pictures!
What can I say, reality bites! Haha But you always have a choice on how to deal with it every time it does.:D
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@ eternaltreasures - and nice baby :-D - Thank you
@ Cris, I honestly enjoy each age period as it comes along :-)
Boy, oh boy, I don't know about that best friend of yours:) Lovely sentiments. Maybe he should take a toke off the photo on your lovely wife's tee. Oh, maybe he already has...
Lorie, always ready with a good word, you good girl :-)
Moi? :-)
Hilarious "exercise" DG. Your wife is so beautiful and the two of you represent lovely couple.
Ahhhhhh.... how kind :-D
I have enjoyed this hub immensely, but mostly I want to thank you (and Shadesbreath, who sent me to you) for making me feel a part of the Hub community. You have introduced me to some great writers, several of whom have started following me. Thank you so much!
You almost had me with the tater sacks! Wonderful read - I pressed your buttons!
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- mysterylady 89 good to see you here. :-)
- Holle it's always "almost had" you with us isn't it? :-)))
I too looked at the pictures first. Your wife is, indeed, a lovely creature, and you look exactly as you should. Seeing the two of you just makes me want to show up someday in your hometown and buy you two dinner and just hang out and shoot the shit. :)
LOL @ the swan mooning you, and LOL @ putting a potato in the sack.
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Your money is not good here Young Shades. We have an extra double bedroom going to waste here and you and your wife are welcome to use it as our guests for as long as you want to. And it is we who shall slaughter the fatted calf, so you may safely leave the wallet at home :-)))
What wonderful photos of you and your wife! Yeah, growing older has its drawbacks, but think of the simple pleasures we now appreciate--a walk in a beautiful area, a meal outdoors, and a duck's colon smile!
I knew I would make the colon smile a household word. Great pictures you both look lovely. And sometimes I have a pity party because my husband is younger than I am and his mother looks like a supermodel. It can be quite disheartening to me and so I try so hard to look beautiful for him but he is a little jealous (as you know) so I guess Im doing something right. Cheers.
-- Lee, I don't know how I missed answering your comment, but I did and I am sorry :-)
-- LadyJane, your colon smile shall henceforth live and be immortalized in literature. And if your husband is younger than you, then he is a lucky so and so to have such a combination of beauty and brains at his side:-)
I'm working hard at growing old disgracefully and here you come with your too good to be true pix and all! Can't show this to the wife or she'll have me picking up potato sacks all day!
Thanks anyway for sharing. And a hug to your lovely lady too (see - growing old disgracefully!)
Love and peace
Tony
Ep,ep,ep, what's this with hugs for the wife already? Hands off there, I saw her first!:-)))))
Thank you for passing by Brother Tony, good to see you.....:-))
Looks like a good time was had by all, especially the handsome couple who featured in most of the photos!
Yes, but
are you coming to lunch or not??? ! :-))
Sadly Dimitris I am on my way home and my travels took me to Wales instead. Next time!
Aww , that's so cute... I wish I could grow old this way ... Looking glamourously beautiful with a funny handsome husband who doesn't allow bad food to ruin his day =)
actually you are the essence which graces the art of living!
....and man you know how to live!!!!
@ - noorin, you are welcome, because you are another obviously kind person, ready with a good word :-)
@ - epigramman, we have to stop meeting like this :-))
Good thing you told us that gorgeous young lady is your **wife**, else you would've received an email of a different sort from me. }:
btw, I also have an exercise program that involves a 25-kg potato bag: I put it over my head before stepping in front of any full length mirror. You, being De Greek, wouldn't know about such things. No matter how many birthdays you celebrate, you'll **always** be adorable! ;D
And you will never ever need any bags with me, because your intelligence and your brilliance will always shine through anyway :-)
What a beautiful setting for an afternoon lunch. These are all sweet photos, you both look great and very happy. As for the excercise program, that's hilarious! We all do what we can, right? A friend of mine, I found out, is running a 26 mile marathon this weekend, and imagine how it made me feel after my measley 2 mile walk tugging along my three kids and my dog lol! Suddenly I didn't feel like I accomplished much at all haha!
For your information, Young Cheryl, following a pertinent research in the UK, someone who takes the dog for a walk for the necessary every day is actually exercising more than someone who is registered at the local gym and goes the average number of times! :-))
Thank you for passing by :-)
Very interesting info, I feel better about my walks now! You're right, I had a membership to a gym for a couple of years and barely went. Now that I've cancelled it, I workout more at home on my own, go figure! =)
oh, De Greek, quit whining! A handsome distinguished gentleman with a pretty, hot wife on a lovely trip to a beautiful place. What could be better?
There is one that goes like this: if you pick up a newborn calf, then go on picking that calf up every day - one day you will be able to pick up a full grown cow!
Hi Dolores. What would life be without whining, though? :-))
I can relate! My body has a hard time keeping up with my mind and psyche for sure. In fact, my mind is totally insensitive to what my body is experiencing and often neglects to consider it at all. Disaster or disappointment is often the result. The weight lifting exercise was hilarious and echos my efforts very accurately.
"Neglects to consider"???? Funyyyyy :-)))
Hahaha! I'm gonna try that exercise!!!
Lovely photos you have here. Looks like you had a great day!
Hi Jill, yes, let me know how it goes :-)))
Seriously, but I'm in a hurry to leave a comment. I will consider this exercise using it on my two feet, and see if my restless leg syndrome will go away. I dread the day I would wake up to find out I can't lift my bare feet any longer. Hahaha! What a gracious funny way to deny that the ugly weight of old age is creeping down my feet!
Oh, you're such a lovely couple! A perfect day of photo session showing off you're not really that old. Show us more, man! Grace be to you and your beautiful wife all the days of your lives!
How kind ... Salamat po :-)
I need a little of that grace! How ya doin', my friend?
I am well. All alone, wife and son in Cyprus for a month-long holiday and me doing research for what I laughingly call my book :-))
This hub must definitely go in a round up of exercise hubs!
RedElf you have pleasantly surprised me with your wit. I thought until now that the "Elites" do not smile or make jokes, as they consider such things to be weakness :-)))
Thanks for passing by :-)
De Greek
I must say that you have gracefully and most handsomely aged. You look great. Great hub. I pushed all the buttons. Aging is something else isn't it?
HT, after that, I love you too :-))))
If you and your lovely wife have more than enough to spend in your retirement days, your idea to come and settle with us here in the Philippines is great! I just sent you my email address so I may favorably answer your questions regarding your plans. God bless you both!
saddlerider1 Level 7 Commenter 23 months ago
You look like a sweet potato old couple:0))))) as for the potato sack idea it doesn't hold any weight with me.lol
Lovely pictures, lovely couple and all in all looked like you had a perfect day. Now go and eat some potato pie. Peace and hugs to you both.