Vitamin B not D!!

Dear Ella,

Ageing gracefully or maybe its disgracefully?  Not really a problem - after all its what's meant to happen its just I sort of think its happening to other people and not me - that is until "smack in my face things happen" - here are a few:

1.   Varifocal glasses are now the norm - which of course means I should wear them all the time - but don't, due to both vanity and convenience.  So in Boots the other day, I purchased what I thought were Vitamin B tablets (remember - no one likes a mood swim, Christmas post) - only to get them home and find they were Vitamin D. Still I am sunshine rich now.

2.  Interviewed at a conference on video - the clip was sent to me.  Could have been Granny…..  and when did I get those lines dropping down from my mouth to my chin, (maybe they are dribble channels for when I get really old)

3.  Staying in our lovely SACO Apartments in Lambs Conduit Street last week.  Got in the lift and took us all up to the third floor as was convinced the check in details said apartment 301, but on donning said varifocals discovered it was apartment 101.  Back down the the first floor we all had to go.

3. Noise - anyone else's, no longer acceptable, my chosen and created noise is of course acceptable.  Suspect this is not just about reduced noise tolerance - but generally getting less tolerant overall.

4. Galvanising various body parts - before leaving sanctuary of duvet in the mornings.  Stiff hips and will my left knee be having a good day day or just plain indifferent?  It's the big debate at Allintgon every morning.

5.  Looking across at a group of people and thinking - crikey they're old, only to realise they are all out celebrating a 50th (the balloon with with a 5 and 0 on it was the clue), so younger than me!!!! How can that be?

6.  Pension focused - well "semi focused", left it all a bit late really, but pensions are a common debate amongst peers as well as "who is retired?" "whose thinking of retiring?" "who would like to retire?" "what will you do when you do retire?" and "who can afford to retire?.  Note - I fall into the fourth question bracket - "just what will I do?"

Just a few snippets from life at post 50 stage…….its actually all quite good fun (despite the above), less responsibilities, slightly more grounded and accepting of what life throws at me, an amazing circle of friends and family that have developed over the years and can make me laugh at myself and as ever your as young as you feel.

When you were born, one of the midwifes said to me "ah wonderful a baby girl - she'll keep you young when you get older", she was right - you and Sophie keep me real, dressed accordingly and the right side of turning completely bonkers.  Thank you!

Lots of love

Mum
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