You know you’re getting older when……

[32475]

For any golden oldie, a number one is what we get up for at 3 o’clock in the morning!

 

[gg1]

A few months ago I discovered the great grandfather of one of the apprentices at work is younger than both my parents.

I should caveat with the fact my parents were 43 when I was born but it was slightly unnerving nonetheless considering I've yet to hit 50.

 

[dangie]

You know you’re getting older when the bathroom mirror is your best friend.

As long as you can see your face in it morning & night, that’s another day you’ve conquered

 

[Calthrop]

A few months ago I discovered the great grandfather of one of the apprentices at work is younger than both my parents.

I should caveat with the fact my parents were 43 when I was born but it was slightly unnerving nonetheless considering I've yet to hit 50.

If it's any consolation: unless my calculations are at fault -- this guy must be, in his very early forties, a most unusually young great-grandfather. Trying to do the figuring: Great-Grandad reproduces, aged 13; the fruit of this union also reproduces at 13; and the grandchild does likewise -- Great-Grandad is then aged 39 or 40. A very rare situation, at least in this part of the globe.

 

[dangie]

When my dad used to take me train spotting near to Norton Bridge on the WCML back in steam days. I’d see the Royal Scot, Coronation Scot, Mancunian etc. Then I’d go myself and see the prototype blue Deltic.

I drove through Norton Bridge last week and where I used to stand is now housing……

 

[PeterY]

The local radio station devotes the weekend to playing UK number ones and you only recognise about two songs in every three.

Despite being a station aimed at (I think) the 30-60 age range, there's a heavy bias towards recent number ones, with relatively few from the 80s, 90s or even 00s - and almost nothing from the 60s and 70s.

Most of my music, I love is from around 1974 to 1985. I was watching some clips from 1970 onwards on YouTube and it's hard to get my head around some songs are coming up to 50 years old and still sound as good as the day they were recorded.. I'm looking at you Slade, Mud, The Glitter Band, Sweet, early Bowie, Queen, Sparks, Kate Bush, Ultravox (pre Midge Ure) etc.

I'm now sounding like my dad, modern music is .... or leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[duncanp]

You know you’re getting older when the bathroom mirror is your best friend.

As long as you can see your face in it morning & night, that’s another day you’ve conquered

I wouldn't know about that.

The trouble with the bathroom mirror is that you can also see your middle aged spread and man boobs in it as well.

 

[gg1]

If it's any consolation: unless my calculations are at fault -- this guy must be, in his very early forties, a most unusually young great-grandfather. Trying to do the figuring: Great-Grandad reproduces, aged 13; the fruit of this union also reproduces at 13; and the grandchild does likewise -- Great-Grandad is then aged 39 or 40. A very rare situation, at least in this part of the globe.

They're very off I'm afraid.

My parents were born in 1932, the apprentice in question is 19 years old, his great grandfather was born in 1933 so an average time between generations on that side of his family of just over 23 years.

Nothing particularly unusual about that sort of an age gap between generations but when you find out a work colleague has great grandparents younger than your parents it's a definite "yes, I'm old" moment.

 

[Calthrop]

They're very off I'm afraid.

My parents were born in 1932, the apprentice in question is 19 years old, his great grandfather was born in 1933 so an average time between generations on that side of his family of just over 23 years.

Sorry, yes --- I'm an idiot as regards reading comprehension, and / or arithmetic. Somehow, heaven knows how, I got into head: notion of someone being a great-grandfather at the age of 43; which as per your explanation, I now see is nothing to do with the matter. And I've been cold sober all afternoon -- honestly ...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Recently, I confused Palm Sunday with E aster Sunday and sent all my Easter cards out a week early and a few days ago, for the very first time, I forgot to change my clocks at the time change. Perhaps, celebrating my 78th birthday on 6th April gives me a warning of what is still to come.....

 

[Typhoon]

Recently, I confused Palm Sunday with E aster Sunday and sent all my Easter cards out a week early and a few days ago, for the very first time, I forgot to change my clocks at the time change. Perhaps, celebrating my 78th birthday on 6th April gives me a warning of what is still to come.....

... or wishful thinking. You will not have missed out on an hour's sleep like the rest of us. and may even have taken advantage and stocked up with a second Easter egg for tomorrow.

 

[nw1]

Nothing particularly unusual about that sort of an age gap between generations but when you find out a work colleague has great grandparents younger than your parents it's a definite "yes, I'm old" moment.

For me the concept of grandparents, let alone great-grandparents, younger than retirement age, or certainly younger than 60, always strikes me as surprising. This is probably because I only remember one of my four grandparents (the other three dying around the time I was born or even earlier), and she was well into her 70s in my earliest memories of her.

The fact that most people I know with children had those children aged 30+ reinforces this perception.

 

[Gloster]

When I was young it seemed that everybody’s grandparents were white or grey haired pensioners: the three of mine that I can remember were all well past retirement age when I started to know them. I think it was far more common for people not to marry until the husband felt he could support a wife and children, although there were those who had to marry so that a child was legitimate. I know someone who is younger than me (fifty-nine or sixty, I think) who has a great-grandchild at primary school. But you can still have age differences: someone I was at university with had a nephew and niece four or five years older than him.

In 1992, when I was in Sweden, there was an article in one of the papers about a woman in England who was a grand-mother at twenty-nine. I felt a bit sorry for her because she appeared to have tried to bring up her daughter to feel loved and wanted, but to warn her off making the same mistake.

 

[Pinza-C55]

When a trio of major world pop stars from your youth (two of the three sadly no longer with us) are, or would have been, turning 65 this year. (Madonna, Michael Jackson and Prince, in case you haven't guessed).

It seems no time since the surviving Beatles were turning 65. Really frightening how fast time goes these days.

And Lennon was only 40 when he died, Elvis I think was 44.

 

[Merle Haggard]

And Lennon was only 40 when he died, Elvis I think was 44.

Contrarily, I once saw Jerry Lee Lewis live. Never expected him to die of old age - but he did!

 

[Typhoon]

When I was young it seemed that everybody’s grandparents were white or grey haired pensioners: the three of mine that I can remember were all well past retirement age when I started to know them. I think it was far more common for people not to marry until the husband felt he could support a wife and children, although there were those who had to marry so that a child was legitimate. I know someone who is younger than me (fifty-nine or sixty, I think) who has a great-grandchild at primary school. But you can still have age differences: someone I was at university with had a nephew and niece four or five years older than him.

It may depend on your age, my parents were in their late teens in September 1939. For all sorts of reasons family life was far from normal for the next seven years, and this would have had repercussions for some time later.

 

[Harvester]

Contrarily, I once saw Jerry Lee Lewis live. Never expected him to die of old age - but he did!

And I saw Cream live at Leicester University in 1967, and never expected Ginger Baker to reach 80!

 

[dgl]

I know a lot of people were surprised when Fletch from Depeche Mode died as out of tye main three he was the cleanest, even more so that Dave has technically died three times!

 

[AM9]

I know a lot of people were surprised when Fletch from Depeche Mode died as out of tye main three he was the cleanest, even more so that Dave has technically died three times!

I thought Dave Gahan was dying in the early '80s listening to his early Depeche Mode singing.

 

[duncanp]

You are old enough to buy a Senior Railcard, with the earliest date for purchase being two weeks in advance of your 60th birthday.

And you are old enough for free prescriptions.

 

[Killingworth]

When you realise that lifetime savings for cars, holidays, home improvements, etc may need to be reallocated for private health treatments because the NHS may not get round to your case in your lifetime!

 

[PG]

When you realise that lifetime savings for cars, holidays, home improvements, etc may need to be reallocated for private health treatments because the NHS may not get round to your case in your lifetime!

Sadly this indeed does seem a very real possibility, and something which I hope younger generations realise as they look at what their future holds.

 

[Acey]

When you get cards congratulating you on your Golden Wedding Anniversary

 

[Pinza-C55]

When you let out an internal groan because 3 old people are in the queue in front of you at Tesco then you realise they are just a couple of years older than you.

 

[Peter Sarf]

When you let out an internal groan because 3 old people are in the queue in front of you at Tesco then you realise they are just a couple of years older than you.

It is the checkout operator I have learnt to judge. As I have got older I have learnt to judge the body language and the rate of beeps. Some checkout operators are in a completely different gear.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

You know you are getting old when -like me - you need Viagra. !

 

[Pinza-C55]

It is the checkout operator I have learnt to judge. As I have got older I have learnt to judge the body language and the rate of beeps. Some checkout operators are in a completely different gear.

In my local Tesco and Sainsbury the staff are normally stacking shelves and will only come over if you clearly have no intention of using the self service machines which in Tesco are card only.

 

[Killingworth]

When you're proposed for the Chair of a voluntary body because they need younger blood - then discover that the old guy you've taken over from is actually 3 years younger than yourself - and it took 9 years to find a genuinely younger willing candidate. Be warned!

 

[johnnychips]

When you are thinking you are walking quite fast on a footpath and others, including young children, overtake you.

 

[Gloster]

When you are thinking you are walking quite fast on a footpath and others, including young children, overtake you.

Just you wait until it is white-haired old ladies with shopping trolleys.