OMG, am mortified/horrified and shocked...........

[CleverLemonCat]

Young neighbours have just moved in next door. This morning (wasn't eavesdropping, honest) heard a relative ask if they had met any of their neighbours, oh yes they replied...there is a nice old woman next door. Old? I'M ONLY 63!!

This got me wondering if I was giving off 'old lady' vibes.

Possible indications:

I occasionally glance in a shop mirror and wonder why my mum is there dressed in my clothes.
My pubic hair is disappearing, and seems to be making it's way to my chin
Last week I bought 3 lovely geraniums
Last year I bought and planted a hydrangea in my garden
After a couple of tiny accidents, am wondering if I should buy some tena lady knickers.
Caught myself wondering if I should crochet a bed jacket ...it can be chilly in bed whilst reading a book!
Am having actual conversations with my cat
My box room is stuffed with wool ' just in case'
This morning, completely out of the blue found myself singing the song from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and I CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD.
Jumped - in my motor-car - and bought 3 more geraniums

Indications I am not old:

Ermm, I am young in my head!

I am not being unreasonable, you are in your prime!
I am unreasonable. You are heading into old biddy territory!

OP, to use the vernacular, you’re super, you’re smashing, you’re great! A sharp wit and sense of humour like yours will keep you forever young I reckon…. I’m aiming to emulate you as I turn 60 this week!

It makes me wonder about your DH!

I'm almost 67, so yes I'm old. I'm physically fit and active. I still have the same friends I had when I was in my teens which I think helps. I go on solo holidays abroad which I wouldn't have had the confidence to do when young. But it would be nice to be young again.

I'm not sure that it has to be an either/or.

You'll be surprised to find a lot of people enjoy doing their garden, crocheting and also going to gigs and parties.

Not quite sure how you think doing drugs keeps you young though 🙄. And in appearance those who regularly use drugs, smoke or drink too much are likely to look older .

DH is always telling me off for referring to DC's coaches and scout leaders as "nice boys", he says it makes me sound ancient. Seems unfair when "the girls at nursery" was perfectly acceptable! I've covertly switched to "lovely lads" which seems to bring my age back down a few decades...

Some kids in the park said 'Well done, Grandpa!' at my DP as he was finishing a 5K run and checking his time on his phone last year.

He's 54 😂

I was a police officer. When I left there were fully functioning police officers there who hadn’t been born when I joined.

You sound perfectly young n able to me! And as me Nan always told me, you're only as old as the fella you feel!
I do feel older of late though, I had my 6th and final baby at 42, I thought it would make me feel younger, but I find myself swearing a lot more at Peppa Pig! She was only mildly annoying in my 20s. in my 40s I want to fry her up and eat her in a nice sarnie!
And lastly, while I feel young in my mid 40s, In fact I don't feel my mind-brain ever moved on from 17, but a few weeks ago I asked my 25 year old son to get me some tampons, he looked surprised and told me his sisters could buy their own. I said they were for me and he grinned and said 'Blimey, would have thought your insides were nothing but dust by now!'
He has since been written out of the will!

63 IS old in anyone's book! And 63's ancient for "young" & foolish neighbours!! They don't know how much they are going to miss out with that attitude!! Youth is wasted on the young. 😀

Rubbish, 63 is not even retirement age.

I used to think that as an ignorant youngster but now that I am trying to avoid cyclists in challenging rural routes on weekdays or trying to hide from the weather when there are lots of surfers trying to make the best of the waves caused by inclement wintry weather, I mostly of them are retired people.

Meanwhile, us younger people just want to chill with a glass of wine/gin or a cappuccino…

@NotAgainWilson confirmation bias. Most 60 plus people are not wind surfing or similar.
The median age to die for women in the UK is 82. How is 19 years younger not old?

No, most 69 years old are not surfing or cycling. But neither are most younger people, so it alll depends on the individual.

Unlike it was in olden times, people at 60 are in a much better shape than they were in the past, they are old compared to young people but the fact that the fucking Tory government is convinced we are now all fit to work until we are 67, and probably up to 70 in a few years more, may mean that the term “old” is more relative than “time”.

At least they said you were nice! 😂

When my mum was in her late 40s, she phoned up her bank to complain about something. The person she spoke with wasn't sure, so needed to confer with a manager... but forgot to mute mum.
"There's a lovely old lady on the phone, she's very pleasant but a bit cross about..."

Mum didn't have the heart to tell them.

I can relate to this. Our flight was cancelled on the way home from holiday recently and there was general confusion and chaos. In my head I was a not-very-well-travelled youngster terrified of missing an important announcement and being stranded miles from home. For some inexplicable reason several groups of women in their 20s seemed determined to follow me and consult me on what they should do/where they should go. I started to wonder if perhaps I was inadvertently wearing similar clothing to the holiday reps, or if perhaps they thought I was with their group. Then it slowly dawned on me that no, they thought I was a sensible older woman that they could rely on to advise them on what to do.

I had a similar 'shit, they think I'm old' moment when I turned 50. The other helpers at a youth group I help with organised a cake and card etc. As parents came to collect their children they wished me happy birthday and almost all asked if I was going to enjoy a nice relaxing weekend for my birthday. Not a big night out, or an exciting adventure, no- they clearly assumed I had reached the age where I'd rather put my feet up with a good book. (not saying they were wrong, but...)

I'm nudging 70 so I know I'm getting to the end of my timeline. But old? Why do I have to have that label? I kayak, cycle, walk, swim miles and I'm economically active. I have friends of all ages, they know my age but don't treat me as though I'm about to drop off the edge. During my life I have achieved so much; do I honestly deserve the disrespect of being treated as a has-been burden?

I remember being about 10 and telling my mum about this lovely new friend I had made. She was old but still very nice 🙂

She was about 20.

I must have thought something was off maybe with my 'old' friend or my mum's response as the memory stayed with me and the penny dropped a good decade on!

If you are self assured other people will latch on to you in times of confusion, e.g. cancelled/postponed flights etc, its not really anything to do with age. If you look like you know what you are doing it gives other people confidence. Also they can pass the buck and let you sort out the problem. Some people are natural leaders, irrespective of their age.

This is why people insist they are not old. They equate being old with being a hasbeen burden and being disrespected.

It's not me, it's other people who equate being old with being a has-been burden. If I was knocked off my bike by a dangerous driver (it has happened) I would be described in the press as a doddery old aged pensioner. If I defended myself against an intruder, I would be described as a granny who nutted a burglar. Nothing about me being 5'9" of toned muscle with dodgy knees and an impressive CV! And that's the problem with labels. They generalise and take away individuality.

That's exactly it! It's how other people regard you. I don't want to be thought as lesser somehow because of when I was born! There's no denying it happens and very often here on this very site! It's demoralising.

I have as much to give in life as I ever had - in some ways more due to all my experiences!

😜love it
You need to buy scented geraniums . The scented geraniums have really pretty flowers

Oh gosh - howling at this!!

Yay! Bravo! I along with most of my incredibly irresponsible friends would second this!!

70 isn't near the end of your timeline. My Mum was 92 and my Nan 103 when they died, so you've got years ahead of you. Keep doing what you're doing - use it or lose it. 3-4 years ago I was fit and strong, then I had several health problems and ended up in hospital, I had to learn to walk again. They were threatening to amputate at least one leg! but I held on to both and plan to get back to full fitness. Age is a state of mind and at 62 I am having to start my life again, but I think 60 is the new 40, and remember we lived through the 70s and 80s which was the last time there was anything decent in the charts so we already have an advantage over today's "youngsters".

@QuaintLemur No you definitely don’t deserve the disrespect that’s commonly shown to older adults. I’m not yet 60 but have grey hair and am slightly built. I do all the outdoor activities you do and climbing as well. The amount of ageist comments I experience is unbelievable-sweetheart, oh bless, be careful you might fall and hurt yourself etc. I now do most of my outdoor activities on my own and in isolated areas to avoid this kind of demeaning idiocy. Recently when so was standing on a low stool pruning a tree in my front garden I had a dickhead come and stand with his hands held out as though to catch me. He soon beat a hasty retreat when I told him to stop being a complete f—k wit.