How do you let your age define you?

Gaer

"Angel whisperer"
I need to buy a used car. Not a want; a need. I still like taking off to parts unknown; off-roading I'm in my 70's but feel young and healthy, fit and have a lot of energy. Go places. Do things.
My ideal would be an old Wrangler Rubicon as it's just me and my big dog. My children talked me out of it because "Those are for the younger crowd ,Mom!"
Even an old classic pick up truck would suit my style but "you would just be trading problems, one for the other!" "It would always be in the shop!"
I'm looking at a Jeep Liberty Sport now but I'm feeling like I'm "settling". It's what I'm "expected" to drive at my age.
I guess we have to do that when we reach a certain chronological age., don't we? No more adventure?

Do you? Do you do what's "expected" or what you really want to do?
I did my year's solo trek through Alaska and got my hundred year old mountain cabin in the woods when I was younger. So now that I'm older I have to live normally? I've been told I qualify to get free meals at the Senior Center now and can play cards in the afternoon. OMG! I can't think of a worse HELL!

Do all of you adapt to your circumstances without fight? Do you "settle" into the way others perceive you? Just curious.
 

No. I do what the *bleep* I want. My kids never warn me against stuff, though, or try to stop me. I let them know what I'm up to, and they'll ask questions if they're concerned, remind me to keep my phone charged or whatever, but they don't ever fight me on it.

I recently bought a used car off Facebook Marketplace. It was an excellent deal and I'm extremely happy with it.
 
I have physical limitations. I wish I didn't. There is much I'd still like to do; and much I'd like to redo. It keeps me with a sadness in my heart, that is only in thrill when I am with my grandson ❤️ Life can be cruel, but I'm doing the best I can.
 

Who's paying for the vehicle? Who's paying the insurance on it? Who's going to be driving it? Who is going to get the most enjoyment with it?

You are, not your children. Make yourself happy in your senior years, you've earned and deserve it.

Don't settle because then you lose your spark for life, for adventure.
 
I have physical limitations. I wish I didn't. There is much I'd still like to do; and much I'd like to redo. It keeps me with a sadness in my heart, that is only in thrill when I am with my grandson ❤️ Life can be cruel, but I'm doing the best I can.
Pepper, That's got to be really hard to "adjust"! Physical limitations on the outside but inside you feel what? 30-40 years old?
That would take some serious mental fortitude! You're a gutsy woman!
 
Oh no..I've always been a Maverick even through both marriages. I'm thankful that aside from some niggling things, I'm still very up for just driving route 66 or the equivalent... doing what I want in other words.. and yes my idea of hell would be , like you Gaer.. playing cards in an old people's facility as a way of my only means of entertainment.. maybe if I get to be 90.. or disabled.. but until then..

Covid lockdowns have taken the best part of 2 precious years from our active lives.... if you're able and you've still got the vim & vigour, you've gotta go and do it before the time comes when you can't!!
 
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It takes a lot of guts to throw caution to the wind at our age, regardless of how capable we are. Each to his own but be smart when planning, and cover all bases. I'm healthy and strong but I experienced a bad fall, out in the middle of nowhere, a couple of years ago with my cell phone way out of reach. I fully recovered but it took a year of physical therapy. Needless to say, I'm more careful now.
 
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We try to forget about our ages, and continue to do pretty much as we always did. I have a bit of arthritis, so I have to pace myself when doing some chores, and my wife has a bit of vertigo, so she has to be careful so she doesn't fall, but at our ages, that's livable.
 
I'm leaving in about 10 days to take a long driving vacation on my own. I'm going to make the rounds of relatives and friends I haven't seen for a while. I'll drive until I get too tired to drive and then I'll check into a motel. Then I'll get up the next morning and drive again. It's 16 hours to my first visit stop. I only have one place I have to be at a specific time and that's a birthday party in Ohio. I just might even make it up to Michigan and Wisconsin. Who knows?

The Spousal Equivalent doesn't want to go along because "he doesn't know these people well".

I thought about flying and renting cars at the locations but I.DON'T.WANT.TO.FLY. Too many crazy people on those planes these days. You never know when and/or IF you're going to depart. It's expensive torture.

I have to fly when I go out to the Left Coast or out of the country, but when it's in the Right Half of the country, I'm driving. Not that I really like driving....no....but I hate it less than flying.

So, it's Thelma and Louise Goes North, but I'm leaving Louise at home.
 
How do you let your age define you?

Well, I try not to as much as possible, of course then there are realities that have to be acknowledged. For example, I've advanced to the age where it is no longer advisable for me to climb up a 24 ft extension ladder to do work on the roof of a building.
In all other matters I continue to live as if I were in my mid 40s. I exercise and stay moving as if my life depended on it...which it does.
 
I have physical limitations. I wish I didn't. There is much I'd still like to do; and much I'd like to redo. It keeps me with a sadness in my heart, that is only in thrill when I am with my grandson ❤️ Life can be cruel, but I'm doing the best I can.
Me too. I do whatever the he## I want to. My kids know how I am and have the decency to just say to each other what they want.
 
I have never had a mainstream moment in my life. Why start now? Hey, I learned to pole dance on a dare. Dancer or not, I lacked requisite arm strength, but, 18 months later, I can do the moves, even upside down. Still belly dancing

also. I think my stomach will hold up for several more years before I must cover up. Lol. I wear embroidered Pakistani two piece suits, silver bracelets, a small nose ring, chandelier earrings, and Uber long red hair. Smoke weed in my ceramic cat

pipe. Works for me. I have friends of all ages, and from a variety of lifestyles. Telling me what to do has always been a waste of time. 😁
 
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Oh Becky, How sweet! What they say makes "common sense" though. Wish I didn't have such trouble making decisions!
But don't substitute their common sense for your own! Get a vehicle that works best for you.

My almost 38 yr old daughter lives with me and shares expenses, including vehicle cost tho she doesn't drive, but it saves her walking to work in bad weather and coming home at 9:30pm on foot. i talk with her about major household purchases, and she's a good research asst---when i'm not in the mood. But she often says---You're still 'the Mama'.
 
I need to buy a used car. Not a want; a need. I still like taking off to parts unknown; off-roading I'm in my 70's but feel young and healthy, fit and have a lot of energy. Go places. Do things.
My ideal would be an old Wrangler Rubicon as it's just me and my big dog. My children talked me out of it because "Those are for the younger crowd ,Mom!"
Even an old classic pick up truck would suit my style but "you would just be trading problems, one for the other!" "It would always be in the shop!"
I'm looking at a Jeep Liberty Sport now but I'm feeling like I'm "settling". It's what I'm "expected" to drive at my age.
I guess we have to do that when we reach a certain chronological age., don't we? No more adventure?

Do you? Do you do what's "expected" or what you really want to do?
I did my year's solo trek through Alaska and got my hundred year old mountain cabin in the woods when I was younger. So now that I'm older I have to live normally? I've been told I qualify to get free meals at the Senior Center now and can play cards in the afternoon. OMG! I can't think of a worse HELL!

Do all of you adapt to your circumstances without fight? Do you "settle" into the way others perceive you? Just curious.
i am a very adaptable person, but my first step is to assess my 'circumstances' and determine what i can control, what i can change and what i can't. Even when i was younger while i made followed rules while still a minor under parental roof about behaviors but as my Dad encouraged me to when i was small--i reserved the right to my opinions and once supporting myself moved ever more toward making my own. When i was in my late 20's people often thought i was still a teen, naive and ill informed and that was highly problematic for me because of assumptions they made about my life experiences and knowledge base. So as i've aged i've embraced most every wrinkle and grey hair. Arthritis gnarling my fingers was a challenge because i'd felt they were one of my best physical feature when i was young.
Anyone who knows me a while learns i don't conform to the expectations of others, i make my own path. i'm civil, compassionate, helpful---but don't expect me to be your idea of a 'sweet old lady'.
 
Age as in 80 has the impact of realizing I can't do as much as I could. Could lift a 90lb. sack of concrete mix 3 bags at a time. New patio project 60lb. bag one at a time. Then there is the previous get it done quickly that has given way to it gets done when it gets done. Other than that age hasn't made any difference in my daily life.
 
Why are you listening to your kids? Are you a "wimp"? It's your money and its your life. Are you going around telling those kiddies of yours how they should live their lives? Then they should mind their own business when it comes to buying a vehicle you want. You're not doing harmful drugs so what is the big deal. Listening to poor or bad advice will kill your dream. I have seen too many seniors with no dreams sitting around watching TV all day and just waiting to die. Do you want to live like this? I bet you don't. Hey, look at me: I'm heading out to The Yukon in a couple weeks and I'm 75 years old. No "old foggies" tour for me. I just bought a tent yesterday. I'm not making any reservations either. I'm hoping to hit the Dempster Highway and go all the way to the Arctic Ocean at Tuktoyaktuk. If those good US neighbours of ours ever open up their border to Alaska for us Canadians, I am also heading to Fairbanks, Denali Park, Anchorage, Homer and Seward; just to mention a few places. I'm going in a couple of weeks because next year I could be dead and so could you. Think about it! Live your dream. Don't die with a bunch of wishes thinking that you wish you had done this or had done that. You need to walk into a care home and see how those people live. I bet you wouldn't want to join them. Get up and get going and buy that vehicle today and then "hit the road." Remember the Beach Boys with "Little Old Lady from Pasadena." That's what you want to be like. Don't ask those kids of yours. Tell them!

And everybody's saying that there's nobody meaner
Than the little old lady from Pasadena
She Drives real fast and she drives real hard
She's the terror of Colorado Boulevard
It's the little old lady from Pasadena
(Go Granny, Go Granny, Go Granny, Go)
 

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