I am having a funny sort of day today; instead of having certain things to do at set times the whole day is free (apart from a G&T session at 5pm with three of my best girlfriends) so I’ve been dotting about…and just thinking about life in general.
Waking at 6.30am (which is becoming a habit) I read for 4 hours in bed. I did venture down to the kitchen to grab some coffee, toast, and orange juice between chapters. The book – The Angel Tree – has a great narrative and compelling story so it just had to be finished today.
Around 10.30am I walked Martha and since then have cooked a Nigel-Slater-Style fish tagine for lunch in between re-potting some plants, sitting in the summer house watching the birds and generally relaxing.
So, why title this blog as I have??
Having time to think, I’ve been wondering if I am a typical 60 something and even wondering if there is a typical 60 something. How often do we ask others, ‘What do you think about?’ or ‘Where do you go to in your mind when you take the time to simply be?’ So how do we know if we have similar thoughts to others of our age?
I’ve been thinking in particular about the days, weeks and months that have passed in a sort of blur since around March 24 (start of social distancing/lockdown). Finding myself back in touch with a few friends from my ’younger days’ has been thought-provoking – and not just because I don’t know where the time has gone!!
Calling on some old friends recently to collect something, I thought it might feel odd to see them after so long – yet we spent well over 2 hours catching up and enjoying each other’s company.
As for age – sometimes I think, ‘Crikey, this is old – how did I get here so fast?’ (40-60 flies), yet at other times I still feel as though I am about 20 years old…and I want to do what 20 years olds do; I’ll leave that to your imagination.
Seriously, I want to party all night, I want to go to a disco and dance the night away and I want to travel to far flung places and see even more of the world. On the other hand I also want to spend more time with my children, their partners and my grandchildren because I know I am not going to be here forever and I want them to have lots of memories of time spent with me. Conversely, I don’t want to spend too much time with them because I don’t want them to miss me too much when I’ve gone.
Do you feel the same? Do you realise you are getting older but still feel young inside? Do you want to live life at 100 miles an hour and still experience feelings and life just as you did when you were much younger?
I sometimes feel I’m a contradiction. I’ve enjoyed (still do) a massively busy life yet I also feel life is passing me by.
I have a greed for life, a greed for learning and doing ‘stuff’ – whether that’s simply learning about growing vegetables, or wanting to cycle, run, eat out, practice Pilates, spend time with friends and family, read a book and bake…all in one day.
Hey-ho, one sin out of seven ain’t so bad I guess!
Hugs
Leigh
P.S. Thought I would share a few photos of my favourite moments during the last 5 months with you. I’d love to see yours too…please comment!
Picnic in the garden with the g kids!
My dads memorial bench BentleyScones…made at least twice weekly 😱Pilates at the Why Not…social distancing outdoorsRunning buddies…these guys keep me sane!
No school equals leaning to bake with NonnaMyles planting yellow pepper seedsMr Blue and me! Sarah’s baby rabbitBesties on a G and T Picnic!Cornwall..Cleo and IslaSunset on Par BeachSix go to Cornwall now that the rules are relaxedWeekend break in Herefordshire with a school friend!
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