29 January - Real old oldies & Venus

The fresh air was exhausting but not enough to prevent me from going to see a friend in town from San Diego only briefly, we’re all at the age where parents have heart attacks and other health scares that require our presence, and that’s why she’s unexpectedly here. I went to her auntie’s house for dinner and was greeted by a table of 80 year olds all sprightly and interesting and making a fuss over me. The ladies had red painted nails, dyed and well styled hair, and they wore make up and not granny wear, and had current fashion accessories. They were colourful in clothing and sparkiness. They told me they go on dancing holidays, and my friend’s mum teaches dancing/keep fit, she’s done this since many years ago when she divorced and had to find a way to earn money. Her ‘new’ hubby is doing tai chi and photography. She said he was better than the old one, my friend’s father, who even post heart attack, looked ok and awake in family pictures of his other family. Little old jewish guy and Jamaican family. Don’t usually see that union. It was a most inspiring evening. I was there for 3 hours and admittedly did not follow all strands of conversation but I didn’t hear any talk of people passing away, people in hospital or other depressing stuff I expected them to discuss. In fact they ware so awake that I thought ‘Are they on drugs???’. A few days earlier a couple of friends said quite seriously that not having indulged in drugs in their youth, they look forward to doing so when they’re old. It will pass the time more amenably. The house/s were in a bit of suburban timewarp from the 50's though. I wonder why no updating there.
Only last week I’d seen “Venus” and I loved it. How marvellous to watch Peter O’ Toole (74) and Leslie Phillips (82) and Vanessa Redgrave giving us the full monty of what it will be like. Grim but not unbearable. I for one, will be joining life drawing classes just to have a look at young guys' bodies no doubt or teach keep fit for old birds in...Brazil or some such sunny place.

Then today, whilst discussing with a colleague contacting a man for a non executive board position, I ask ‘Is he old?’
’He’s 60, is that old?’ replies colleague who’s 48 in a few weeks and looks at me expecting me to say ‘no’. I ponder and have to conclude that ‘Yes, 60 is old. Just because Mick Jagger or David Bowie are 60 and are still prancing around and marrying models, and it’s ‘only’ ten years or so more than you, there’s no way you can pass 60 for young, or 60 for the new 40. You have to dye your hair if you have any, and though you can run marathons, it could kill you’. He looks at me a little dismayed but then the phone rings and it’s his doctor about a shoulder operation to follow some other operation he’ had on his legs so I rest my case. I guess the conclusion is that you’re as old as your body serves you and we should not be scared of using the word. There you go ‘old is good, old is good, old is ok’. I hope.