28th May 2017
I’m feeling my age – I’m at a dance weekend where I need to concentrate on learning steps and I’m now too tired to go back to the dance. I’ve got pains in my wrist and my knee and generally tired. Such a shame. I thought that I was keeping healthy, but some things are beyond are control. My knee problems are partly down to being so overweight in the past, but if I’d never lost weight, I’d probably be much worse. The wrist problems are something that may be down to hereditary as my mum has problems with her wrist, but I’ve seen a physiotherapist and he says that I don’t have the start of arthritis. He has given me some exercises to do so hopefully this will help. He also said that one of the very small bones in my hand had popped out so popped it back in.
21st June
So, I’m at the gym, working through a new programme with my personal trainer. I’m moving on, heavier weights and more complex exercises, but I can’t help but think back to the me of 10 years ago – it was easier to get up from the floor, and I had less pains. I can no longer do walking lunges and with pains in my wrist I can’t do press ups either. It would be so easy to focus on what I can’t do, but I need to focus on what I can do.
23rd June
I went to the tea-time show to see Hampstead. A nice film that got a 1-star review. A very Romantised view of London and the sort of film, like Churchill last week that gathers an older audience. Whilst I like to see more grown-up films, I still like the blockbusters and so tomorrow I’ll be in my teenage boy mode and watching the latest Transformers film.
24th June
I’m tidying up – serious tidying, recognising that some expensive clothes I bought I’m going to be unlikely to ever wear again and so many books that I never read. When people get old, and perhaps must go into sheltered housing they need to get rid of stuff, but I think the older we are the harder it gets. That’s why I’m starting now, taking about 5 years to go through and decide what I really do need. What would I rush to grab if the house were on fire sort of thing? Of course, there are clothes I’d want to keep but mainly I want to focus on what is of most important.
27th June
Tomorrow I’m running a Pre-Retirement Seminar in Swansea. A younger me would have left the house at 0530 but the wiser me thinks let’s make the best of the situation so I’ve left this morning so that I can spend the afternoon walking along the prom in the Mumbles and eating the famous ice cream at Joes. it’s taking advantage of opportunities and taking it a little easier.
28th June
Today I ran a PRS for 27 people – it was a big group, and I am more comfortable with smaller groups where I can lead a discussion, I enjoy helping people to take a broader view of life after retirement but I’m realising that most people don’t want to plan for a new life, they are happy with having more time. That won’t be enough for me, would it for you?