I know I've got a warped & bizarre sense of humour - it comes of growing up with Spike Milligan, Peter Sellars & Harry Secombe -  but it's too late for a cure now.
So, with apologies, this had me just laughing & laughing the other day.

There's a member of my extended family who is in the early stages of dementia and has become quite irascible (there's a good word), prone to intemperate behaviour when he doesn't get his own way.

He had to visit the dentist a few days ago and the trouble started when his regular dentist wasn't there.
Anyway, he says to this bloke "I know what I'm here for, just give me an x-ray". Meanwhile the dentist had started on that fearful thing they do, tapping your teeth to elicit a pain response, rather like the Gestapo used to do.

He explained the reason he was doing this but my relation wasn't having any of it. "Just do the x-ray, that's what you need to do, I know what I'm talking about", or words to that effect.

"Look Mr So & So, I need to determine what the problem is. It may not be something an x-ray will reveal. It may not even be a dental problem."

"Listen" came the reply, "I've been going to dentists for over 70 years and I probably know more about dentistry than you'll ever know." This is the point in the story, as it was relayed to me, that laughter just got the better of me.

"So which Dentistry school did you go to Mr So & So?" No doubt he was trying to introduce a spot of humour to lighten the mood.
No success however.

"The problem is you don't know your job. I'll come back when the young lass is here. She knows what she's doing"

He didn't get his x-ray, he didn't get treatment, he still has his toothache (if that's what it is).

He had a similar encounter with his solicitor just a few days before this. In fact they are becoming all too regular a feature of his life now.

And here's me thinking there was no fun to look forward to in aging.

A joy of retirement, which is a benefit of aging for most, is the time it releases for expanding your knowledge.
There is just so much information out there, in my case it comes mostly via podcast, in everything that interests me from economics & politics to history and the arts.

The worst thing for older people is to vegetate, although some people have vegetated their whole life.

bogarde73 wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2017 at 11:54am:



sadly boges    they get aggressive  and it can take more than  one person to hold on to them.....its not funny I can assure you..

I like watching the youngins rush ahead, then I catch up at my own leisurely constant pace.

I hit 35 and I looked in the mirror at this old guy. Three years on, I feel like I have just only reached 30 again. Sometimes I believe the age of your body is dependent on the outlook of your mind.

You know time is catching up with you when the main subject of conversation with your neighbours, rellies, and friends revolves around stiff joints, knee & hip replacements, heart valve replacements, arthritis, and all the rest of it.

Lord Herbert wrote on Sep 21^st, 2017 at 12:26am:


Not for me Herb. I had my annual suite of blood tests reviewed yesterday and the doc was amazed at my all over better than average for age results.
"You're a remarkably fit person Mr . ., nothing to do here"

As always touch wood.

bogarde73 wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2017 at 12:15pm:


that is good.

My doc said my cholestrol i a bit low and I could eat more fatty food.

The lady friends in my life hated to hear that