“Who has time to get old?”a friend commented on Facebook the other day, and she’s right. With a bit of luck I want to come skidding in to meet the Grim Reaper having had a rollercoaster of a ride during my latter years.
And although we might not have time to get old, it doesn’t stop the ‘senior moments’ slipping into the equation, and they definitely require a sense of humour.
I think you need to be on the look out for the funny side of some of the more ahem, forgetful moments, we might have as well as How to Be Happier as you age.
Table of Contents
The funny side of getting older – just roll with it!
I have a funny feeling that my brain has decided to take on the role of resident comedian because it goes AWOL at the strangest times, which actually has given me good reason to have some great belly laughs.
Like the other day. I lost my wallet.
Where did I find it?
In the fridge of course as I was making dinner. Why? Because I’d shoved it in a shopping bag earlier as I came out of the Supermarket. Once home I began unpacking the groceries in a rush and had lots of other things on my mind. So I shoved it in the fridge with the brocolli. Obvious! But when I needed my wallet during the day, it was nowhere to be found. I can almost hear my brain chuckling as I write this.
I’m not the only one to do silly things though.
A very dear friend of mine, dashed into the post office a couple of days ago, and when she came out, she didn’t get into my red car, but got into the red car parked in front of me! She told me:
“When I was about to buckle the seat belt up I realised my mistake – I just turned to the woman in the driver’s seat who was looking a little bit aghast and as I rushed to get out I said: ‘Sorry! I should have gone to Specsavers!”
What did you say dear?
But there’s something else you should know. If you meet me at a party and the music is loud, and I’m smiling inanely at you all the time, it’s not because I’ve had too much to drink, it’s probably because I can’t hear a bloody thing you’re saying. So please make sure you Open-Your-Mouth-When-You-Talk because I’ll be trying to lip read.
Adults getting younger?
And while on the subject of getting older, am I the only one who has an uncomfortable suspicion that while I’m getting more ancient some people seem to be getting younger? I have a sneaky feeling that the Deities are creating adults more like children these days. I have very real evidence to suggest that they are allowing children to become doctors and dentists, and it doesn’t imbue me with immediate confidence. Do you know what I mean?
Famous quotes about getting old
Of course Groucho Marx had some good one-liners about aging … He said, “Anyone can get old, all you have to do is live long enough.”
Getting older, feeling younger
Oh, but how time passes and yes it does appear to whizz by faster with each year that fizzles past.
The other day I had a really nasty moment. I looked at my children when they were over here for dinner on Sunday, and realised that they are now older than I feel. I also realised that my son is a few months older than my husband was when I first met him in Thailand all those years ago.
And boy, what some partying we did back then during the first years of knowing each other. Not anymore though … I don’t know about you but I can’t drink as much these days, which is probably a good thing. Anyway sometimes I can get the same woozy feeling you get from alcohol just by getting up out of bed too quickly.
What would Lucille Ball do?
Lucille Ball said: “The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.”
But I like to be philosophical about age – it’s just a number. The way to look at is that if you’re 50 then actually you’re only 25 (with 25 years of indispensable experience).
Hmmm! What funny things have happened to you recently?
The Benefits of Yoga as you age
Thank you for the good laugh Jo! My 37-year-old daughter and I were just talking about the shock of that moment when your child reaches a stage that you clearly remember. You remember exactly what it was like and how you felt. It’s crazy. Now when my mother or MIL does or says something frustrating, I try to be patient and kind, because I know someday (in the distant future, but that feels like it flew by) I’lll be driving my children crazy and thinking wasn’t it just yesterday I was helping my mother run errands or my MIL get back on “the Facebook.” The funniest thing I did recently was put my boots on the wrong feet. I was distracted and hurried, and these particular boots zip up the back. Luckily, as I stood to go out the door, I noticed the buckles were touching each other on the inside of my ankles.
Oh gosh, you made me giggle Christie – thank you!
Oh Jo, you made me laugh. I’m visiting with Mum for a week and we laugh at the funniest things – I’m sure others would think we’re both mad! I really needed this so thanks you. #mlstl
Hi Debbie, it’s great having a laugh with your Mum isn’t it. I miss mine 🙁
Thanks for the hilarious stories, Jo. Keep smiling!
Thanks for the laugh. Sometimes I do stupid things like put the wallet in the refrigerator and really, what can you do but laugh? Oh, I I spent ten minutes one day wondering why my remote control would not open my car. Yeah, it was not my car.
Glad you had a laugh Michele! Oh that’s funny about the remote control!
I have followed you on all social media. I NEED more of these smiles in my life.
🙂 gwingal
Thanks Nikki 🙂 Glad you had a smile too 🙂
This is a great post. I also find myself smiling and nodding when I am not hearing what someone is saying. Then when I realize I should have shaken my head instead of nodding I find I am committed to something I don’t want to do. Also, most peoples secrets are safe with me because I can’t remember what I have been told.
Thanks Victoria – and you’ve made me giggle today too!
haha! Such a fun post! I could definitely relate! I can’t think of anything funny I’ve done recently, but I have noticed I keep getting distracted when discussing something with my husband, then I forget what I was going to say!
Ah yes Amy, me too!
Jo – only you could still look great with several parrots perched on your head – it is definitely a gift from the gods! And yes, I totally get the smiling and nodding when you can’t hear a word someone is saying. For some reason people drop their voices when they’re “confiding” in you – I’m becoming a great secret keeper because I never heard the secret in the first place! Also loved your mum leaving that poor woman in a cloud of exhaust fumes – made me smile! Thanks for linking up with us at #MLSTL and I’ve shared this on my SM xx
Lol! Thanks Leanne. Oh I love that you’re a great secret keeper – me too for the same reason! Plus – In one ear, out the other.
I am considered goofy but it is time to have fun. Life is too short to be serious. Thanks for this. #MLSTL
Totally agree Patrick!
This was such a fun post Jo and I so identified with all you said. We are all getting older but if you can still laugh at yourself and enjoy life then age has no bearing. I look at my children and my oldest will be 37 with her second baby due in June. My ‘baby’ will be 35. I don’t think you are alone either with the ‘Open-Your-Mouth-When-You-Talk’ request, loud music and people chatting just don’t mix these days because I can’t hear a thing they are saying. I’m also usually the one in the car park saying ‘the car has been stolen’, only to find I’m on the wrong level because I couldn’t remember where I had parked it! Thanks for sharing at Midlife Share the Love Party.
Thanks Sue – gosh you honestly look too young to have a 37 year old child! Go you! Don’t worry about the car being stolen ever again 😉
This is where mindfullness techniques start coming into play, not just for relaxation – But for learning to be in the moment (and not distracted) so you are compos about what you’re doing N-O-W!!
Its also been proven to improve memory function –
Have you tried Mindfullness?
Hi Linda, no I haven’t tried Mindfullness – but I should!
Love it; I don’t care less what the calendar says my age is, and it is probably in the fridge with a few other misplaced things. I saw the previous comment about glasses. I search the house until someone points out they are on my head. Go figure 🙂
I know – me too, Paula! Embarassing isn’t it!
I left my car keys in the fridge once when putting groceries away. Whenever I misplaced anything after that my family would quip “Have you checked the fridge”. Very annoying. Even worse, I had my daughter searching for my glasses with me one day and I was wearing them. Classic!
Hahah Jan! Trouble is they don’t forget do they!
Hi Just wanted to say I am 61 and you made me laugh till I cried. Great stuff, so there is life after 50 after all and it just gets better. Thank you so much.
Thank You! You’ve made my heart sing!
Thanks for the hilarious stories, Jo. It’s so much fun to be able to laugh at ourselves (and each other!).
I have a little story from a few years back which I wrote in my journal at the time because it was funny. I was visiting a friend who had a couple of young children. We bought cakes and pies for lunch and Karen put them all in the tray under the stroller. Back at the car, she took her little girl out of the stroller and nearly put her in the boot. We fixed that little slip-up, then wheeled the stroller around behind the car to put it into the boot. Quick as a flash and without warning, Karen released the lever and the whole stroller collapsed, as they do, straight into a little flat heap with little flat pies and cakes trapped inside. I was just about to point out that they were there, but had only begun to lift my finger when suddenly they weren’t.
I still laugh at the memory. Hope you get a laugh too. Thanks for the great blog.
Jane
Glad they made you laugh, Jane – and that’s a funny story there too. I love the ridiculous 🙂
your story rings so true for me Jo – putting way things in the wrong place, can’t remember why I walked from one room to the next, and yes we surely have to see the funny side of it, and just keep on keeping on! I don’t know about you but I email myself messages from home to work and vica versa – and lists and notes all over the place to remind me of what I have to do today, tomorrow, the next day.
And yes I am sure the music is getting louder when we go out – how can anyone have a conservation with all that loud music?,,,,, now I am starting to sound like my mother! Thanks Jo for reminding us we are not alone.
Ha Ha, maybe you have a point – perhaps it IS the music that’s getting louder! I know Jill, me too, sounding just like my dear Mum. We are definitely Not Alone though 🙂
My husband and I went to the supermarket together one morning and among our other purchases was some chicken my husband planned to grill for that evening’s dinner. Around 4:00 pm, he decided to put it in a marinade for awhile. He looked all over the refrigerator before saying, “I could have sworn we bought chicken for dinner.” I knew we had, so I took a long look through the refrigerator as well before daring to look in the freezer where I had indeed mindlessly put it. Sure enough. There it was. Frozen solid. I find that if I don’t give a task my full attention, I will either make a mistake (like putting the chicken in the freezer) or I will have no recollection of something I did while I was thinking about something else. I have to use one of those pill boxes with a section for every day of the week because I’m usually thinking about too many things in the morning and otherwise have no idea at all whether I took my medication. I do miss having a steel trap mind. Now sometimes I just have to get by on the wisdom accumulated from living on this planet for almost 60 years.
That’s so funny Suzanne, and I can totally relate. I do like your comment though about ‘getting by on the wisdom accumulate from living on this planet for …” Well said, and it definitely does count! Thanks for popping by today 🙂
This made my day! So true! But if we don’t laugh, then what? I’d tell something funny that happened to me … if only I could remember!
Ha ha, Luanne :)! I know the feeling! But So glad this made your day 🙂
Haha – I recognise so many of these! Love your Mum’s story Jo and I must admit I have climbed into the wrong car before – luckily the guy in the driver’s seat saw the funny side 🙂 I am sure that they are making the writing on packaging much smaller these days. Probably to fit on all the dietary info and warnings. Whatever the reason, I can’t read the packaging even with my glasses on sometimes!
Yes, Mum’s story was a good one! We were hysterical with tears running down our faces. Glad you recognise some of the other funnys, Janet, and I’d love to have seen you getting into the wrong car!! I know exactly what you mean about the packaging on food stuffs too – definitely a detracting ploy and nothing to do with fading eyesight!