GETTING OLD AND HAVING FUN

"Happy" pictures are here

With 57 Pookie is still a young girl !


Each thursday morning I go to my painting group. We are all retired woman and a few man the youngest is 57 and the oldest 85 ! In total about 30. Our "class" room is located in the Waterloo's retirement home. It is very big and usually used for all kind of festivities by the people living here.

Our group is worse than a kindergarden, or maybe a class full of Teenagers because of the giggles. We are very noisy. There is a lot of laughter and our teacher has a voice like an amplifier not to teach but to tell us about the stories of her life ! And as there are many, she never runs out of subjects.

Unfortunately during July and August we are on "school" holidays. It's very frustrating because we are all on eternal holidays so why forcing us to stay home for two months ? Holidays shouldn't be allowed for retired people.

Therefore four of us decided to brake this rule and get together anyway. As the room is free on thursday mornings we meet together there to paint and more to have fun. We are the toddlers of the group. Quite often pensioners are looking through the door to see who makes such a noise because we talk and laugh a lot.

It's amazing how some people in their 80/90 are still so young, sometimes even younger then a 30 year old. They do plenty of things, are always occupied, even have dancing lessons and a lot of other activities. It's a real pleasure to see and talk to them because it proves that even at a very old age you still can do a lot of things and enjoy life. In some way it is reassuring that getting old on your passport doesn't mean that you are getting old in your mind.

There are even 4 people, two women and two men who are 100, 101 and 102 years old and they still live in a flat, not in a room, with their own furniture and even a little kitchen. These flats a part of the home. Of course they don't cook anymore not because they are not able to do it but because they are too lazy. Especially the women told us that they have cooked enough in their lives. None of them walks with crutches, they walk slowly but safely. When you talk to them it's just like talking to somebody your age or younger. They went with the time and didn't get stuck in the past. But when they talk about the past it's very interesting. Can you imagine being born 100 years ago ? All the inventions which have been done ! From telephone over washing machines, television and computers ? We even walk on the moon now !

When I see these people I only wish I would become old their way and not sit in a corner and getting on the nerves of my children and complain the whole day about all kind of diseases and how lonely I am and that everybody has abandonned me ! Because that I see here too. Waiting from meal to meal, watching people and TV and just do nothing else but yammer the whole day. These people indeed are very old even when they are only in their 70th.