Personal Growth

Having achieved the ripe old age of going on 60, I have wondered at my level of decorum.  Have I become stately and distinguished, or am I just a large dork?  Tough question, that.  

It took me many years to accept the fact that I was not, am not, and will never be the delicate little flower my older sister is.  It wasn't for lack of trying on my part, but the fact remains.  

My high school friend's mother was a substantial woman.  As she walked from room to room, she reminded me of the figurehead of the old sailing ships.  She oozed refinement, intelligence, and pure class.  She didn't walk as much as glide everywhere she went.  She made me see what was possible.  

I

I didn't make a good start at it.  There was just something missing in the class department.  I worked at it, observed it, studied it.  I recognized a real lady when I saw one, just as I recognized females who were shoddy imitations.

 

The early efforts left something to be desired.  There was one step forward for every two steps back.  One doesn't make much progress on that plan.

Having spent 90% of my working life in a man's world, it was much easier to become "one of the guys" than to be a lady around whom they could not cuss or scratch.  Oddly enough, I fit in.  This aspiring woman of distinction was part of the crew.  

I finally accept my way in life, since I'm too old to change it now.  I threw in the towel the day I was introduced by the guys to the new boss with, "Oh, don't worry, it's just J.  She thinks farts are funny!" 

Turn, Turn, Turn

Depending on how you look at it, I am either a year older, or a few days older than I was last Wednesday.  Last Wednesday I was 57 years old, and Thursday I turned 58 years old.  

Hmmm.Turned.  It used to be that when something "turned" it was sour/rotten/moldy/otherwise unusable.  I see how it could apply. 

T

This is us almost 12 years ago.  I thought he looked rather dashing, and I looked like I was becoming an oofta-oofta.

This is us about two years ago.  Can you see the change? I think it could be safely stated that I have "turned".  That is all inclusive, meaning "turned" old, fat, and more than a little scary.

What the heck?  It could be a lot worse.  So far I haven't seen my picture in the emails of Walmart People that are circulating around the net. 

On Aging

Meet Raymond Lowe. Ray will be 91 in April, well on his way to his goal of 100.  His dad only made 98 and his mother 92 or 93.  I shouldn't know Ray from Adam's off ox, but the old bugger made me a great-grandmother!

 

It all started way back in the late thirties when he met a beautiful young lady by the name of Florence. He fell instantly in love and stole her away from the man to whom she was engaged.  

 

 It must have suited them both, because the result was Linda, Arnold, John, Rex, Max, Jerry, Clint, Terry, and Nancy.

 

Many years and many marriages later (for both of us) Ray's #4 child, Rex, became my #3 husband.  He brought with him two fine sons.  Shortly after that, a fine granddaughter joined the group.  Can you see where this is taking us?

 

 The evidence is before your eyes.  Here we have Rex, Ashlie, Ray, Aidan, and Shawn - five generations of the family in one spot.  If you think that Shawn looks a little young to be a grandfather, he is!  He is the same age now as his dad was when Shawn made him a grandfather.

 So here they are, Great-grandpa Rex and Great-grandson Aidan.  Can you tell the big one isn't too comfortable holding the little one?  He was a trooper and did his duty. 

I suppose we can take consolation in the fact that by making me a great-grandmother, he became a great-great grandfather.  

Funny old world, isn't it?