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60 today - a milestone or a gravestone?

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Hi TJC1 - Well, it naturally depends on your own circumstances etc. but I am definitely happier now than when I was in my 30s. In the 1980s I was of course working full-time, also I wasn't married etc. I suppose as a bachelor I might have been a bit lonely but I was looking after my (wonderful) parents. Yes - I was more energetic then, I had no ties and was busy travelling the world within the limits of my 5 weeks' annual holiday entitlement (46 countries by the time I reached 40). But now I have a wonderful wife (whom I first knew in 1967-68 - it's a long story but see post #1 on this thread), a nice home and - as of yesterday - another pension to add to my private one. Also a bus pass, winter fuel allowance etc. And if Marion and I like to look of the weather and decide to take ourselves off to the Lake District etc. for a week, we can just do that. Life is good despite perhaps being a grumpy old codger!.:P

 

Good for you. It sounds like 60 is the right age to be.

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You might live to 90, you can't stagnate for 30 years. Keep living!

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You might live to 90, you can't stagnate for 30 years. Keep living!
I'll do just that! And Marion and I are already making plans for a romantic holiday to celebrate our silver wedding in 2032...:P

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Happy belated birthday from your friends in Toronto hillsboro!!

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Hi Royston - thanks very much! The many replies to yesterday's post have made me feel much better about getting older!.:)

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What's it feel like to be 60?

Am about half that age...just wondered. Is it better? or worse?

 

Just to add to what "Hillsbro" has already said..i too was 60 in 2008 (Dec) and after working 12 hours, 6/7 days a week in a physically demanding industry for 45/46 years i thought enough is enough and i retired myself...so to speak...Was a "rocker" in the 60's,got married and family commitments took priority so biking stopped, took up motorcycling again in 2008 because i now had the time to enjoy it,65 this year still biking (1500cc 6 cylinder Honda) and looking forward to the warm weather and hopefully the wife...same one ... as pillion,Its a case of doing what you want,when you want,how you want with no-one telling you how to do it,Lots have the impression once you are 60 life stops and you spend the remaining days sat watching the telly....not likely,you just stop being a slave to the alarm clock...:D

 

 

newpic-1.jpg

Edited by euclid

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Hi euclid - Oh, now I'm really jealous - a 1500cc Honda! My motorcycling career - here's a photo - came to an abrupt end at a crossroads near Worrall in 1972. This put me in the infirmary for 3 months, though the long-term effects were minimal. The guilty party (a farmer's wife driving a Morris Traveller) was duly convicted, despite the evidential blunders of the attending PC in court. But I enjoyed 5 years of biking. I never have taken a car test (Marion drives our Micra), but I keep telling her that one day I'll surprise her. We'll fly over to New York, collect a rented Harley-Davidson and ride off into the sunset on Route 66.

 

But whatever your lifestyle, there is more to life than working full-time and of course it's possible for retirees to enjoy retirement to the full, as you rightly say doing what you want, when and how you want..:)

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Nice picture hillsbro..what was it a 125 BSA Bantam ?? lol I had a 197 James but would have to get off and push it up East Bank Rd on my way home from work with the tool box weighing it down!! lol

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Hi Royston - I did actually once have a 175cc Bantam (YWA 32G -why do I remember such things?!) but this was a BSA 250 Starfire. With a race-bred engine it went like the clappers. One morning in 1971 my dad overlaid and I took him to work at Firth Browns. With 14-stone dad on the pillion it went up Rutland Road in second gear at about 50 mph. Well, maybe it was 29 or so....;)

Edited by hillsbro

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Just to add to what "Hillsbro" has already said..i too was 60 in 2008 (Dec) and after working 12 hours, 6/7 days a week in a physically demanding industry for 45/46 years i thought enough is enough and i retired myself...so to speak...Was a "rocker" in the 60's,got married and family commitments took priority so biking stopped, took up motorcycling again in 2008 because i now had the time to enjoy it,65 this year still biking (1500cc 6 cylinder Honda) and looking forward to the warm weather and hopefully the wife...same one ... as pillion,Its a case of doing what you want,when you want,how you want with no-one telling you how to do it,Lots have the impression once you are 60 life stops and you spend the remaining days sat watching the telly....not likely,you just stop being a slave to the alarm clock...:D

 

 

newpic-1.jpg

 

Well, you've earnt it sir. I'm still in the rat race!

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I am 80, never thought I would make for so long. You must have heard of Churchill's remark when someone said, " I would hate to be 80" , his answer " wait till you are 79".

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I turn 60 this year and so enter in to the 60-69 age group for Veteran Fencing. I've made the decision to concentrate more on Veteran competitions than Opens, which are open to all age groups. So this year I'm off to Italy to fence in the Veterans European Fencing competition followed by Bulgaria in October for the Veterans World Championships where I'll be representing Great Britain.

 

So for me, a different life will begin at 60.

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