Upon 'getting old'

[Little Joe]

I had the great honor of growing up next door to my Dad's parents and spent tons of time with them, especially my papaw, he was always my hero. He was born in 1923, the second of 4 and the oldest boy on a cotton farm in eastern Arkansas where his dad was the 3rd generation to farm that ground. They were like everyone else that farmed at that time, cotton was cash crop but they had about any livestock you can imagine and a huge garden. Papaw was also a WW2 hero who served in Patton's 3rd army Infantry and received the bronze star for bravery. After the army he was a mechanic and cotton farmed some and kept some homestead livestock. He was tough as hell, smoked 2 packs a day starting at 10 years old til he died at 81, always raised a big garden and caught some hellacious bass. He fished about 3 days a week after retirement out of a one man scamp boat. Grandmother was born in 1926, was a beautician until she was 75 or so, she died at age 93, lived by herself until 92 and drove until 90. Broke her hip at 85 had surgery and recovered well, crawled in the house the night she broke it and slept in floor until next morning when she called my dad to take her to Dr. She was tough as hell too, weighed 90lbs soaking wet but didn't back down from anyone. She could cook a turd and make it taste good. Man I miss them, I'm grateful all the stories they told me and the lessons I got to learn from them. Most people who meet me instantly see that I have alot of what is considered old people ways that I got from being with my grandparents alot. I wouldn't trade that childhood for a million dollars, didn't realize when I was young how good I had it and what a priviledge it was to have that generation of people help raise you and teach you. I feel like I was born 100 years too late most days.

 

[Little Joe]

A picture of me and papaw and some of them monster bass he would catch.

 

[Little Joe]

Another one of the legend himself

 

[Little Joe]

@Lannie Beat me to it!

U won't be forgotten my friend.

And I'll add my little take on this aging thing....

Some of ya'll may have noticed I have not been as active here lately, on the forum anyway. I have a way of keeping busy when things like this happen. Lots of salebarns. Tree clean up. Fence repairs. Bottle calves etc... anything to keep me going!

Some time back, I was visiting my 90-some yr old grandmother in the hospital. She had a hernia repaired and was flat miserable about it. I've had one repaired myself. I can't imagine having it done at her age. She swore she wasn't gonna eat. (Under heavy drugs and a great deal of pain) but she pulled thru. Now in a nursing home and not getting around real well. Makes me very sad.

While I was visiting my poor grandmother, I got word my youngest brother was checking on our mother and found her dead in her bed.

Few weeks later, Thanksgiving was miserable for me. Really really missed them.

Anyway, this thread has made me consider what your saying. I'm entering the generation that's left. Still got my dad tho!

Thanks @greybeard for letting me feel like I'm not alone. Appreciate you!

Sorry to hear about losing your mom, mine has been gone 6 years and I still dream about her all the time. Prayers for comfort and peace brother.

 

[domino]

I am not sure when it happened, but it is at last upon me. Old age.
Around 2009, my last aunt died out in Sweetwater Texas and I, my twin, and my 2 older sisters traveled 1/2way across Texas from East Texas out to her funeral. After the burial service, there was a meal served at the little community center in Nolan and we were sitting around with the deceased oldest son, and a thought came to me which I expressed to them. "You know what this means don't you? We are 'the old folks now'.

It was true, tho it didn't really feel like it at the time, but it has in the last few years as when my own immediate family gathers for a holiday, it's strikingly obvious that I and my 2 sisters are by far, the oldest present. Lots of folks there, but all younger than I, and I have to acknowledge that this last Thanksgiving, I didn't know who some of them were as all the nephews and nieces now have their spouses there and their kids. Some of those 'kids' have kids of their own and I can't begin to keep who belongs to who and also hits me that I have little or nothing in common with most of them. None have gone into the military, none farm, most don't have blue collar jobs, none have 'had it hard'. I'm 2-3 generations removed in most cases and they all sit around on their phones most of the time anyway, my own sons being the exception on the rare occasion they make the lengthy trip to join in. (all but 1 lives out of state). X,Z, millennials and gen alphas ......... just 3 of us old boomers.
Absent are my own parents, my uncles and aunts and many of my own cousins, all deceased and of course my twin brother.

Even today tho, it's odd. I don't 'feel' old. I still have plans to do this and that and go on about my life as I did back when I was 50 or 60 but in that family scenario, it stands out where I really am in my short tenure on this mortal coil. I do not worry on it, but I do realize that someday soon I too will be gone and not long afterwards the world will little care nor long remember I was even here.

Well said

 

[greybeard]

Whew, dodged a bullet! Mr TC is 14 years older than me. So, with that theory, he'll never actually be old in my eyes

15 years difference between my age and my wife's age so I suppose she sees me as being ancient.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

You guys make me think about what my "legacy" will be.
Remember - I'm born and raised in Rhode Island.
Lost my husband/best friend/partner/co-worker/lover 10 years ago in October - married 46 years. Crying just thinking about him. I didn't have a lot of time (none) to grieve. Farm must go on. I thought "well, I did all the daily chores while he had a full time job. I can do this. Forgetting, all the "grunt" work he did each and every night when he came home - hauling out the wheel barrows from the show cattle or the calving cows in the winter. All the weekend jobs that took the both of us to do. You know - lots of work needing two people.
My nephew from RI called and asked if I wanted him to come out and help. He had lived with Ken & I for 3 summers. Best life he ever had. He screwed up and we sent him home the last year and wasn't invited back. So, I told him NO. Then I got thinking. How the heck am I going to eartag & weigh the calves by myself. So, I called him up and asked if he wanted to come out for 60 days for calving. He did. That was 10 years ago next week.

My sister & BIL have been coming here since we bought the place. They brought family for Thanksgiving time. Their families have grown and still come. I have nephews and great nephews/nieces that have been coming to the farm since they were in their mom's bellies. We have a traditional week at Thanksgiving where 10-12 family members come to celebrate TG and hunt. My sister & niece plan all the meals, cook all the meals - while I go hunting with the guys. My house is wall to wall air mattresses at night.
Love my life. Love the fact that all these city relatives get to share part of that life once in a while. They love going to Auntie Jeanne's farm. Come several times a year. Tradition.
My "city" nephew LOVES his life here. Taking over more and more of the decision making. We discuss everything in running the farm. I am blessed.

 

[greybeard]

Reading that, Jean, you needn't worry about your 'legacy'. You have, for years and decades to come, imparted your life and lifestyle onto all those who have visited and worked with you; people who would otherwise never really know what an agriculture life was like or what it took to get the food they bought and ate back in the city.

 

[Ky hills]

@Lannie Beat me to it!

U won't be forgotten my friend.

And I'll add my little take on this aging thing....

Some of ya'll may have noticed I have not been as active here lately, on the forum anyway. I have a way of keeping busy when things like this happen. Lots of salebarns. Tree clean up. Fence repairs. Bottle calves etc... anything to keep me going!

Some time back, I was visiting my 90-some yr old grandmother in the hospital. She had a hernia repaired and was flat miserable about it. I've had one repaired myself. I can't imagine having it done at her age. She swore she wasn't gonna eat. (Under heavy drugs and a great deal of pain) but she pulled thru. Now in a nursing home and not getting around real well. Makes me very sad.

While I was visiting my poor grandmother, I got word my youngest brother was checking on our mother and found her dead in her bed.

Few weeks later, Thanksgiving was miserable for me. Really really missed them.

Anyway, this thread has made me consider what your saying. I'm entering the generation that's left. Still got my dad tho!

Thanks @greybeard for letting me feel like I'm not alone. Appreciate you!

So sorry to hear about your loss Murray.
It will be 4 years this spring since I lost my mother. Still miss her so much.
Will be praying for you.

 

[crossbreed]

Worry not about what this world remembers as it is passing away in due time.
Rest assured He who watches Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.
I hope all your days are secure in the knowledge of eternal blessing.

Lee that is an awesome and true post. Thank you for sharing this

 

[Rafter S]

. . . Got a good friend that's over 90 and still feeding cattle and rolling hay.

I've posted about it before, but I know a lady that still works at the little country store a few miles away who is 89.

You'll find her there standing on that concrete floor waiting on customers six days a week from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Sorry to hear about losing your mom, mine has been gone 6 years and I still dream about her all the time. Prayers for comfort and peace brother.

That's tough, been there.
Lost dad and mom within a month of each other 21 years ago.
You get through it, you never get over it.

I've posted about it before, but I know a lady that still works at the little country store a few miles away who is 89.

You'll find her there standing on that concrete floor waiting on customers six days a week from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

When you quit you die pretty quick

 

[TCRanch]

15 years difference between my age and my wife's age so I suppose she sees me as being ancient.

I doubt that! I certainly don't think Mr TC looks his age, but I guess looks are subjective.

 

[1982vett]

I don't know. I'm 51 and 65 seems like it's just around the corner.

It is....

 

[Big Creek]

Another one of the legend himself
View attachment 23856

Spent the first 40 years of my life hunting,fishing and working cattle with my dad, best times but your picture brings back a memory that I'll never forget. We'd start out at 4am with a cooler loaded with sodas and a block of ice. As the day progressed, sodas would come out of the cooler and fish would go in. By the end of the day, you'd have to rinse your soda in the lake to be able to hang onto it because the cans were sooo slimy. Great memories.

 

[Ouachita]

Thank you all for sharing your memories. Y'all have triggered a pleasant emotional landslide. My maternal grandad died in 1983. He's the one that took me fishing with cane poles. Still haven't figured out how he caught all the fish.

 

[Caustic Burno]

It is....

About two nights and you wake up going where did that 15 years go.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Thank you all for sharing your memories. Y'all have triggered a pleasant emotional landslide. My maternal grandad died in 1983. He's the one that took me fishing with cane poles. Still haven't figured out how he caught all the fish.

I had an uncle, I still catch myself snickering at his sayings.
I remember we were camping at Dad's and another uncles duck hunting camp on Trinity bay. Dad and his brother worked for their uncle building oil derricks in the Goose Creek oil field. They had built a fine hunting camp out of that lumber in Trinity Bay.

I can still hear my uncle Robert say Jack you need to close that window there is a whole stovepipe full of skeeters in here.
I have often wondered how many skeeters it took to fill a stovepipe.

 

[Ouachita]

We are good at remembering those old folks, and the times we had with them. Those are the experiences that make us what we are now.
I think a part of our problem (collectively) is that we don't realize that we are the stewards of those younger generations memories now.
This is our best hour. It may seem unfair that our last is the best, but this is how we can assure that our progeny survives.

On getting old……Do not draw pity upon yourself. It's not the time to draw. It's the perfect opportunity to give, as much as it can hurt.

 

[Ouachita]

On another note, on getting old…….damn cell phones……my wife just texted to ask me if I wanted to go to church with her.
I replied, politely I think, that I was already in church, sitting in the two man stand. I've been breaking ice, watching the frost melt, and observing cows poop and eat all morning.

How can a group of humans top that?