Attended a social cum family event yesterday where a middle-aged lady was speaking to another middle-aged lady (me).

She asked ‘are you into cooking, gardening or embroidery?’ to which I stifled a WTF? and replied that no, I wasn’t. I was then asked what I did in my spare time so my reply was obviously riding bikes which received a look of horror. 😀

Someone interjected with ‘oh yes, she’s got 5 bikes’ and another shocked expression was displayed!

FCOL she was not much older than me and was living the life of an old person, no? 😉 Oh well, we’re all different. 😆

Getting old doesn’t make you stop doing things; stopping doing things makes you old.

I know young folk that are into gardening and cooking (maybe not embroidery, but who knows?). I don’t think that means they are living the life of an older person. Conversely, I also know OAPs that cycle a lot 🙂

I’m sure her life is just as valid as yours to be fair

Just what I need, someone of my age to do the cooking and gardening while I go out riding my bike.

PS: whats embro-thingy?

Guys – it was a very light-hearted post and I’m the last person who could sit in judgement of others!

slowoldgit – shall I get her number for you? 😉

Hey c_g – it’s a topsy-turvy world.

Especially when it’s icy!!

c_g What’s her cooking like?

Yes but can she embroider goretex?

I love cooking, gardening, sewing and riding bikes, I’m not even mid 30’s yet. Just because you perceive these things bar the latter to be old activities doesn’t make it so.

I can see this thread getting all STW all of a sudden. C-G, don sackcloth and ashes, do copious amounts of penance and maybe you’ll be forgiven by next week!

It’s when people say they do nothing but watch telly that I worry. Somone I know used to say that smoking was his “only pleasure in life” when his family nagged him to quit. That’s pretty unimaginative 🙁

OK, I’m past sixty. My peer group are outdoorsy folk, when we meet up socially it’s often to walk or to ride bikes.

This sort of question is never a major topic of conversation, don’t get that impression, but I think we all have other friends or family who never do anything active. That seems so sad, mostly because of the health issues they risk.

Embroidered sackcloth, ashes of her cooking?

😆

I’ve given up telling my non riding mid life friends about biking, as they glaze over, especially if you mention night riding.

However I do love, baking, sewing, gardening and being a member of our local WI. MTBing always comes first 🙂

You enjoy what you enjoy whatever your age. I know your post was light hearted c_g but because I am generally an outdoorsy type who like to get the endorphins flowing regularly I find I mix with those sorts of people. The sneering I come across from them towards those who prefer less adrenaline charged past times and hobbies is quite sad really. I guess that mindset works both ways. My mum is always pointing out that I should think about finally becoming an adult and putting the bikes and toys away. When I ask what sort of things I should be doing instead she just stares at me blankly.

I know some right old gits that ride bikes. Me. My father…
My mother raises a free eyebrows as she still surfs in her mid-70s.

I know just what C-G means: there are some people of our age (and also much younger) who seem to restrict themselves to certain activities which they they think are appropriate to their age, so they almost willingly miss out on lots of life.
They seem to dismiss anything which might involve adrenaline or effort in favour of more contemplative pleasures, which are fine in themselves but might be more appreciated as a counterpoint to some brain-dead, scary fun hooning.

PS – 5htElefant, have you a sister who can teach me to surf?

My dad learned to windsurf at 68. At 75 he tried golf, as ‘I must be old enough by now’. One round later, he declared it ‘still boring’.

He did race cars and motorcycles in his youth…

Re the five bikes and the shocked expression. Was that because you only have five? I think that’s pretty shocking too.

PS – 5htElefant, have you a sister who can teach me to surf?

A daughter-in-law that could give you a Brazilian is as close as I can get.

Firstly we’d like to know which 5 bikes. Secondly I’ve been into cooking since my 20’s, I gave up gardening when I realised I had no talent for it.

Some people have a perception of what you should be doing at a certain age. CG I think you’re about the same age as me, so please don’t get offended when I say it’s good to get old(er) disgracefully. I love the fact that some people think I’m a bit unhinged riding my bike in the dark, in the piddling rain.

Try being mid 20s and admitting to enjoying diy and working on cars. The formers for people older than me and the latters for people younger than me. Cyclings seen as almost normal till i tell them i cycle 15 miles to and from work and i dont race the tour de france

Its more a thirst to know how my stuff works and how its fitted more than the diy side.

She also has a sex dungeon… some people have hidden talents.

It’s perfectly ok to like quilting. My neighbours hobby is washing his car, sometimes with a toothbrush. Dull but ok. It’s not ok to be shocked that sport is enjoyed by people older than 25.

Sneering from either side isn’t an attractive thing, but I more often see it more from the “adventurous” , fitness, outdoorsy side than the other way round.

Being happy is all that counts, not how you achieve it or how you perceive it “should” be obtained.