Musings on Age

San Angelo, Texas, October 27 to ???


Age is a funny thing. Some people age so fast, by the time they are 60, they are all used up it seems. While others stay active and involved into their 80s and even 90s and don’t think of themselves as old.
I think a lot of us have a mental picture of ourselves, and in that picture we are not old, we are still in our 20s or 30s. We look in the mirror and wonder who that old guy is, then go on about our business.
Maybe that’s the secret. If you don’t think of yourself as old, you’ll stay younger longer. I don’t mean physically, but mentally. Having a good attitude is important and so is having dreams to pursue. Maybe that’s why RVers act younger longer. There is always something to do, friends to visit with and dreams to act on.
What’s gotten me to muse about aging is that we are in San Angelo, Texas visiting my 96 year old father. He has recently had some health issues and EJ and I are visiting with him until he recovers. He gets frustrated because he is not getting better as fast as he thinks he should. But every day we see little indications that his health is improving.

Dad lives in an apartment building where the ages of the residents run from the mid–fifties to the late 90s. He has lived here for 13 years straight. EJ and I have lately been spending more and more time here to help him streamline or eliminate the irritants in life. Bills, paperwork, computers, minor repairs are things he no longer needs to worry about. He knows that if something bugs him, he can just set it aside and Frank and EJ will handle it.
When we arrrived we hooked up at our normal spot in the Rio Concho Manor parking lot, where a power pole with two 30 amp connections is available for hookup. We stayed there for 10 days as we helped Dad get back on his feet. By then our holding tanks were full, so we moved over to Conco Pearl RV Estates where we signed up for a month to continue keeping a eye on Dad. Plus we promised him we would be here for Thanksgiving.

All this gives one a glimpse of life in our later years. Who will take care of us? Where do we want to spend our twilight years? How much longer can we RV? At what point do you set up everything on autopay and let the bank worry about it? Will the money last?
As far as where do we want to end up, that’s a good question. If we opt for a hot climate, you must have electricity for the air conditioning. If we opt for a cool climate, electricity, natural gas, or wood can provide heat. Hmmm, something to consider.