Feeling old

[randy_byers]

So, for the past few weekends I've been prepping the back of the house to paint. This has mostly involved scraping old paint off. It is hard physical labor, and I have discovered that I no longer am able to do much of it in a given day. Yesterday, for example, I was exhausted and sick-feeling after an hour and a half. I find this kind of disturbing. I mean, I was at least able to do some caulking after I'd rested for a while, but I just didn't feel physically capable of more scraping. Another part of what's disturbing, I guess, is that it doesn't seem like I've increased my stamina at all over these weekends of work. I don't seem to have built up any extra strength from the exercise.

One thing it means is that it's taking much longer than I'd hoped it would. I was hoping to be done with the prep work this weekend, so I could start painting after my weekend in Oregon next weekend. Instead, I've still got a little bit of scraping to do, and I haven't even started putting primer on. At least I got the caulking done, which should prevent water from getting in the cracks and crevices. I knew it was probably going to rain last night, which is one reason I pushed myself to get it done.

Comments

[janetl.livejournal.com]

Me, too.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I'm not alone in my decrepitude.

[don-fitch.livejournal.com]

Okay, caulking isn't especailly hard physical labor, but... keep in mind the father of a friend of Geri's, who determinedly finished mowing that last patch of lawn... and then dropped dead.

And yeah, I cited that last week to the guy in charge of the local Community Garden when I told him "I'm going to quite spading this (school class) bed now; either you can finish it or I will tomorrow morning". (He seemed to be pleased by this.) I've also told myself that same thing when turning-over either my private compost pile or the Communal one. I kinda figure that I've managed to reach almost twice your age (I think) by not wanting or trying to be Macho.

Yes, being older and more feeble sucks, but it sure as hell beats the (practical) alternative of being dead. Now, I think I'll go out and watch the bees harvesting nectar from the borage and the in-full-bloom oregano. (And then drive over to check on the date of Saint Nectarios Church's Greek Festival, because my mind works by that kind of association (& I'm in the mood for a couple of days of Dancing and sinfully-rich food).)

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Yes, being older and more feeble sucks, but it sure as hell beats the (practical) alternative of being dead.

Good point, although I can't help but feel I've already gotten feebler than my brother, who's five years older than I am. Although I suppose he's always been stronger than me.

Have fun at the Greek Festival! I think the one up here was last weekend.