Party is now “Dinner Party”
Let’s PARTY meant very late nights, thick beery hangovers the next day and a mass of clearing up to do! As we got older our taste in entertainment changed. No longer did we feel the urge or the need to go out every night and have a blow out at the weekends. We discovered very civilised “dinner parties”. There was no need to shout and yell at each other like in the nightclubs but a chance to have a decent conversation with the aid of good food, good company and delicious wines.
Wearing a jacket even when it’s hot!
I feel the cold, more so than I did in my younger days. My hands and my feet get really so very cold. My solution, is more layers, more movement. I also LOVE socks, I have many warm woolly ones, that makes my feet nice and toasty, winters are painfully cold in Hungary.
Taking photos of people and things, not themselves
Guilty of this habit! Never have I been comfortable with “selfies”, I am not good at it and I would prefer to be on the other side of the lens.
Reading my Kindle instead of hardback books
Despite convincing myself years ago that I would NEVER get a Kindle, I succumbed when we moved abroad. My hardback collection is still in England, I shall be reunited with it sometime in the future. I love being able to slip my Kindle into my handbag and take it out with me for an opportunistic read.
My handbag is a suitcase
Long gone are the days of only carrying a small clutch bag with only the essentials for a night out. Nowadays my large handbag, now renamed “Sue’s Suitcase” by my husband is full of emergency supplies like tissues, a manicure set, glasses, a phone, hard candy, cardigan etc etc …!! I am covered for every eventuality whilst we are out and about in Hungary. Husband and son always thank me for being organised when they require something from the said suitcase!
Discuss the weather
As youngsters, the weather did not influence our lives as much as it does now we are many years older. I remember vaguely my parents talking about the weather, it always seemed important to them. When I became an adult myself I have to admit to scrutinising the weather daily, through habit and necessity. When my children were small, we walked everywhere and living in England meant the weather was always unpredictable. We needed to be dressed appropriately for those frequent rainy days. Now living in a country with predictable weather it’s great, no more guessing.
Insist on a wall calendar
I love a good wall calendar and have used them for many years. My youngest daughter suggested to me that I should be using an online planner, as it’s way more efficient. I didn’t really want to do that as I prefer to see everything in front of me, to me it’s more visualising and pleasing.
Drink a lot of tea
The older generation does seem to drink many cups of tea. I know people who seem to continually have the kettle on for their next cup of tea. I used to hear my parents inviting people around for “a cup of tea and a chat”. A very orderly affair sometimes with freshly baked buns for the chattering guests. Tea is readily available everywhere, quick to make and provides a satisfying refreshing drink. My personal favourite is Vanilla tea although I am also partial to an Earl Grey cup of Tea.
Play Bingo
Bingo is ALWAYS associated with the older generation. I am surprised by this as in my hometown in England there were Bingo Halls filled with bingo players of all ages. Holidaying abroad in all-inclusive resorts often have bingo sessions to help entertain the guests. There is online Bingo that I have experimented with and believe me it can become quite addictive. I soon lost interest when the summer months arrived.
The comfortable look
I followed fashion trends when I was younger through the 70’s and 80’s changing with the latest fads enjoying having what I considered to be reasonable “fashion sense”. As I have got older my style and how I wear things is very different. I deserve to be comfortable and relaxed in the clothes I wear now. For so many years throughout my working life, I would don a smart business suit and wear make-up and jewellery every day. Now I still like to look smart but my look is either long floaty dresses or shorts and teeshirts through the summer months. Winter is for leggings and wellies!
Love receiving mail in the mailbox
I do so love to receive mail in my mailbox. Am I old fashioned to enjoy the thought and effort gone into a letter sent to me? Post nowadays is either bills or circulars. Most of my communications are done through email. Thoroughly impersonal but quick and reliable.
Wear slippers
Slippers are fabulous, they keep my feet warm and clean. The theory is that my floors should be cleaner too but when my husband and son don’t wear slippers… we have words!
Wear a dressing gown….
On a cold winter day when I know we are not expecting visitors during the day, I slip my long super warm dressing gown on…I have convinced myself that it’s a housecoat!
Have a Landline Telephone
We have ALWAYS had a landline telephone and I could not understand why so many other people just managed on mobile phones. It took me a long time to finally part with the landline and rely solely on mobile technology. Looking back we were wasting money having both means of communication. Now our mobile phones are peaceful, not full of nuisance marketing calls like we had in England and I have learnt everything I need to know how to operate my Android phone efficiently.
Taking a Siesta
The advantage of being older is that you can nap when the mood takes you. It is now acceptable to fall asleep in front of the TV or with a magazine laid open on your chest. My husband takes full advantage of this privilege regularly.
Cruises
We are certainly not ‘cruise’ people, but we do know people who have had fantastic luxurious cruises in their later years and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Everything is laid on for guests with plenty of varied lively entertainment. Unfortunately, I suffer from sea-sickness quite badly so have never had the desire to go cruising.
Crosswords/Jigsaws
‘Crosswords are for oldies,’ I used to say about my mother-in-law. Every day without fail she would do the daily newspaper crossword. Nobody was allowed to fill any of the clues in and her aim was to complete it within the day. Not many people nowadays buy newspapers as computer technology has replaced them. News is available through numerous different outlets online making the humble large page newspaper a dying breed. I discovered crosswords by chance whilst waiting for a flight to visit my daughter. I picked up a book of crosswords and took the plunge, and started crosswording I am now hooked!! I discovered jigsaws only last year and completed my first 1000 piece puzzle over the long winter.
Youtube beats any Encyclopedia
Technology has enhanced our lives tremendously. When I was a youngster and had a question, I was directed to the family collection of Encyclopedia Britannica. Dust covered heavy books full of interesting facts filled our bookshelves at home usually providing the answer. It is so much easier now with huge capacity search engines to help you discover ANYTHING. My husband is particularly hooked on YouTube and has been entertained for many hours on topics he is interested in.
Get up early
We don’t have to get up early but we do. No longer is it a necessity to get up at a specific time. We are retired and do not have jobs to go to. We are free to lie in if we want to. Rural life in Hungary usually starts at 6.30 am with everyone up and about before it gets too hot in the summer months. I love first thing in the morning sitting on our veranda enjoying a cup of tea and the early morning chattering of the birds. We also go to bed reasonably early too, we have no time constraints.
We are not ‘old’
How old is old? When I was a child I thought my parents were old. When I was in my 20’s, 40 sounded ancient! I am now nearing my 60’s and don’t feel like that number. Age is a number that doesn’t have to be scary. As we age our life experiences change to suit that phase in our lives. With age comes experience and knowledge which we hopefully can pass on to future generations. Who knows what the world will have to offer our grandchildren. No doubt they are looking at their grandparents now and thinking how old fashioned we are!
Let me know if you know of any other differences between the older generation and the youngsters of today. I am sure I have missed loads.
Making Hungary Home 