What is wrong with middle aged people?

[dragoneggs]

That would be a normal commute in the Seattle area as well, maybe even a good commute. Crazy.

Amazing what has happened in the last twenty years of traffic! :thumbdown:

 

[MossRoad]

Amazing what has happened in the last twenty years of traffic! :thumbdown:

Look at it this way... since you and I were born, the U.S. population has doubled and the number of cars on the road has doubled.

We used to drive around drinking beer and visiting gravity hill, roller coaster road, a haunted house, etc... all local folklore places, etc... and never see another car. Park out on a country road, listening to the radio laying on the hood of the car watching the stars and never see another car for hours.

Now it's very rare to NOT see a car around here, even on the most deserted road in the county. Can't go longer than about 10-15 minutes.

 

[bcp]

Look at it this way... since you and I were born, the U.S. population has doubled and the number of cars on the road has doubled.

We used to drive around drinking beer and visiting gravity hill, roller coaster road, a haunted house, etc... all local folklore places, etc... and never see another car. Park out on a country road, listening to the radio laying on the hood of the car watching the stars and never see another car for hours.

Now it's very rare to NOT see a car around here, even on the most deserted road in the county. Can't go longer than about 10-15 minutes.

And now, if you lie on the hood, it will have a big dent in it.



Bruce

 

[dragoneggs]

Look at it this way... since you and I were born, the U.S. population has doubled and the number of cars on the road has doubled.

We used to drive around drinking beer and visiting gravity hill, roller coaster road, a haunted house, etc... all local folklore places, etc... and never see another car. Park out on a country road, listening to the radio laying on the hood of the car watching the stars and never see another car for hours.

Now it's very rare to NOT see a car around here, even on the most deserted road in the county. Can't go longer than about 10-15 minutes.

You are bringing back memories... I remember drinking beer in my buddies '64-1/2 powder blue mustang one night. Why we were at our junior high school bus circle, don't know why there (I was already in high school), but I do know the officer was pretty nice (now thinking about it) when he told us to open and pour out the rest of our case of beer and drive straight home.... We did.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm 57. My mom died back in 1988 when I was 27. My dad in 1995 when I was 34. I've been with my wife since 1979. Her parents are still alive. They live about 9 minutes from us. We see them at least once a week, and usually more. They pop in unannounced very often and I love it. We do the same to them. I can usually count on them stopping in after 5:00 mass on Saturday evening. We go to the casinos together about once a month. I've known my wife's parents longer than I knew my own parents. I told my mother in law that the other day, and she couldn't believe it. We did the math. I've known them 39 years. I'm extremely fortunate in that I love my in-laws like they are my own parents, and they've always treated me like one of their own since day one dating their daughter. They've been around for our kids since they were born. My kids call them often and visit with them every time they come home. Our oldest lives in Pittsburgh, and we see her about every 6 weeks. We go there or she comes here for the weekend to visit us and the grandparents. The youngest is in college about 2 hours away. She comes home about every 2 months or we go there. Sometimes we take the in-laws to see the kids, too. We've gone on family vacations with them several times and had a blast. They took us all to Hawaii. We took them to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. And we used to rent a cabin at a state park together in the winter. Just love them.

However, mom is now 78 and dad will be 91 next week. He's really slowing down mentally and physically. Up until about 3 years ago, I think he could have still kicked my butt. He'd mow his lawn every other day with a walk-behind Toro that adjusted to his speed automatically. Before that, he had a three speed walker that didn't go fast enough, so he'd put it in neutral and push it!

But nowadays, he gets nervous if they leave home. After dark, it gets weird. We know what it is. He doesn't realize it. Extremely poor short term memory. He can tell you details about things that happened 20 or more years ago, but not what happened 5 minutes ago. He gets nervous if we leave our car in their driveway when we take them out to eat or for a drive. What if someone breaks into it? What if it hails? What if someone steals it?

It's kind of hard to watch and listen to the repetitive stuff. But you just bite your tongue and remember all the times they took care of you, your kids, etc... and hope someone treats you with some dignity if and when you happen to get like that yourself.

So, if they won't come visit you, then you go visit them. Or go and get them and bring them to your place and take them back in a week. Maybe they don't feel comfortable driving, but just don't tell you.

Anyhow, love em while you got em. :thumbsup:

Most older folks I know want to be in their own bed each night... also, being out after dark can be stressful.

Mom is now super security conscious.... locks, drapes, everything in... not away too long... etc... she has lived in her home 49 years and nothing bad has ever happened at the house...

That said... if I tell her I need to move a tractor or picked up something a couple of hours a away she enjoys going along for the ride... as long as she is back home by bedtime.

 

[Bird]

You are bringing back memories... I remember drinking beer in my buddies '64-1/2 powder blue mustang one night. Why we were at our junior high school bus circle, don't know why there (I was already in high school), but I do know the officer was pretty nice (now thinking about it) when he told us to open and pour out the rest of our case of beer and drive straight home.... We did.

I've done that, many years ago, when I was a young patrol officer.:laughing::laughing:

Most older folks I know want to be in their own bed each night... also, being out after dark can be stressful.

I didn't know you knew me so well.:laughing: Of course I'm 78 years old, used to love visiting friends and family, and having them visit us. And of course, we traveled all over the country in an RV for about 6 years, and now I'm content to go no farther from home than I can get back before dark.:laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

And now, if you lie on the hood, it will have a big dent in it.



Bruce

Yes. The metal is cheaper.... (I'm not heavier, of course! :laughing: )

 

[MossRoad]

You are bringing back memories... I remember drinking beer in my buddies '64-1/2 powder blue mustang one night. Why we were at our junior high school bus circle, don't know why there (I was already in high school), but I do know the officer was pretty nice (now thinking about it) when he told us to open and pour out the rest of our case of beer and drive straight home.... We did.

Yep. That was the standard procedure back then. Pour it all out and go home. The problem is, as we now know, the kid is drunk. The cop tries to cut the kid a break, the kid kills someone or himself on the way home, and the cop gets sued. There was finally a shift in society's thinking. I'm kinda impressed by my oldest kid and her friends. They budget an uber ride into their evening and leave the cars at home. A lot of them are now into the one drink per hour mentality, too, VS pounding them down to get a buzzz going. :thumbsup:

 

[buckeyefarmer]

And now, if you lie on the hood, it will have a big dent in it.



Bruce

Last time i parked out in the country to see a meteorite shower, a state trooper stopped and told me to move along...

 

[Jstpssng]

Yep. That was the standard procedure back then. Pour it all out and go home. The problem is, as we now know, the kid is drunk. The cop tries to cut the kid a break, the kid kills someone or himself on the way home, and the cop gets sued. There was finally a shift in society's thinking. I'm kinda impressed by my oldest kid and her friends. They budget an uber ride into their evening and leave the cars at home. A lot of them are now into the one drink per hour mentality, too, VS pounding them down to get a buzzz going. :thumbsup:

My first year in college the campus police had a car on Friday and Saturday nights dedicated to stopping intoxicated drivers and giving them a ride home. The first weekend of my second year a student with a carful of other drunks crossed the centerline, killing both drivers. Things changed a lot that year.