It is obvious you have kept your dignity and aged gracefully.

I'm 78 and for the last 2 years I have welcomed a lady to help me with my yard work. I have an acre full of trees, leaves,weeds and way too many flower beds.

I hope you find your next home to be as pleasant as you have made this one. I hope it's possible for you to have some raised beds there where you can grow a tomato or two and your wife's favorite flowers.

Still take care of my yard, house, pool. But now sometimes hire people to help, high school or college kids if i can. Also, it takes 3 days at least to get done what used to take a short afternoon, but so what?

And look into Audio books, my 90% blind (from Mac Deg) father-in-law was the most informed man i knew thanks to weekly Time & Newsweek audio tapes,& All books/magazines, all free to him....i believe it was a world-wide organization, cannot remember the name of it, sorry, but most of the readers were famous actors donating their time.
Focus on what you Can do,you will be a lot happier!

My grandmother phrased it a little differently but basically the same thing. Her remarks were always, "getting old isn't for sissies....." The older I get the more true it feels.

What you write rings so true! I just turned 53, and my eyesight is getting worse by the week, it seems. I do miss being able to read and seeing clearly without tons of wattage lighting my way.

I’ve also been doing some heavy retirement planning. I have to keep in mind potential (dis)abilities and limitations when choosing where to live.

Oh yes, Wordywalt, this is the reality of aging. But there is another choice: my grandson and his partner ow live in my house. Deeanna has taken over the gardening and loves it as much as I do. Brendan does all the heavy work and things requiring reaching high places and such. My house has become a central place for all ages in our family. I love it, although I had to let my standards slip a bit.

The things you have given up are not because of age, but the ability to do them. I am in my 70's and yes I don't do things at the same level I once did, but I still do them. I play senior softball. No I can't compete with the younger guys. I play racquetball with my age group. I used to backpack. Now days it is just a 5-6 mile day hike. I'll never do the Hotter Than Hell 100 in Texas again, but I still get out about 3-4 days a week for a 15 mile bike ride. I still read, but if I couldn't there are audio books. As for sex. I don't know, I just know I have not had any opportunities for a while. I have adjusted to age, but have not surrendered .

That's a nice reminder to enjoy all the things we love to do while we can, because we will end up having to adjust to doing without some of them as the years go by.