Loving it that the oldsters, now known in polite society as the politically correct "seniors," are finding their voice. Never ever dreamed of being old, but now that we are, it's a revelation. We've been tea partying from day one.
The young and ignorant, schooled in the stealth Gramscian, anti-Founding-Fathers curriculum, know nothing about nature or nature's God. They're prolly buying POTUS's unspeakable assertion that "We are God's partners in matters of life and death." Everyone in the whole wide world should read Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism before saying another thing. Fortunately, us old folks still remember a thing or two about the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. PLUS. As old and decrepit as we may become, the pater familias, 89-year-old Goomp, keeps on keeping on. Proud to be a scion of a grand old Yankee/Finnish family of honest and true Mercans.
Update: Instalanche. Being old is all it's cracked up to be!
Update II: "Goomp 89?" gasps Elisson incredulously in the comments:
Why, that means 89 is the new 59.
That would make us still wet behind the ears.
Update III: Modulator's Friday Ark now boarding.
Handsome cat.
Posted by: Flash Hole | August 23, 2009 at 03:36 PM
Flash Hole: Tee toe pitty.
Posted by: Sissy Willis | August 23, 2009 at 03:42 PM
Shows my age, I guess--I prefer "elderly".
Unless they want me to do some thing I don't want to do, then "too old" is better.
Cat asleep on the chair behind me is around 20--youngest estimate is 18. He brought in three mice last might. 2 the night before. That we know about. Walks the perimeter of 2 1/2 acres most days it isn't raining or snowing.
Posted by: Larry Sheldon | August 23, 2009 at 04:02 PM
Larry Sheldon: Look to the animals! :-)
Posted by: Sissy Willis | August 23, 2009 at 04:18 PM
It is of the new things that men tire — of fashions and proposals and improvements and change.
It is the old things that startle and intoxicate. It is the old things that are young.
G. K. Chesterton
Posted by: DMZach | August 23, 2009 at 05:11 PM
My grandmother (who lived into her 90s, God bless her) used to recite Robert Browning's "Rabbi Ben Ezra" from memory:
Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His hand
Who saith 'A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!'
While my 14-year-old Princess is a mere kitten compared to Larry's cat, and doesn't have several acres to patrol, she is a diligent guardian of her third-floor turf, an active member of the neighborhood block watch, and a wise supervisor of the two 9-year-olds. All three are considered "senior" cats by AVMA standards. Grey panthers, right?
Posted by: Connecticut Yankee | August 23, 2009 at 05:24 PM
Old? Never in life. Think "mature."
Remember Mr. Debonair's Words to Live By: It's better to age in the manner of a fine wine, becoming more mellow and complex with every passing year, than it is to grow old as does a cheese, growing sharper with each passing day (and getting more and more blue veins!)
Posted by: Elisson | August 23, 2009 at 08:08 PM
And did I read that correctly? Goomp, 89? Why, that means 89 is the new 59.
May he have many more years, all in good health. Clearly, the gentleman has a few good DNA chains!
Posted by: Elisson | August 23, 2009 at 08:10 PM
And one would certainly expect that Goomp's exceptional genes have been passed down to the next generation.
Sam the Wonder Cat is rejuvenated these days. He's still diabetic, still get insulin shots with his meals. BUT a good soul turned me on to Taste of the Wild cat food - I should eat so good. Seriously, it has venison AND smoked salmon, no corn, no gluten, mostly protein and what a difference is the lad's general demeanor it is making! He's uber-amorous for one thing! He's 9 years old, I'm 67.
Posted by: Gayle Miller | August 24, 2009 at 09:27 AM
Zero has bitten off more than he can chew when he takes on senior citizens. We are capable of monumental and sustained rage, coupled with the intelligence and experience to make his life a living hell until his only term as president has run its course! I wouldn't mess with the seniors, and I are one of them!
Posted by: Gayle Miller | August 24, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Good for you! I feel like 52 going on 102 dealing with three kids between 20 and 16.5! Love them dearly, but they were cuter and easier as kittens than as young yowling adolescents now... Gaaaah! I will feel 30 years younger when they are finally launched and financially independent and just visiting...Love em, but I made one mad today by saying that I feel like a momma spider being devoured by her hatching young...One is disgustingly PC and voted for He Who Must Not Be Named (grrr, hiss! spit!) but is now a little disenchanted. The other is apolitical. THe youngest is still fairly indoctrinated by conservative Mama...er...of sane and sensible politics but is influenced by entire school and teachers being supporters of Him.
Gorgeous pix, as always.
The point to my whine is that I think some of us live in hopes of a new lease on life when kids finally leave. Hopefully!
Posted by: retriever | August 24, 2009 at 07:45 PM
I will strive to heed the advice of "Mr. Debonair's Words to Live By". Unlike so many who seem to think acting childish is the way to continue to be young, I've always found the statement "I don't want to grow up!" to be very distasteful. Rather like the "woman of a certain age" who tries to dress like a 20 year old girl... the behavior does not flatter.
With Mr. Debonair's words and Goomp's most excellent example of how to age gracefully, I am hoping for a most interesting and fun life. As for you and Tuck, the word "old" does not leap to mind in relation to either of you. Not ever.
Retriever - having launched my own 2 into the world (I had both of them at a much younger age than you which now is showing great advantages for me even though it was a real struggle to be very young parents). I can say that I love having grown up kids and there is nothing better than to head out to see them and hang out for a while then head home. LOL. You'll love it. I was one of those parents who popped open champagne when my youngest left home.
;-)
Posted by: Teresa | August 25, 2009 at 10:55 AM
I am still breathless from the arrogance -- the sheer hubris -- of the "We are God's partners in matters of life and death" quote.
There are times when I think it's really too bad that the Jehovah of the Old Testament isn't around to smite this presumptive little pipsqueak. Or the Greek gods, who might just decide to turn Obama into a rudbarakia for his hubris in equaling himself to them.
Now THOSE were the days...
Posted by: Stoutcat | August 25, 2009 at 01:49 PM