Since I turned 60 I have suddenly become a "senior". Now I don't qualify for the old aged pension until I am 64 so technically I am still "working age" but twice in the last week I have asked if I needed to show my pension pass to receive the answer: "No, you're right love." so I presume I am showing my age! Not the young gal I used to be.

But I guess there is a plus side to that too. I re-registered the car today. Here we get an inspection paper, called a "pink slip", a third party insurance , called a "green slip" and then proceed to the Motor Transport Registry to get the registration stamped ec. At each step of the way I had to wait at least half an hour and at each step got into conversation with an interesting person. At my age no-one is shy with me. One little girl came bouncing up and sat beside me and produced a doll and was talking away when her mother came up to me and asked who I was. I was a little surprised and told her my name. She said: "You must be a special person as my daughter usually takes an hour or two to talk to somebody she doesn't know and here she is chatting away to you as if she has known you all her life." I must have had that Granma look on my face.

At the next stop it was a young mum who told me about her pregnancy and at the next a woman who told me what a struggle her husband is having with his business. I guess my point here is that it is not necessary to be lonely as you get older. There are so many people just wanting to have a little chat, to find a listening ear, from the youngest to the oldest my companions today just looked at me and saw a nice comfortable person to talk to. No-one special, just another member of the human race.

I wonder now about who I am at this time in my life and where I am heading. Difficult to make plans with Ray the way he is and as our retirement happened eight years ago it is a bit late to plan that. Of course winter is a time when you do ponder the big events in life so I suppose that is what I am doing right now, and when our summer comes again I will spend the time pursuing the simple life and weed the garden and not worry too much with the abstract thoughts.

Had an email from a friend today saying he had received an award from his works and "didn't recognise himself" from what was written on the citation. That can be a nice part of your senior years too, recognition for what you have done as your 25th etc anniversaries as an employee come up. Wonder what sort of citation caregivers get?

Tomorrow the family come. I am really looking forward to that. Time to play with the grandkids. The weather forecast is horrible so we can set up Granma's video world and get out all the old favourites. The kids probably will play with all the old toys. And the Dads and Uncle Trev with the Lego and Granma and Mum hopefully will have time for a heart to heart. I need to talk to her about family matters.

I learned on Friday that mum is going blind, macular degeneration, at her age, nearly 89, that is understandable but with the Alzheimers that will make it worse. If she goes from the Lodge to the nursing home she will be really lost. And I may have to go each day and feed her her lunch. I don't know how that will work out, but if that is what is needed then I will do it. That is what a dutiful daughter does. All the others out there live it up having lunch in restuarants like my sister did today, so she just told me on Messenger. I could tell today that Mum was "feeling" for her cookie rather than looking for it. It is so sad. So I must cherish the good years I have.

Ray was asking what day it was yesterday and if he had had his lunch? He has some good days, some confused days. We do as much as we are able each day, plodding along as usual. We seem to cope with each new thing too. I guess that is another thing about your senior years, you learn to cope. And sickness starts to become a normal part of everyday conversation. And your friends and their husbands are on medication. And some have a little time in hospital etc for a repair of some kind and it is not just stroke survivors like Ray who do that anymore. Mind you some of my friends still pretend to be "young" too but now I find that amusing not annoying. I am becoming more tolerant too maybe.

So remember, you've got to show me respect, I'm a senior now!