One of my elderly neighbours, Leif, had 2 tonnes of stone chippings delivered this afternoon for his driveway. The wagon tipped them onto the entrance to his drive and left him to rake them over.  He wanted the chippings in a number of places, so it was necessary to use a wheelbarrow.  He lives alone, so I thought I would do the neighborly thing and help him.

Leif looks to be aged around 70-75, so I was very impressed at his physical condition and the stamina he displayed in this grueling task.  Between us, we shovelled about 30 barrows full of these stones and carted them off around his property, then raked them into position. When the job was about three-quarters finished, I had severe backache and I was utterly knackered, but he was whistling cheerfully and had barely broken into a sweat.  He kindly invited me to sit down and catch my breath, and brought me a drink, which I gratefully accepted, and he thanked me for my help and assured me that he could finish the job himself.  I told him I wouldn't let him do that, and then he said that his great-grandson was coming over and would help him.  I asked him how old his great-grandson was and he said he was 31.  I was a bit puzzled, and asked him how he could possibly have a great-grandson in his thirties? He then casually told me that he was born in 1915, his eldest son was born in the 1930s, his grandson is aged 54 and his great-grandson is aged 31.  

It then dawned on me that, if Leif was born in 1915, he must be 95-years-old.  I thought I was pretty fit, but I had been worked under the table by a sprightly 95-year-old! How embarrassing is that?  Next time I walk past his house, I'm going to wear a paper bag over my head.

Brutus

Ashman

I'd love to know his secret. I wonder what he has for breakfast.  He's a beef farmer, and I guess his active life has made him a sturdy creature.

I just discovered that I have another "neighbour" - a couple of kilometers down the road, but a neighbour nonetheless.  She is Agnetha Fältskog, the blond girl from Abba and she has bought a "love nest" not far from my place:

http://www.expressen.se/1.363972

I'm not sure my wife would be very happy if I went and offered to show her what I could do with my hands.

Brutus

 

Now now, just you behave yourself!!!

Pen

"How would you feel if it became known that you had lost out to him?"

I have a dream, of course, but I know it's a case of the winner takes it all and it could well be my Waterloo, so I would just say to Agnetha thank you for the music and, if ever you have an S.O.S., you can take a chance on me because I'm not interested in your money money money.

Brutus

Oh dear, I think we have an Abba fan here, folks. Brutus, I note that one of their songs was Man in the Middle. I hope your heart is in good shape.

999tommo

"You should invite Leif and his parents round for a meal !! "

Leif has a permanent and very pungent farmyard smell about him.  Somehow, I suspect his parents smell even worse!

Pen

I plead not guilty to that one, Pen, but I was around in the 70s and 80s and they were pretty hard to miss.

Brutus

Wicked Pen!

Thank you, Croby.

When I was a mere youngster (1970) I helped out a friend of the family who worked in Dorset. We went to a small farm where a 90 year-old gentleman had spent most of his life carving 3ft long wooden moldings in which plaster coving was made. he occasionaly helped out his blacksmith neighbour with carrying HUGE metal rimmed wooden cartwheels. Jim, my boss, & I managed to carry one of the smaller wheels between us (about 6ft diameter). The carver and his mate the smith had worked at the site since Victorian times, and he had made molds for the plasterwork for Osbourne House. He reckoned you just got used to the life it and that it was nothing special it was just what you did!!!