August? challenge; mono. The case is closed.

We were watching a re-run of ‘whatever happened to the Likely Lads’ the other night. Bob is in a hospital waiting room; he turns to the person sitting next to him - a stereotypical little old lady - and tells her of his aliments. She replies “I’m 68 and still got all my own teeth”.

Anniemay and I are both shocked by this exchange; that 40 odd years ago, 68 year-olds were portrayed as little old men and women.

Ma-in-law is 88. Now she is a bona fide little old lady (not sure about her teeth though). She’s just got on this train here to return home to Manchester. On the journey she will probably listen to younger people going on about something or other, and reply with a little old lady response that trumps anything anyone else could come up with.

This is her case; the train doesn’t leave until 13.50 but it’s been packed since about 7 this morning. Possibly last night.

I’m still trying to work out when 68 year-old women (or men for that matter) stopped becoming little old people.

More to the point, what with being 67 and all that, when will I become a little old man? When will Anniemay become a little old lady? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO