How grey am I?
7January 6, 2013 by welshcyclist
After being told I needed a rinse at work, I asked the culprit to take a picture of my bonce, with my mobile phone camera. The result is displayed above. For the life of me, I believe there’s a greenish tinge to my hair. A fine head of hair, I know, you, my reader will agree, but green? I can’t explain it, or then again perhaps I can.
How’s this for a theory? My hair, in fact, is a luxuriant dark blonde, that’s what my hairdresser says, well the dark blonde bit anyway. The simple fact is the photo was taken too close to the object ( my noggin ), causing the luxurious sheen of my mane to appear green, i.e., not a grey hair to be seen. Works for me!
Well, that’s a light hearted take on the aging process, but the reality is those grey hairs are a multiplying up there, of that there is no doubt. Today, I was reminded how very unkind and cruel that process, we all eventually have to go through, except for those of our generation who have gone before us. Sadly, there are too many of my peers, who have already succombed.
I will not go into all the details. We went to visit a life long friend of my dear departed mother, who’s been in hospital since before Christmas. She has, to date, survived cancer, a serious car crash, and other life threatening conditions. Ever since I was a boy, Ina would call in daily, to visit my mum, they would have a couple of Woodbines and a cup of tea or two, and have a good old chat, about their children etc..
She’s now 86, my mum passed away at 64, 20 years ago. But Ina was, and still is, there as a flesh and blood reminder of my passage from child, to boy, to young man and finally what is, in my case, laughingly called a grown up.
It was a terrible shock to see her today, I had to hold back the tears in my eyes, at the shadow of the Ina I had always known, in front of me. Confused, upset, and not happy about her prospects, but resigned to her predicament.
I was fortunate, that I never had to see my mum that way.
How does the song go?
“Hope I die before I get old”
The Who sum it up for me.
Without quality of life, what is the point?
Welshcyclist's Weblog 
Yes, I keep noticing an elderly sort of fellow hanging around with my wife. The prospect of being old and really ill does not seem attractive but there is not much you can do about it. I’m hoping regular cycling will keep me working as properly as I can.
My father has said for many years “You know, old age is a terrible thing”, he is right.
I’m looking forward to getting that far, we aren’t all that lucky.
I hope keeping the cranks turning will keep my engine running nicely. Retirement is all about cycling, fishing and gardening. I’m into all three – though haven’t fished for years.
We are all in agreement there then, Tootlepedal and Tim, cycling will help to keep us young for as long as possible, cheers.
What a brave person you are. These days I barely dare look in a mirror at all – and as for allowing photographs to be taken of me – oh no, I don’t think so thank you.
No worries, the back of my head is as good as it gets! Since you were snowed in, I’ve been missing your posts. Good to hear from you. Cheers.
How you doing mate. I know you follow a fat knacker cycles like me. I noticed he hasn,t posted since October, do you know if all is ok. I miss his stuff.
I’ve been wondering the same.