Elderly Relatives & Lost Marbles

When my Dad turned 65 earlier this year, he reluctantly donned the mantle of the family 'elderly relative' and plays out this role with great aplomb and vigour. If Victor Meldrew from 'One Foot in the Grave' fame had a younger brother, Dad would be him and could no doubt teach him a thing or two about being a grumpy old man!

Fortunately for us, we don't take Dad's grumping too seriously (not that it's really intended anyway) nor are we conned into believing he is the token 'elderly relative' of the family despite his Oscar winning performances at times and therefore feels he is entitled to grump whenever he feels like it.

65 they say is the new 40 (some way for me to go then!) and Dad's health and fitness puts us younger family members to shame; he can clamber up the cliffs and over the rocks without any problem and still march uphill like the Grand Old Duke of York without getting out of puff whilst grumping along in full swing.

What he's not so hot at is remembering!

A few years back, the family joke was that Dad had 'lost his marbles' (a euphemism for being forgetful); my younger sister Sarah presented him with a bag of marbles one Christmas complete with fabric drawstring bag and ever since then he takes his bag of marbles with him wherever and whenever he travels. This way, should anyone ask if he has lost his marbles, he can quite truthfully say "No, they are here in this bag!"

On a recent visit up here, Dad forgot his bag of marbles - oh dear!

The consequences of the 'lost marbles' were: Dad leaving me a phone number to ring to extend the return date of his library books which turned out to be the phone number for his barber (thank goodness there was no answer - can you imagine that conversation!); Dad successfully deleted all his photos from his digital camera following a boat trip out to a rather remote and inaccessible island (so inaccessible the opportunity for landing on it are limited to about twice a year!); and then on his return home Dad couldn't locate his back door keys and was unable to gain entry into his kitchen. When the keys were finally found they had been put in a 'safe' place by my sister because said elderly relative had left them along with other keys in the door.

And his bag of marbles? Well we are still desperately looking for them! If anyone should find them, please return them urgently................................................................

PS: Love you Dad, you are the best xxx