Nowadays I’m not really much good at anything.

When I was in my teens and twenties I was a good dancer. Even before I was in my teens I was good at spelling. I think I was a fairly good mother, though I was also a very nervous mother which wasn’t so good. I was (and am) a good grandma but my only grand child is approaching 30 and the help I gave is no longer needed.

Gardening was something I enjoyed but, today, as much as I would love to pot up plants, weed borders and root out overgrown shrubs, I just don’t have the energy or stamina for doing all that.

I am happy to be alive and am glad to have reached a ‘ripe old age’ but am not happy with the limits caused by my age. I have arthritis in my hands – and knees, ankles, and feet. I get breathless going upstairs and walking around the block. I have high blood pressure and am overweight and quite lazy.

Nevertheless, I am good at appreciating all the beauty around me – the sky, the trees, the roses giving off their amazing scent, the bird and their songs, the bees buzzing through the ‘wildflower meadow’ outside my window. Despite being overweight, I love eating good, wholesome food (though eating a big meal late in the evening is a definite no-no, now). I really enjoy a cold glass of dry, white Pinot Grigio but have never been a ‘real’ drinker like most of the rest of my family!

I enjoy painting and am often happy with the outcomes but have no desire to sell them – something Julian just doesn’t understand. Each painting is like a child to me and I want to hold onto it.

I’m glad that I don’t have to do anything though I try to keep up with clearing away dirty dishes and washing up the bits I can’t put into the dish washer. Cooking is something that just does not interest me and, nowadays I tend to buy things that don’t need a lot of preparation. Salmon and tuna are delicious and easy to prepare and cook. Rice and pasta are good and easy. I like veges, luckily, and there are loads of different ones to choose from to make sure that I get my five – or seven – a day.

I guess I’m good at eating and sitting, painting and occasionally writing.

So – my answer is, I am good at appreciating many aspects of life as long as I don’t have to do much physically.