h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I came across this story in the local rag and really want to share it with you.
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A big picture of an elderly couple in a dance pose is accompanied by this:

"... The dancing couple married 8 years ago and Mr Fisher recalls the moment they fell in love. He said: "One night we had been dancing, came home after a few drinks, fell into each others arms and found we were in love with each other. It's got better ever since."

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"Dorothy's still dancing at her 100th birthday party" was the headline and elsewhere in the story it said that Tom is 90. Aaah!

Has anyone else come across the book Tolstoy's Bicycle?

awww thats so sweet

I love it when i see two old people walking hand in hand, or they lean into eachother as if they have to prop eachother up

I think it's terrific for going against the stereotype. Her at 92 with her toyboy 10 years younger dancing and drinking and canoodling on the sofa. I'm surprised the daughter didn't throw a bucket of water over them!

A couple at our church have just celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. This occasioned the customary newspaper photo and report. Amongst the quotes, "Mrs" said: "The reason we are still happily married is that we have always talked to each other." I mentioned to them both that all the quotes were from her and asked whether it was the case that they did talk to each other but only "Mr" listened. She said "Oh you are cheeky!" He nodded and smiled broadly, content that his contribution was truly appreciated.

I knew an elderly couple and at their 50th wedding anniversary he was asked the secret of a long and happy marriage. He pondered for a second and said, "When we were married we agreed that I would make all of the important decisions and my wife would make all of the others." He paused for a second and said, "And in 50 years of marriage there's never been anything important enough for me to have to make a decision about."

My parents will have been married for 60 years this June. They are kept together by my mother's immense patience.

They would never have dreamt of divorce or anything like that - they are totally against it and live by the philosophy that any problems within a marriage are there to be solved and not run away from.

They disapprove strongly of anyone who gets divorced or lives together without being married.

While this sounds virtuous, I'm still wrestling with myself trying to decide if this attitude did not make a lot of people (mainly women) very unhappy, as they put up with alcoholic, violent or unfaithful spouses, because that was what one did. To leave a man or divorce him would have meant (a) financial ruin (b) an equally ruined reputation.

Congratulations to anyone who holds out and is still genuinely happy!

The original posting was about two people who have only (comparatively) recently been married - even though they are very old. I think in the past I've jumped to the conclusion that if I see an elderly married couple that they've been married for yonks.

Perhaps it's worth waiting till you really have yourself sorted out before getting hitched. People who marry early and then things get better for them are really lucky.

TC

That's similar to my philosophy.
I was 35 before taking the plunge. I reckoned that by hanging on till then I wouldn't have so long to suffer.
It seems to be working.

On a similar note - there was an item of news here in Germany a couple of days ago where a 97 year old man stabbed his wife and then went home and tried to kill himself by slitting his wrists.

Why did he wait so long? Or what question should one be asking here?

On a similar note to post 1, I meant there, by the way, not to Plagesville's comment.

Rather macabrely similar, mind.

He'd perhaps been reading one of those inspirational "50 Things to do before you die" books.

(Note to self: must get one.)

Heaven help Mrs Plaguesville

I think it shows that we're never to old to do anything. Passion seems to stay to the end. So why do we allow so many old people to rot in poor accommodation or without friends. Do they drive us awya or do we make to many assumptions about them - what they feel, what dreams they may still have left.

By the way I am now U45662. An old sign up that I thought I could no longer access - but I can.

"By the way I am now U45662. An old sign up that I thought I could no longer access - but I can."

Wow, a five number researcher.
Sorry, Sir, I hope I haven't been too disrepectful.

Well there were a few things I had my doubts about but I'll let it go for now on my tide of warmth from getting my old number back.