Losing the plot?

   Following from my last Ark, which, you may remember made mention of our 38th wedding anniversary, I have been led to reflect a bit on the aging process. Kim commented on looking forward to the next 38, which caused me to reflect that we will be 116 years old if we make it, which strikes me as implausible. However, it`s not the gross length of life expectancy which concerns me but the HEALTHY life span remaining. Luckily, both Kim and I are fairly hale and hearty, even if a bit more weather-beaten than when we tied the knot. But what no one likes to mention is the fear of mental degradation.
  With cancer coming more under control of health professionals, the next great concern is the loss of memory. We know of at least two tragic cases and would hate to experience it at first-hand. I did mention to Kim some time ago that I kept forgetting names, but was comforted by her retort that I could NEVER remember them, even as a twenty-year-old! Nothing new there, then... Another comforting fact which I have read in several sources lately, is that bi-lingual people are much later in developing memory loss. The theory is that the brain gets so much healthy exercise remembering several thousand foreign words, that it is in a better position than the lesser-stressed monoglots. There, a new reason to learn your French!
  However, I did have a `senior moment` a few days ago. I was methodically processing some left-over stew into a nice soup. I ladled some of the stew into the food-processor from the casserole, spun it and then was going to tip the soup into a spare pan I had ready. However I poured it by mistake back into the casserole with the remaining stew... Not a bad error but it made me smile at my lack of attention and incidentally reminded me of this story.
  An American was telling of his father, who was a fantastically methodical man. One day, when he decided he needed a hair-cut, he visited his local barber. He entered the shop, removed his overcoat, put it on a hanger and hung it on the coat stand. He then did the same with his jacket, took off his tie, rolled it up and stowed it in his pocket. He unbuttoned his waist-coat, undid and loosened his shirt collar and took his place in the barber`s chair. The barber approached and said `Mr ---- , have you come for a hair-cut?` The father was surprised and said he had, rather crossly.  `Well, then` said the barber, `You are going to have to remove your hat` A case of not seeing the wood for the trees.

     Bye for now, going to enjoy life while I remember how!