Am I Old Now?

I think I've realized that getting old- at least at the point I am now- doesn't mean I can't do things... It just means that when I do things, it hurts afterward. More than it used to. And for much longer. 

We have been setting up a pair of bunk beds in the room that we typically put the grandkids in when they stay over (the other day we had four of the grandsons, ages 3-5, all in the room, with two on twin beds and two on the floor. It currently looks like this: 

(Yeah, I have some cleanup to do, but I'm tired and sitting on the couch watching TV and writing this post with my feet up on the coffee table.) We got them on a fantastic sale at direct furniture, and last week (Saturday) I picked up the the beds and brought them into the bedroom (with my oldest son assisting the transference). Some day, maybe Saturday evening, I started assembling the first bed (and its made in America perfection, or lack thereof, requiring adjusting some of the pre-drilled holes to get the screws and nuts to line up). Got one done, and I was done as well. 

Some later day I got the second one assembled. Then, I think Monday night, I picked up 16 ten foot 1x4 boards and self drilling screws (the bunks didn't have mattress support slats, maybe one of the reasons we got such a good deal 😄). Tuesday I cut 4 of the boards into slat-sized pieces, sanded, and I think I assembled the first bunk (upper bunk). And I was done, although I went ahead and cut (but didn't sand) all but three of the boards. Then I was really done.

Tonight I cut the remaining three boards and sanded all the pieces. Then I took a break. Then I assembled the second bunk, then I rested (and watched a little of day two of the draft: hail commanders! Last night we had the youngest and his wife and two kids over for day 1 of the draft and dinner). Finally I finished the rest, and now I'm resting (I wanted to clean up the room before the picture, but that's gonna have to wait till tomorrow).

So, yeah, I can still do things. But those things take a bigger toll than they used to, and it takes longer to recover. 

Am I getting old? Maybe. Maybe this is what getting old feels like. (I've also had a heart attack, A fib, sleep apnea, and now diabetes... Next time maybe I'll tell you about my new car, which is, among other things, an outcome of the realization of all these things.)

PS: the other day I was working on my computer, installing a new PSU and graphics card, so I was down on my knees and hunched over the tower for an hour or two; my back hurt for days, much like it does when I'm standing at the sink loading the dishwasher for fifteen minutes or whatever.

I guess I’m not old enough to stop doing things—

just old enough to regret them afterward.