If Jeff and I have learned anything prancing merrily along the road to our present blissful state of frisky “sexagenarianism” it is stick with the things that work.
But before I get to this column’s main meat and potatoes let me say why this so-evocative word is in quotes (“inverted commas” in good old-fashioned British English.) Because it can’t be found in any dictionary. A great shame since being so wonderfully descriptive it should be. Test it yourself. Next time checking-out at the supermarket tell those around you loudly “I’m a devoted ‘sexagenarianist’” (which doesn’t exist either) and watch their faces.
And now, back to “sticking with things that work.”
One personal example to set the tone. If a day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine substitute coffee for orange juice first thing in the morning and my day is made.
While we’re on fruits, it’s also commonly accepted, “an apple a day keeps…etc., etc.” Now we love our apples, and bananas, mangoes (especially when sea bathing), oranges – of course – and pineapples. All deliciously healthy when plucked fresh on this our tropical paradise island or those close by. Hoping that they too work. The fruits, that is, not the islands.
One thing that works for sure – for us – is garlic. Yes, you read this correctly, common-a-garden garlic. No day goes by without an infusion of same. And has ever since a chance encounter on a glorious Tuscan day in the mid 1960’s in the tiny village of Poggibonsi between Siena and Florence where we’d stopped our car to admire an impressive villa set in a splendid garden.
Popping our heads over the wall we saw a large group – for want of a better word – feasting. Like in a scene from The Godfather. Naturally because this was Tuscany – and lunch time – we were invited to join an extended family celebrating the umpteenth wedding anniversary of the distinguished white-haired man and woman at the head of the table.
The food was exquisite and Chianti flowed like, well Chianti, as the proud man next to us explained his parents were the guests of honour. “After ten children, eighteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren,” he said in perfect English.
Jeff asked for the secret of the parents’ longevity and fertility.
“Vino ed aglio” the man said, “wine and garlic. And as far as we can tell they’re still as frisky as ever.”
Sounded good enough for us.
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You might also enjoy our short “Sexy after Sixty Day” video. But pump up the volume.
