A step too far for DIY - cooker hood

I recently changed the cam belt on my Focus, and a couple of weeks ago I dug out the base of the cupboard under the stairs to insert a damp proof membrane and cast a new floor (self levelling compound is fabulous stuff)

Keeps me out of the pub I suppose :-\

If it doesn't require strength or stamina I will do it

True enough.

I could do that 5 years ago, but today it leaves me exhausted in minutes

I'm in my early 70s and have just papered my hallway, stair well and upper landing. 9 foot ceilings but in the stairwell a 4 metre length. The (lining) paper I used was 1 metre wide. This required a long ladder placed on the stairs and a scaffold board balanced on the upstairs banister - And - a few ratchet straps to hold all in place :) I did take the decision to paste the wall and use Wallrock Fibreliner which made the task a bit easier than when I papered the same 30 years ago :) These days I do pay to have the car serviced whereas 25 years ago I would have done everything myself.

Today, I wanted to get ahead of the coming European heat dome, so it was up in the loft, empty the F&E tank, wipe it dry, disinfect it (it regularly grows brown sludge), then add water and inhibitor to 10mm above the fill pipe, park some stuff in the loft, tidy up, put the ladder away and shut the hatch. Lovely and cool up there, and the sun came out about an hour later.

That’s it for the day apart from make lunch, cook the evening meal, load the dishwasher, have a shower, and watch some TV. Watering the garden can wait ‘til tomorrow.

Mrs Spike is currently unwell so there’s a certain amount of nursing care mixed in…

I'm early in that demographic and am up/down ladders and scaffold towers on a regular basis, making cabinets, electrical work, plumbing work, removing windows, metal turning and milling, until recently I flew aerobatics, wondering about returning to the fire eating that I did in my late 20s (probably not - flames over the semi-naked body have less audience appeal in later life ;-) ), long distance walking (not as long as it used to be, admittedly), supporting the local pub (a couple of miles across the fields) ... the list goes on. I've worked far harder since I retired. You're a long time dead so live life and ignore the aches and pains.

I'm 79 and still do quite a lot of physical/DIY work. Last year I installed a new galley in our little canal boat. Not as 'big' as a kitchen re-install but lots of awkward access to deal with.

The boat is of course an ongoing/infinite DIY project! :-)

(I do also maintain the 9 acres or so of our smallolding)

Does replacing a toilet & cistern count?

Anything counts. :-)

I just can't bend and twist enough to get into the spaces needed to do the work. My hands are also knackered so gripping tools is harder.

I did replace the lock on the side gate, though, so still up for the minor fix or two.

I was crouching down taking the electricity readings, I overbalanced and rolled backwards into a muddy puddle and couldn't get up.

It really is a matter of luck as to how people can still manage to do things as they get older, I’m in my early 70’s and the hardest thing is getting up from floor level as one ankle doesn’t work very well due to being broken twice. Otherwise though I am definitely less strong than 20 years ago I can still do a lot of physical activity. A mate of similar age and I frequently help a farmer friend and the various tasks can be quite physical. A sheep can be quite a handful when its mature, in lamb ,wet and you have to get it into a trailer . In return we get free fire wood from his woodland so felling trees and cutting them up with chainsaws is another physical task that requires a degree of stamina to do for a say

GH