You Know You're Old When. . .

There was a time when pulling an all-niter meant my eyes hurt a little, but I could function just fine.  Well, that was 20-odd years ago.  Today, staying up past 10 pm means a sluggish day to follow.

That goes for driving up to and back from Napa Valley, California, nearly 800 miles round-trip, within 24 hours.  Gone are the days when I could travel that distance and more and my limbs still moved right afterwards.

This past Thursday, my son and I drove straight up I-5 (I=Interstate) to Napa with 4 bathroom stops and 1 gas refuel.  I felt like my back would not completely unfold, and my arms were stuck in the 11 - 1 o'clock position. We did this so we could attend the upsherin, or first hair-cutting, of a dear friend's 3 year old son.

I brought enough food to get us through the ride, and we filled up on donuts and latkes at the town menorah lighting.  When I tried to nap afterwards, I realized that two cups of "tall" Starbucks coffee was one too many.  I was wired.

By midnight we were on the road home.  I wanted to be back early enough to relax before Shabbat, but I was afraid to let my son drive I-5 at night so I drove the whole way home.  By 6:00 am we were merging into LA traffic, and my reflexes were shot.  The speed limit is 65 mph, I was doing 70 mph, and cars were flying past me.  I was freaked out.

We got home by 6:30 am and I fell right to sleep.  The rental car needed to be back by 9 am, and I told my husband to wake me at 8 am so I could shower, shampoo and shine.  But there was no way I could get out of bed, so he returned the car for me.  I stayed in bed until 11 am, and that didn't seem nearly long enough.

Getting old is not pretty, my friends.  No way, no how.