I’ve now have what is affectionately know as the ‘goldcard’ – you get it now when you turn 65 – I’ve had it just over 18 months, but still their disbelief that it’s not stolen.

Now, if you were with me, I could hand it to you – and the chick on card, certainly looks like me. You have to apply to have your mugshot on the card, I did that because I have no other recognised photo ID in my possession, and I needed to get “things” – I didn’t do it for any disbelievers but it’s “handy” :-)

I’ve had some wonderful conversations over the years, from people 20 years younger than me. Telling me things like “when you get to my age…” or “this ridiculous, you weren’t around then?”

When I was taking a degree in my late 50s, I remember telling the HOD that a certain lecturer really needed to retire, as he was getting “odd-as” surely he’s entitled to the pension, he certainly acted and looked darn old – to discover he was only 55!!!

and no, there hasn’t been “creams applied since the 1960s when I was abroad and it was the trend”