I have always - well from being "grown-up"- been what my family would call a "big lass". The expression around my part of Lincolnshire for a young girl of teenage years and my build was "gawky". Sorry, but that word haunted my teenage years until I met M, my first husband, by that time a quite well-known artist in the area and already at Art School. He told me how much he admired my 'figure' (flattery would get him an awful lot of Brownie Points) and got me to accept that at five feet nine inches tall (sorry I don't do metric - but that's another story) my 'bits and pieces' were correctly in proportion. I never gave it much thought after that, growing out of being concerned with such things during teenage years.
Of course we (well all females anyway- but I do know men who without their wives around would be hard pressed to say their shirt/trouser/waist size- or height for that matter) know our sizes as far as buying clothes are concerned but otherwise I think we get along without giving size a lot of thought apart from weight gain.
Now, as officially an 'oldlady' I am subjected by my Medical Centre to undergo a Phlebotomy Test appointment once a year. This involves a trip to the surgery where 3 lots of blood are taken and then height, weight and vital other questions are gone through meticulously. And what do I find? My 5ft 9inches of youth has shrunk to 5ft 7inches.
Where have those 2 inches gone? I still, as I always have, order trousers at 29" leg measurement and they still fit, so my legs haven't got any shorter. And I can still wear jumpers which seem to have been hanging in my wardrobe for aeons and they are not any shorter. Yet the Phlebotomist assures me we all 'shrink' as we age. (does that mean if I live long enough I shall become a tiny, wizened old dear?)
Now I read in today's Times that Ron DeSantis - Florida's Governor, who is thinking of running for Republican nomination for President, seems to be concerned about his height. He is - he says - 5ft 11inches tall but is suspected by some to be wearing 'hidden heels' inside his cowboy boots. Heaven help us if he - or anyone else- thinks that the most important thing when running for President in what we all are told is one of the Greatest and Strongest positions on the Planet is a man's height. (Hasn't he ever heard of Napoleon for starters - he didn't do so bad for 5ft 2inches, even if they did call him (not to his face - there was a guilotine remember) 'Le Petit Corporal'). Has nobody ever thought to inquire about things like Policies, Beliefs, Aims, Intentions and the like?)
Do folk really care about such things? I sincerely hope not. Take Rod Stewart (1.78 metres) married for 22 years to Penny Lancaster (1.85metres) - height can't have concerned them all that much can it? (Sorry - can't convert to feet and inches - haven't got a Smart Phone).
Sorry to post about such trivia - but anything to get away from the subject we are all trying not to think about. (are you still watching the news or are you like me (ashamed to say) steering clear because I just can't bear to see any more suffering, crying children - many too young to understand what it is all about?
See you tomorrow if I haven't got washed away - terrible day here.
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37 comments:
So sorry your part of the world is suffering - as are many other UK, storm-battered areas. The South Coast forecast at lunchtime was still warning of more hassles over the weekend. As you say, best not to look at News items sure to blow our minds with the dire happenings all over the globe...
Stay safe, Weaver ♥
Well sometimes men make up for their lack of height by having extra inches in other departments.
As for getting upset about events in the Middle East on a daily basis, I'm more concerned about events on my doorstep such as the effects of Storm Ciaran.
I'm 5' 1.25" and as my 6'2" cousin's 6' tall bride said when she met my side of the family, "I've never seen such small grown-ups!"
May Peace prevail on Earth.
Hugs!
It’s not been as bad as forecast on the top of a small hill in the Northern folds of the South Downs. Yes, we’ve had steady rain for most of the day and for an hour this afternoon I watched the branches of the tall trees in our woodland swaying alarmingly but I feel we’ve got off lightly. Now the curtains are drawn, I’ve lit the log burner and we’re snug and warm with our books (Dear Friend and Gardener, being the letters between Christo Lloyd and Beth Chatto and The Great Passion by James Runcie which is a glimpse into the life of Bach - I think you would enjoy this novel Weave). My husband has also shrunk two inches and lost two stone in weight since his Parkinson’s diagnosis. In a mark of solidarity I also jumped on the fancy pants digital scales at our medical centre the other day and was pleased to see that I still measure 171cm, weigh 63kg and have a ‘healthy’ BMI of 21.something. I think yoga is particularly good for lengthening the spine and smoothing out all those aches and pains one gets in the lumbar region as one ages. I cannot bear to think about the poor people of Palestine and Israel. I was working on a kibbutz in 1980 in the south of Israel adjacent to Gaza and although based on my experience then it would be easy for me to take sides, I will not fall int that trap. It is a tragedy for everyone. Sarah in Sussex
I used to be 5'4" - I'm afraid to check now!
As I grew taller before leaving Belfast...neighbours would remark even after I stopped growing..."Goodness me how big you've become!"...5'10"...I was in my 30s by then!!!!..strapping...was the word used for me and my sister!!!
I'm nearly 5'8", but had always wished to be just a bit taller like you.
Out of 13 children in our family, I am the shortest at 5' 1.5". At one time I was 5 1 3/4, having gained a bit extra height in my 20s. When I think about anyone's height, it is generally as tall, meaning taller than me, or short, meaning shorter than me. Except when around some of my very tall grandchildren! I barely come up to their chests.
In my younger years, I was 5' 9.5", 130 lbs., and a 33" inseam. The only thing that remains the same is the inseam length!
I am also down to 5'7" ... 🤯
I shot up age 14 to 5'9"... and 32"legs..grew into my dad's bikes!!
We have just seen the devastation in Jersey wreaked by the storm
I am 5'2 and have always dated short, stocky cuddly guys in my time. Long lean fellas made me feel uncomfortable, and I dated a footballer once, quite tall, and I always felt I had to wear uncomfortable high heels most of the time.
Husband tells the story of being in hospital as a young single man, very keen on a nurse in attendance. When he was discharged from hospital, standing there packing his case, he felt his chances with her were ruined when she remarked 'My, you're quite short aren't you!'.- Pam.
I've shrunk too, Pat. I think the bones compress as one gets older. I was 5'8" but am now 5'6-1/2"!
The weather is atrocious in some parts of the country so I hope you are not in that category.
I have heard that as we age our spine contracts so that our height decreases. I used to be 5ft 8in. I don't know how tall I am now but I know I am shorter than two of my daughters and we were the same height once, and feel almost dwarfed by my son who is 6ft 4in. I hated being tall as a teenager, but once married it came in handy for reaching the top shelves of supermarkets.
Shrinking is my excuse for broadening!!
Hope you are safe and dry. We were flooded here in the Peak District two weeks ago. 6 inches of water in the house and I was one week into recovery from hip replacement. Difficult to walk in the house, with crutches and wellies. Today have been on tenterhooks as it looked like flooding again but we have escaped so far. On the subject of height, when I went for pre-op assessment they asked my height. 5 feet 3 I said. Sadly when I was measured the nurse announced that I am actually 5 feet 1 inch. I was horrified.
Was only 5’1 not sure what I am now. I have short arms and legs also. My inseam is 25’ so have to get all my clothing shortened. When I met my second husband, I knew he was perfect when he told me he was 5’6’’ and a wee torn bit. He was very confident and very humorous. I find tall men intimidating. Gigi
I've lost two inches to old age, also. Hope your weather improves, soon.
I am 65 years old and until my recent visit to my doctor I have measured 5”2”. I am now 5”1’. Jackie
"Us" elderlies have to face the fact that we are shrinking. However, I cAN LIVE WITH THAT AND WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE DOES WITH THERE SHRINKING BODIES DOESN'T BOTHER ME!
I've heard of that. I understand that is the pads between your vertebrate compressing and flattening. I wonder when that begins. I don't think they've measured my height in years. They ask me and I say I'm 5'4" and they write it down. Now you've got me curious.
I have shrunk from 1.64 to 1.61 meters. My two sons are 1.95 and 1.70 meters, and I have been asked more than once if they have different fathers!
I was 6ft 1in for most of my life, I'm now a meagre 6ft. Does this qualify me to stand for high office?
I am 5.7 and have been so for a long time. At 55, the "shrinking" process as not yet begun, but it is entirely natural - it is not, as Ellen asks, our bones that shrink - it's the stuff between our vertebrae that becomes thinner. There is a layer of lubricant (sorry, don't know the scientific name - it could be what wikipedia calls nucleus pulposus) that forms part of the intervertebral discs, enabling our spine to move and bend without the bones scratching against each other. It is that "lubricant" that thins out with age, making for the vertebrae to be closer together and thus reduce our overall height.
By the way, astronauts experience shrinking of their spines, too - simply because there is no gravity there to "bump" their spines. They usually stretch again after a few weeks back on earth (and lots of exercise).
My first husband was from Sicily and quite a bit smaller than I - but that was never an issue for us, and certainly not the reason for our divorce after 10 years.
At five feet I consider myself small. The truth of this came about on the hockey field, when several much taller girls came at me with hockey sticks. I thought they can have the wretched ball and from thereon have accepted my smallness. Compensation for smallness is I married two tall men but my grandchildren are all fairly small. So where are the genetics in there?
Like you I'm not as tall as I thought I was!
I am about 5'5" and my 13 yr old granddaughter is now exactly my height.....we stood side by side in front of a mirror on Tuesday! She, for some reason, is desperate to be 6 foot !
PS You can get conversion charts etc. on your computer, you don't need a smart phone!
My, what a lot of short followers you have Weave! (Tom) x
Sorry to hear about your weather. Our rainy season is just getting going here in the north west of California and the heater is coming on in the morning after a good hibernation since last spring. We’ve just received another notice that our utility bills in California are going to take another big jump in rates because we’re paying for all the wildfires. PGE, our utility provider, has been neglecting maintenance and prevention work for the last 20 years and are now being held accountable but we are the ones paying. I broke my arm at the beginning of summer. When I saw the orthopedist and found that I’ve lost 1 1/2 inches in the last 2-3 years. I was shocked. DH also lost that amount in his last few years. Both my parents were tall and almost all of my cousins. I always dreamed of being 3-4” taller but stopped short at 5’ 7”. Mom always looked better in clothes with her extra inches. I’m short on the leg end. DH was nice and tall but we never thought much of it. Like you my clothes length hasn’t changed but I do hate thinking of myself as shorter. Without DH I find myself watching more sports and less news. It’s nice to have live-real time voices without all the overwhelming bad news that I can’t change. Keep smiling.
De Santis is right--height is a factor in US presidential elections.
" Using data on all presidential elections, we show that height is indeed an important factor in the US presidential elections. Candidates that were taller than their opponents received more popular votes, although they were not significantly more likely to win the actual election.
Taller presidents were also more likely to be reelected.
In addition, presidents were, on average, much taller than men from the same birth cohort.
"The advantage of taller candidates is potentially explained by perceptions associated with height:
taller presidents are rated by experts as ‘greater’, and having more leadership and communication skills. We conclude that height is an important characteristic in choosing and evaluating political leaders."
--Abstract from Science Direct,
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1048984312000884
I have also lost two inches. Makes me sad, I remember how pleased I was to pass up all the other females in the family and a couple of the males.
Oh dear Derek - "other departments" - my innocent elderly (alright old) mind runs over the possibilities.
Interesting how we are all aware of our height isn't it. Thank you for your lively responses.
I reached 5ft 6inches when I was 13 and stayed that height until I broke 4 vertebrae two years ago. Now I'm 5ft 4in ... and everyone in the family seems so much taller to me, the downside to having sons and a husband all nearing 6ft.
I consider myself tall at 5 feet 8 inches. My friends (men and women) are of all sizes and shapes. When a teen, I was subconscious of my height and was often one of the tallest girls in the class which I did not like. As time passed and I became more confident/mature my height was not a factor.
Hope that you are OK Pat? Not been washed away as you thought might happen!
Missed seeing you post "tomorrow" and hope all is well. I'm happily 5'5" or so. I figure I must be shrinking, 'cause my poor neck has a definite forward tilt. But somehow the last time I was measured I still had all the inches. Sending wishes for better weather and good health your way!
Probably most of the members of that kibbutz were killed or kidnapped to Gaza .Also the children and babies.
Get back with Ex lover with the help of….(Dr.mac@ yahoo. com)..
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