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Is age just a number?

I sat in a cafe in Saumur this morning with a group of French and English friends and there was a discussion about the word ancien, which in French can mean old or former, depending on whether it comes before or after the noun.  In English 'ancient' just means old, said one English person.  'Like us you mean,' I said. One suggested that we weren't old but the new middle age but as I pointed out I now have a son who is 50 and he is supposed to be the new middle age and we can't both be middle aged.  The conversation went back and forth until one confused French man said I thought ancient in English meant medieval or older.  Yes, well, I suddenly felt I fitted the bill.

I cycled to the shop in the village and asked them if they had any green bananas.  She said, 'no, we aren't getting any until you have eaten all the ripe ones.'  I bought apples.

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