well it is standing in her compost bin so it will rot down. so it is better than putting fresh down on the plants.

Best composted with straw, horse manure, but adding it to her bin is better than nothing. I remember my Dad doing exactly the same thing, not sure what he did with the manure though, probably took it in a bag up to the allotment.

"A little old dear..."

This is non-pc on so many levels, Hank. If I were you, I would edit your post to change that to "A person..." as soon as possible.

I've never heard of people adding horse muck to their compost bin, but see what others say.

Well, I can't say I'm that bothered by it, Rosierose, whether it's 'pc' or not. It's not an uncommon expression for people of Hank's generation and probably mine, and I can think of plenty of other, far worse patronising phrases. Actually, when Hank used the phrase 'little old dear' I did rather wonder how old you have to be to be one of those - probably most of us on here qualify anyway; in some people's (my son for instance) eyes, I'm sure I qualify!

Blimey, its only a year since I found myself describing a woman in the supermarket as 'old, in her late fifties early sixties' and realised, as I said it, I could have been describing myself, lol!

This takes me back - I used to be sent out with a shovel too, and what I brought home went straight on the roses - never seemed to do them any harm!

Thanks guys, I guess I'll tell her to carry on. Sorry I upset you Rosierose but she knows I call her that and if she'll leave her shovel and bucket outside ( she worries about them !) I ask her in for a cuppa on a regular basis. And anyway she refers to me as an old geezer.

Heh heh, funny, Hank - friendly insults, love those between mates...

I tend to call other people my age old, implying that I'm not. Well, I can dream, can't I? Anyway I never mind what people call me when it's meant in fun or a nice way. In fact, I had an argument with a younger woman some years ago about keeping her dog on the lead as it was quite nasty. She called me an interfering old bitch then walked on. I laughed. If someone else didn't like me being called that then it's their problem not mine.

If we didn't laugh at old age, we'd cry, wouldn't we?

Never a truer word was spake, Arbuthnot... Now I'm considering whether its worse to be called a little old dear, or an interfering old bitch - I'd probably riposte to the latter with, not so much of the bitch, can't argue about the old!

I think I did say something similar. But I also had a bitch on a lead!

Have we all gone completely paranoid? Soon we won't even be allowed to call ourselves old - what would you all like to be instead?
Not me though, I'm going to stay old and be as annoying as possible!!

Yep, I'm with you Honeysuckle. Personally, I'm surprised I made it this far, never mind going on into my seventies, I never expected to, and without modern medicine, I wouldn't have done. Though I can't say I'm looking forward to the remaining years too much, all that increasing decrepitude, but so far there's nowt wrong with my brain nor my articulacy and ability to be apparently downright annoying when necessary, though I prefer to call it persistent. You have to take your pleasure where you can!

I agree with you Honeysuckle and you Bamboo. I'm in my seventies and of course I'm old. My husband would also say I'm dear as I like shopping I can still shop till I drop, the only difference is now that I drop a lot earlier!

I've found that people don't object to the use of certain terms if they are meant well. For example, my daughter-in-law doesn't mind when folk ask her where she is from. She's a Yorkshire - born Brit but with dark skin. She just says 'Oh they don't mean to offend'.
I must say though that there are plenty of times I take offence about racist remarks. Sorry, got off the point a bit there.
Hank, you have a relationship with the old dear so I'm sure she doesn't give a toss. It's a term of endearment.