Stephen, I wonder why you consider it more difficult to learn to speak and understand French at 64 than at any other time in your life, except possibly age 4 when it would be much easier.
I’m 79 and I have had to start speaking and understanding spoken French from more or less scratch since I came to live in France 18 months ago. I’ve made great progress and can have reasonable conversations with neighbours on a wide range of topics, read local newspapers and even library books in French. Rather than diminishing ones learning capability, age can improve it. I think to claim otherwise is ageist. Older people are no less likely to be ageist than younger ones.
You are right however to be positive about becoming fluent. That’s a much better attitude ‘at your age’ 
!
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Peter, i think it’s probably more to do with the medical problems i had. My memory seems to have suffered a meltdown. The doctor said that it is sometimes a consequence of major surgery, especially as we get older. Something i did’nt realise.
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Yes, Steve, sorry I was less than sympathetic and ought to have studied your comments more closely. If you’ve had invasive surgery it can indeed really undermine your constitution in so many ways, and this is seldom fully explained, mainly because surgeons like to move on to their next case quickly and leave the long-term after-care to others once the wounds have healed! Maybe I exaggerate. There was a time when people who had major surgery were booked into to a ‘convalescent home’ at the sea-side for a fortnight to build up their strength with Bovril and gentle walks through the Winter Gardens before Ovaltine and a good book in bed at 8.30 pm 
I do hope you regain your strength and stamina soon. And your memory will be restored. You are still young by modern standards. 65 is the new 40, they say! Best wishes and bon courage!
Pete
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Thank you very much Peter. I was actually booked into Montfaucon to recuperate, but that only lasted 24 hours, before the stomach ulcer that nobody knew about burst. As a result of that little incident and the resulting ops i decided to return home and recuperate there. Mainly because they were surprised i had survived the second problem so soon after the heart surgery, and i wanted to be with my wife, rather than lots of very nice and well meaning strangers, if the worst was a possibility. Thanks to the expert and caring treatment by my GP, the Physiotherapist, community nurses, our friend Bruno the local pharmacist, my French neighbours, the mayor and her secretary, and Tulle hospital back up, i have made what i consider to be an amazing recovery. I’m even back to my favourite pastime of motorcycling. I’ve managed to make some very inadequate contributions of wine, whisky and chocolates, to various people that helped so much, and hope to give a financial contribution to the medical services soon. Although it all seems wholly inadequate somehow. 
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Steve, your recovery from a serious episode is reward in itself, and just your sincere thank you is more than adequate acknowledgement. The perforated peptic ulcer illustrates how much stress you were under, it must have been massive. Although I ended up an academic my career was nursing, and altogether I put in over fifty years in hospitals in UK and Africa, eventually specialising in mental health, especially the most severe and long-lasting forms. After retiring (early) from my university post, I went back to the wards for another 19 years. Kept me strong and flexible, and out of serious trouble!
Believe me, any nurse will tell you that they get much more back from their patients than they are ever in a position to give. We see how wonderful humanity is, even when the burden of illness or suffering seems to heavy to bear, people still smile, show genuine concern for others “worse off than thermselves”, and soldier on without complaint. It’s a glorious calling, and I would never change my life in that respect, not for anything.
Anyway, stay optimistic and don’t change a thing about yourself, you’re an act that will never be repeated, Steve! 
Peter
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