Listen to yourself - you sound as if you've a foot in the grave.

[She all but snorts, fetching up one of the hard biscuits from the tray. The tea might be too hot to drink, but it's just fine for softening the crisp on the sweet's outside.]

If you're not careful, someone might think you were beginning to develop some myiopia in your old age. And then what good would you be in the field?