Just like that August ends and there’s a little chill in the morning air. And Talking Points, this weekly column is back, where I let you know what compelling topics we’ve been discussing in the Advantages of Age group on FB.
First up is
latest Substack post. Caroline won our Contributor Award in 2023. This is not an easy read. She writes about how it is for her. The falling over constantly. The depression. The kindness to herself. The two walking sticks. The front back pack. And the new mobility aid. Beyond the two sticks. Love to you Caroline. You can find Caroline’s Substack here.
Regular contributor
posed an unusual question to the group. We’re not overtly grandmotherish, she’s a new grandmother and was wondering about names. Granny, she decided. Grandma, she thought was a bit like a posh sofa. I opted for the posh sofa. Others went for Nonna, Ma, Nanoo, Meme, Marmar and many more. Not one Glamma amongst them. This is a photo of the quilt Ruth was making. We heard that she’d seen the little one and there was much oohing and aahing. We can do that too.
We discussed Radio 4’s Word of Mouth where the lovely Michael Rosen, 74, discussed words that we use around age - like elderly, pensioner, past it, fiercely independent for older women, old bats, old biddies - with Dr Lucy Pollock, a geriatrician. Words matter, as we know!
I like to ask question of the group and this is something I asked this week. Some rebelled, of course, and said they’d just like to find a comfort zone. And others talked of the risks they’d taken ie one member had been at a festival giving a workshop on something wonderful and crafty and she decided she’d like to stay another day. So she put the word out, and a family offered her a room for the night. Someone else said he’d been out of his comfort zone for a couple of months organising his mother’s memorial which is not normally something he would do. I talked about being on an island off Donegal and being ill at ease with leaping around in the bog in huge wellington boots but that I loved finding butterfly orchids as a result. The bog is vertiginous by the way. Have you put yourself outside your comfort zone recently?
I posted an opinionated piece about Oasis. Not in a good way. And no-one in the group claimed to like them or to have bought tickets to go and see them. Not impressed with their ladsy attitudes. Homophobic comments etc. Dinosaurs.
Our very own
is performing her - with fantastic pianist, George Webster and special guest, Lana-May Hodge, her Dirty Blues Show. And these old blues songs are dirty and funny and outrageous. I heard that she’s interweaving her own dating tales in between. You can see her on Sept 24th in Soho at the legendary Crazy Coqs. Book your tickets now because it sold out last time.
Great discussion of vocabulary around aging by Michael Rosen and Dr Pollock. Very interesting to hear that talking positivity about one’s age helps with physical aging as well as mental.
What a wonderful round up.
Yes, I love comfort. I broke my leg a couple of years ago and I have screws in my knees the risk I am going to take Is to have them removed.
They are no longer needed, and I sit in the wrong position. I have a hard time walking.
Who needs that?
I’ve been away for a month, happy to get back in
Thank you