The Mourning Thread

[M.T.]

Loved that people were leaving flowers and marmalade on Paddington's statue in Paddington Station. So sweet.

[eastwood (do you feel lucky punk,well do ya)]

Barry Norman has just passed away, great film critic.

[T4bsF (Call me Flo)]

RiP Barry Norman

[Pam]

Oh, sad!

[M.T.]

No. Loved him. He was great.

[Tim]

And why not . . .

:(

[Kath]

Which I believe he didn't actually say - but later adopted it.

[Lisa]

I am starting to feel old...

[T4bsF (Call me Flo)]

- starting to?? I reached that point a long time ago Lisa!! :-)

[Lynne (Tigger's Mum)]

My elderly neighbour in his mid nineties, told us that he'd stopped reading the papers as the deaths upset him. He said all his friends had gone and now many of their children. It was too much for him. Makes you think.

[T4bsF (Call me Flo)]

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) wrote: "My elderly neighbour in his mid nineties, told us that he'd stopped reading the papers as the deaths upset him. He said all his friends had gone and now many of their children. It was too much for ..."

A patient of mine who was in her nineties, one remarked "Policemen have looked young for a long time now, but these days - even the Pope looks young". ;-)

[Jim]

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) wrote: "My elderly neighbour in his mid nineties, told us that he'd stopped reading the papers as the deaths upset him. He said all his friends had gone and now many of their children. It was too much for ..."

I'm afraid that I get the feeling that I don't have to watch the news too much, as I saw it first time round back in the 1970s :-(

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

My friends uncle got like that in his late 80's, must be hard outliving friends and family.

[T4bsF (Call me Flo)]

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "My friends uncle got like that in his late 80's, must be hard outliving friends and family."

Very true - all the patients that I nursed who'd reached their 100 mark, weren't at all interested in the parties that relatives arranged for them. They - mostly - couldn't see the point, as the people they would most have liked to share with - were all gone !!

[Alicia]

You have to continually make new, younger friends - it is worth the effort, assuming some will hold still to be 'friended.'

They don't automatically flow toward your wisdom (hehe) - but being interested in some of the things THEY are interested in helps.

My beta reader is a third my age. The members of my choir haven't been alive as long as I've been married - and I married late. It does get harder when you have trouble getting around, though.

[Jim]

Alicia wrote: "You have to continually make new, younger friends - it is worth the effort, assuming some will hold still to be 'friended.'

They don't automatically flow toward your wisdom (hehe) - but being inte..."

I think you're right in this Alicia, make the effort to keep interested in others.
It can be difficult when they're doing stuff which was proven to be silly thirty years before they were born :-)

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Thats an interesting thought Alicia. All my friends are older than me

[Lynne (Tigger's Mum)]

I've reconnected with some young mums and grandmum's at Harry's groups and it does me good to hear their ideas. I look for
w.ard to seeing them.

[Alicia]

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Thats an interesting thought Alicia. All my friends are older than me"

Then, by the law of averages...

It is an effort, but, as my friends move away (I have only lost one, so far, and she was younger by a couple of years), I use my bit of energy to keep doing the few things I enjoy - and the singing is great.

I've told the choir director to discreetly let me know when I acquire 'old lady voice,' which I hate, so I can retire gracefully before the glances start. Too many people keep singing who really shouldn't.

I will have to be diligent: we're planning a move to a retirement community, and we will be the younger people there - will have to find something to volunteer at.

[Alicia]

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) wrote: "I've reconnected with some young mums and grandmum's at Harry's groups and it does me good to hear their ideas. I look for
w.ard to seeing them."

It's still our world, too. I'm not ready to give that up.

[Lynne (Tigger's Mum)]

Mutual exchanges benefit all generations so long as we are open to receive new (or old ) ideas. It's when people of whatever age refuse to accept any advice that trouble starts.
I had to laugh at your fear of having an old lady voice. My father's mother never could sing in tune. She had a lovely nature, plenty of enthusiasm and a singing voice that could turn milk sour. I used to feel mortified standing next to her at the chapel or salvation army meetings. If the hymn wasn't to the tune she was used to she'd sing it her way regardless and so loud that the congregation and organist would gradually change to her tune.

[Kath]

That's the sort of old lady I want to be!

Oh... I think I've started...

[Tim]

(sigh) I started looking at ways of taking my pension this week . . . :-/

[Jim]

Don't worry, I've already taken that route
It stuck me that as so many people in my family have died at 78 or 79, there wasn't a lot of point in hanging on a minute past sixty. I need an income now and it wasn't as if I was putting more money into it.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Tim wrote: "(sigh) I started looking at ways of taking my pension this week . . . :-/"

Jim wrote: "Don't worry, I've already taken that route
It stuck me that as so many people in my family have died at 78 or 79, there wasn't a lot of point in hanging on a minute past sixty. I need an income now..."


I've been drawing the one I used to contribute to at work for a couple of years now. Taking everything into consideration I decided that I would rather start to get the money that I accumulated whilst I could still enjoy spending it.

[Elizabeth]

Jay-me (Janet) wrote: "Tim wrote: "(sigh) I started looking at ways of taking my pension this week . . . :-/"

Jim wrote: "Don't worry, I've already taken that route
It stuck me that as so many people in my family have d..."

I'm in that club and of a like mind, Janet and Jim.

[Jim]

spending our kids' inheritance

[Tim]

No kids or other dependants , and I sure as heck don't want the government to get it. Even considering equity release on the house . . .

So, gonna pay off my credit card, get the heating fixed, get the car fixed, visit the dentist, get a new writing MacBook (I *so* regret having to sell the old one last year) and then maybe look at something "nice" lol.

[Alicia]

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) wrote: "Mutual exchanges benefit all generations so long as we are open to receive new (or old ) ideas. It's when people of whatever age refuse to accept any advice that trouble starts.
I had to laugh at y..."

I understand her enthusiasm, but in a choir which on some days can be just two people, I'm afraid I have to hold out for quality. We had a lovely singer in the congregation a couple of years ago who managed to consistently be a half step off on everything. We encouraged her friends to take her to the opposite side of the nave - it was very hard trying to stay on pitch when she sang loud, off key, right next to us.

I admired her ability to twist all auditory feedback off, and suggested we get her some singing lessons (my singing teacher said she could fix the problem), but, as is common with students, she passed through the congregation and was off to the rest of the world before a solution was attempted.

I tried to get the pastor to speak to her directly - no dice. And it wasn't my place.

[Pam]

Martin Landau died - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jul/17/martin-landau-obituary. As well as his roles in 'North by North West' and 'Space:1999', he did some good appearances in SF shows such as The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone.

[✿Claire✿]

Apparently Sir Bruce Forsyth has died aged 89 :(

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

I saw that! Sad news indeed.

[Patti (baconater)]

Dave sez he was an entertainment icon.

[Kath]

Couldn't stand him meself...

[Elizabeth]

I did wonder what he was like as a person - there was always an edge to him as an entertainer. However, his sheer longevity had me rooting for him.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

A 75 year career deserves celebration!!

[T4bsF (Call me Flo)]

Not a fan - but sad nevertheless, he was one of a rare breed of entertainers that had trodden the boards, knew his trade well, and got where he was through sheer guts and determination....... no x-factor around in his day.

[Patti (baconater)]

I only knew of him through media hype that I couldn't avoid. He struck me as a rather slimy. Probably shouldn't speak ill blah blah blah...

[Kath]

Go on, I will if you will!

[Pam]

I think that was probably having to follow a certain script - the cheesy cringeworth jokes on Strictly. Saw a programme a few years back where he was doing an inteview onstage with someone just chatting about his career and he came over as very natural, funny, likeable.

[Jim]

Pam wrote: "I think that was probably having to follow a certain script - the cheesy cringeworth jokes on Strictly. Saw a programme a few years back where he was doing an inteview onstage with someone just cha..."

yes what struck me years ago when I watched the Generation game was that he was good at putting people at their ease. Also he seemed happy to let the guests shine and didn't want the spotlight on himself all the time

[T4bsF (Call me Flo)]

Jerry Lewis has joined the list now and he was even older than Brucie - he was 91.

[Alicia]

The passing of an era and a generation. Not that thrilled that mine is next.

[Pam]

Brian Aldiss, British science fiction writer, has also died.

[Pam]

Hywell Bennett, actor, died 25th July aged 73 - Guardian obituary.

[Pam]

George Romero (Night of the Living Dead) also died in July, and Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Poltergeist) died today - BBC obituary of Tobe Hooper.

[T4bsF (Call me Flo)]

I liked Hywel Bennett as Shelley and in The Virgin Soldiers - RiP.

[✿Claire✿]

I wonder whether Lady Lucan really outlasted her husband or not.

[M.T.]

Tom Petty for fuck's sake.

Bollocks.