A cat forum. CatBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CatBanter forum » Cat Newsgroups » Cat anecdotes
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #31  
Old September 21st 12, 02:53 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
dgk
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,268
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup

On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 23:46:31 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:


"dgk" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 01:57:38 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:

So I thought I should get out more so I went along to it. We play
scrabble
and dominoes and can do jigsaws if we want to, some are doing a 1000 piece
which will take them weeks as we only have two hours.
They are all nice. I was demolished at dominoes last week by a 90 yo.
I am by far the youngest there We pay £1 a week and get a meal out in the
summer and at Christmas.
I did a jigsaw last time and completed it, next week it will be playing
scrabble with them.

I never thought I would be reduced to this.

I can't wait to be retired. I like my job but would rather not have
one. I think I can almost afford to retire if I don't spend too much.
And I'd have more time to spend with the kitties! My plan is about 3
1/2 more years of work. I hope it works out.

I spent a week in July with my brothers, mother, and assorted kids and
cousins. We did various games, and yes, a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.
We'd just walk by, stop for a second, put in a few more pieces, and it
was fun working with the kids and teaching them how to recognize
pieces. I wish we could spend more time together but everyone lives in
different cities so one week a year is pretty much it for a big
gathering.

But I hate having to leave the cats.


I have never regretted leaving my job, even though money is tight until my
pension kicks in July 2013.
How nice it is to ignore the alarm clock. I get up when I wake up and it's
not 6.30 am like it was.
Boyfie has adjusted to 9 a.m before he starts moaning about starvation.





Really. Nipsy wakes me up at 5am no matter what. I have no idea how to
train him to let me sleep.
  #32  
Old September 21st 12, 03:00 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
dgk
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,268
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup

On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 11:38:07 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:



Cheryl wrote:




Well, the folks conducting some senior activities DO treat the group's
members like children - especially if they use a cane or walker, or are
otherwise physically handicapped. I remember visiting my 90 year-old
mother in Minnesota, one year, and driving her to an appointment with a
new dentist. Mom was managing very well living on her own in a six-room
house, and I lived in another state, but the dentist's nurse kept asking
ME "does she?" and "can she?" questions as though she weren't able to
answer for herself. (It's not surprising Mom got a bit annoyed at that!)


My mom mentioned that type of thing a few months back. One of my
brothers was with her and she was feeling sick so they went to the
doctor. The doctor kept talking to my brother, and my mother just
about exploded at some point. The assumption seems to be that they
don't have many marbles left. That is, of course, true in many cases
but not with my mother. Physically she is getting older but that brain
doesn't slow down.

The doctor did thank her for pointing out what he was doing and
promised to reform.
  #33  
Old September 21st 12, 03:19 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
dgk
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,268
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup

On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 21:49:16 +0000 (UTC), Bastette
wrote:

Cheryl wrote:

On 2012-09-20 5:43 PM, Bastette wrote:
Cheryl wrote:


wouldn't touch such affairs either because they consider them childish
(or themselves treated as children) or because they have some idea that
socializing with strangers you go to a club to meet is somehow
second-class compared to socializing in a private home with ones friends
and relations.


Then I guess I've been childish my whole life. My main source of
social activity has always been with peers, who I met in various social
groups, and who were strangers when I first started going. How is that
more childish than hanging out with your family??


I'm just reporting on what I observe!


Yeah, I know. I didn't think that was your opinion.

I suspect that being clustered in
little groups by some criteria such as age (not common interests) and
then presented with organized activities, take it or leave it, reminds
some people a bit too much of primary school, or maybe small children's
birthday parties for those children who are outgrowing them.


I see what you mean. People do treat elders like children oftentimes. I
don't look forward to that.

My social circles are mostly based on common interests. But I often find
that the people I like the best don't share a lot of my interests, and
those who do share them aren't people I want to get to know, especially.
I value my friends a lot, but this does mean I watch a lot of movies by
myself, for example.


As I get older I've lost a lot of my friends from high school and
college. Many move away, some have died. It gets more difficult for me
to make new friends because I'm not forced into situations where I'm
with people like happens at school. Work is not school. Also, I'm not
at all co-dependent. I have no problem being by myself.

My mother seems to have an ideal situation. She lives in a community
in Florida that has a clubhouse and a large number of activities
including a current events group. various art/culture groups, and
sports clubs. I've gone to some of them when I've visited and wouldn't
mind living there. Houses are fairly cheap, and I like a lot of the
people that I've met. It is a bit like heaven't waiting room, but
that's not a bad thing.

She's part of a group of friends that monitor each other, checking in
every day to make sure that everything is ok. Several times she has
taken someone to the hospital in the middle of the night, and some
have taken her when she needed to go. They have regular movie
excursions, dinner dates, trips to local theater groups, and I would
have no trouble fitting in.
  #34  
Old September 21st 12, 04:41 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Debbie Wilson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 540
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup

Christina Websell wrote:

I looked at the Cats Protection group in my area, and there are no cats
available for rehoming so my idea of checking homes out is redundant.
I'm a bit concerned that they ask for a fifty pound donation if you adopt a
cat as you can easily get a kitten from the newspaper adverts for 20-30.
They are pricing themselves out of the market.


Normally the donation includes the costs of vaccination, de-fleaing,
worming and microchipping, which have already been done and none of
which you are guaranteed to get if you get a kitten from an advert. Plus
it is only a suggested donation - not a fee. If you aren't able to pay
£50, you pay what you can afford.

Why not go along to one of their events (bazaar or jumble sale, etc) and
talk to one or two of the ladies to see if they need help in other
areas? Offers of help on stalls at jumble sales and open days are
usually very welcome, and it can be great fun too. Do they have a shop,
or a helpline that needs extra volunteers?

Deb.
--
http://www.scientific-art.com

"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield
  #35  
Old September 21st 12, 09:11 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,800
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup



Bastette wrote:

I probably spoke too soon, anyway. When I think "folk music," I immediately
think of the kind of stuff I used to hear in Boston, which probably has a
lot of overlap with Newfoundland folk - Celtic is pretty popular in Boston,
for example. In southern Arizona (which is where I *think* Evelyn lives) there
must be plenty of Mexican folk music to be heard. I overlooked that, and I
don't have much excuse for it since I'm a big fan of international folk.
But I'm not a big fan of traditional Mexican music, I have to admit.


Well, I'm not quite sure where Phoenix is in terms of northern or
southern Arizona, but in a largely WASP senior population where I live,
we don't hear much Mexican music. (Arizona seems to be much more
"racist" in that respect than the rest of the USA - which I find
astonishing, considering that it was settled by Mexico before the Anglos
appropriated it.) Southern California also has a large proportion of
Spanish-speaking residents, which means many stores in "mixed"
neighborhoods have signs in both English and Spanish, but people there
seem to accept it as a natural cultural phenomenon.

Since I'm on a roll dissing entire genres of music, I'm also not a fan
of opera (sorry, Evelyn!). I just can't get past the singing style, and I
have tried. Anyway, a few years ago, a friend asked me if I wanted to go
see a "Mariachi opera." Aaaagh! I thought my head would explode!


Of course we all have different tastes in music - I've no quarrel with
that. However, unless the "social event" values outweigh the choice of
music, I just don't attend (my choice). Also, the QUALITY of the
entertainment has something to do with it. I mentioned the "Pickers and
Grinners", whom I've enjoyed when I brought my brother (a
country-western fan) to hear them. When I first moved here, they used
to have really neat events, with professional quality entertainers.
There's one Elvis impersonator who was very, very good, and they used to
have things like a "senior prom" with a good dance band. Speaking of
country-western, they used to have outdoor barbecues here with "Cowboy
(somebody)" and his dancing horse! And their annual "Cinco de Mayo"
festivities (also outdoors) had plenty of Mexican music and dancers. I
guess it's just a matter of budget cuts affecting a lot of different
areas of our lives, and the GOOD "paid" entertainers have gotten too
expensive.

  #36  
Old September 21st 12, 09:20 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,800
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup



Christina Websell wrote:
How nice it is to ignore the alarm clock. I get up when I wake up and it's
not 6.30 am like it was.


AMEN to that!

Boyfie has adjusted to 9 a.m before he starts moaning about starvation.


My cats are used to being fed "the good stuff" at night, just before I
go to bed. (There's always dry food available in a feeder gadget, if
they're hungry, but they've never been formally fed in the morning, so
have no expectations of "breakfast".)
  #37  
Old September 21st 12, 09:24 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,800
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup



dgk wrote:
On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 11:38:07 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:


Cheryl wrote:


Well, the folks conducting some senior activities DO treat the group's
members like children - especially if they use a cane or walker, or are
otherwise physically handicapped. I remember visiting my 90 year-old
mother in Minnesota, one year, and driving her to an appointment with a
new dentist. Mom was managing very well living on her own in a six-room
house, and I lived in another state, but the dentist's nurse kept asking
ME "does she?" and "can she?" questions as though she weren't able to
answer for herself. (It's not surprising Mom got a bit annoyed at that!)


My mom mentioned that type of thing a few months back. One of my
brothers was with her and she was feeling sick so they went to the
doctor. The doctor kept talking to my brother, and my mother just
about exploded at some point. The assumption seems to be that they
don't have many marbles left. That is, of course, true in many cases
but not with my mother. Physically she is getting older but that brain
doesn't slow down.


That was my Mom, too - my sister-in-law went to HER for investment advice!
  #38  
Old September 21st 12, 09:29 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,800
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup



Will in New Haven wrote:


Somerset Maugham or someone else was once told by a younger
acquaintance that the younger acquaintance had never learned to play
bridge. And he said "Why what do you plan to do when you are older?"

It's a great game and most of us who play it in the U.S. are older.

--
Will in New Haven


I'm not much of a card=player in any case, but I escaped Bridge
entirely. When I was in college, most of my classmat4es played it
regularly during free periods, but I spent all my own spare time in the
Conservatory practice rooms.
  #39  
Old September 21st 12, 09:33 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,800
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup



Christina Websell wrote:
My youngest uncle and his wife play Bridge and have a Mercedes car to make
them feel important.
Last time they came here we did a bit of birdwatching and the wife was
concerned about parking the car in case it got stolen because it ..it was a
Mercedes.
Needless to say, it didn't get stolen,and why would it?


I think I would have been insulted by the assumption that you lived in a
neighborhood where theft was likely!
  #40  
Old September 21st 12, 10:56 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
MatSav[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 323
Default OT the Senior Citizens Playgroup


"Christina Websell" wrote in
message ...

"MatSav" wrote in message
...
"Christina Websell" wrote
in message ...
So I thought I should get out more so I went along to it. We
play scrabble and dominoes and can do jigsaws if we want to,
some are doing a 1000 piece which will take them weeks as we
only have two hours.
They are all nice. I was demolished at dominoes last week by
a 90 yo.
I am by far the youngest there We pay £1 a week and get a
meal out in the summer and at Christmas.
I did a jigsaw last time and completed it, next week it will
be playing scrabble with them.

I never thought I would be reduced to this.


"Reduced"? REDUCED???

Although you say "they're all nice", my interpretation of your
message is that you think people who attend this type of club
are in some way not as good as the rest of the population.

Anyway, in another post, you mentioned that you liked working
with older people!

--
MatSav

You have totally misunderstood what I was saying, it's just
that I was hoping early retirement would be more exciting.


OK, my bad - sorry. Now I think I understand what you were
trying to convey. "Reduced", as in doing activities that you had
previously perceived as "things done by other people, but those
things don't really excite me."

When I say they were nice, I meant exactly that and in no way
did I think it would be interpreted in the way that you seem to
have done.
I'm disappointed that you would think such a thing.


I was surprised, hence my "shouting" (in CAPS above) - because I
didn't think you would even consider anybody else to be "better"
or "worse" than yourself. I'm sure that you have the greatest
respect for other people - even those you *know* to be scumbags
(like your "nasty neighbours"). I certainly have respect for you.

--
MatSav


 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
British Citizens please help stop the vile trade in Foie Gras TONY-GAL Cats - misc 0 April 30th 07 08:09 AM
British Citizens please help stop the vile trade in Foie Gras TONY-GAL Cat community 0 April 30th 07 08:08 AM
British Citizens please help stop the vile trade in Foie Gras TONY-GAL Cat rescue 0 April 30th 07 08:00 AM
Concern Citizens for Animals I'm bAck wIth my Fav4iteMidis Cat rescue 0 May 26th 05 12:32 PM
These senior citizens are doing fine Karen Cat anecdotes 21 February 20th 05 10:08 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:56 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CatBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.