Messymascot's faith in humanity and ginger safe haven

I did a week as a volunteer at the Durham Book Festival some years ago. Bear with me, this will become relevant soon. One of my jobs was being in charge of the roving mic for an evening with Dennis Skinner ( I love the man - I know he's not your taste @peteblue) It was a brilliant night.At one point he talked about his Mum who was always singing when she did her household chores when he was a child. Years later his Mum developed dementia and was in a nursing home. She didn't recognise anybody. Dennis decided to sing one of the songs she used to sing to her. To his amazement she joined in with him, remembering all the words. That became the pattern of his visits with her. They would sing together. It was a truly beautiful story.
 
anjelikaferrett said:
I did a week as a volunteer at the Durham Book Festival some years ago. Bear with me, this will become relevant soon. One of my jobs was being in charge of the roving mic for an evening with Dennis Skinner ( I love the man - I know he's not your taste @peteblue) It was a brilliant night.At one point he talked about his Mum who was always singing when she did her household chores when he was a child. Years later his Mum developed dementia and was in a nursing home. She didn't recognise anybody. Dennis decided to sing one of the songs she used to sing to her. To his amazement she joined in with him, remembering all the words. That became the pattern of his visits with her. They would sing together. It was a truly beautiful story.
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Thank you Anj, and btw I always liked Skinner for his honesty. My wife does something similar hence why I play the music and it helps to bring us back together …..
 
peteblue said:
Maudlin…does anyone experience this, while thinking about their partners or others. I tend to do this every Sunday evening after we’ve had our Sunday meal and I’m left sitting at the dining table with a bottle of red and watching YouTube songs that are a direct reminder of my wife as she was. It’s pure self pity and I’m not proud of it, but it usually results in me playing oldish music and my wife and I dancing together. I suppose this is the true definition of maudlin….
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That's not maudlin Pete. That's just enjoying the time you have with the person you love most, in the best way you can.
 

anjelikaferrett said:
I did a week as a volunteer at the Durham Book Festival some years ago. Bear with me, this will become relevant soon. One of my jobs was being in charge of the roving mic for an evening with Dennis Skinner ( I love the man - I know he's not your taste @peteblue) It was a brilliant night.At one point he talked about his Mum who was always singing when she did her household chores when he was a child. Years later his Mum developed dementia and was in a nursing home. She didn't recognise anybody. Dennis decided to sing one of the songs she used to sing to her. To his amazement she joined in with him, remembering all the words. That became the pattern of his visits with her. They would sing together. It was a truly beautiful story.
Click to expand...
@anjelikaferrett
If you haven't already seen it you would love 'Nature of the beast'
You would also love 'The big meeting' Both documentaries were made by 'Shut Out The Light Productions' from Liverpool and are available via their website. Well worth watching.
www.shutoutthelight.co.uk

Nature of the Beast | Documentary

Nature of the Beast is a 2017 feature documentary by independent film company Shut Out The Light, about Labour MP Dennis Skinner.
www.shutoutthelight.co.uk www.shutoutthelight.co.uk
 
peteblue said:
Maudlin…does anyone experience this, while thinking about their partners or others. I tend to do this every Sunday evening after we’ve had our Sunday meal and I’m left sitting at the dining table with a bottle of red and watching YouTube songs that are a direct reminder of my wife as she was. It’s pure self pity and I’m not proud of it, but it usually results in me playing oldish music and my wife and I dancing together. I suppose this is the true definition of maudlin….
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As said by others you have found a way to communicate ,please don't feel sad it is just a realisation of the sad position you have been thrust into , we all say the secret to a great relationship is to be able to gel a true partnership and common interests .Gladly you have found the second after enjoying the first . Enjoy that wine and smile because you will soon dance with the woman you obviously love so deeply .
Stay strong that man.
 
kev said:
@anjelikaferrett
If you haven't already seen it you would love 'Nature of the beast'
You would also love 'The big meeting' Both documentaries were made by 'Shut Out The Light Productions' from Liverpool and are available via their website. Well worth watching.
www.shutoutthelight.co.uk

Nature of the Beast | Documentary

Nature of the Beast is a 2017 feature documentary by independent film company Shut Out The Light, about Labour MP Dennis Skinner.
www.shutoutthelight.co.uk www.shutoutthelight.co.uk
Click to expand...
Thanks I'll definitely watch those. I've been to The Big Meeting many times. It's a special occasion, a real piece of social history. It's quite emotional seeing the pit banners being paraded while the colliery bands play. Dennis Skinner was invited every year and was very much a favourite- as was the late Bob Crowe who was a brilliant speaker. If you've never been, I would recommend going.
After I took redundancy from my previous job I did voluntary work with a community group that was closely attached to the Durham Miners Association - what the Durham NUM became after the pits closed. It was one of the joys of my life to share tea breaks with the old miners' leaders, all of whom were getting on and most have passed away since then. I loved their stories, feistiness and wisdom. I bonded with one of them over the subject of real ale pubs in Liverpool! I never thought there would be days in my life when the leader of the Durham miners would pop his head round the door of our office and say " eeh pet, shall we have some tea?"
 
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What a thread Karl created. Having gone from never having met or spoke to each other I feel that we now know each other so well .
We comfort each other , we share diverse stories , see photos of places we've never been , we have a laugh and we moan about Everton.
Some of us have even now met and spent holiday time together.
It is genuinely a remarkable feat that Karl achieved. I'm sure that he would , justifiably, be very proud.
Please keep doing what you are doing everyone.
 

anjelikaferrett said:
Thanks I'll definitely watch those. I've been to The Big Meeting many times. It's a special occasion, a real piece of social history. It's quite emotional seeing the pit banners being paraded while the colliery bands play. Dennis Skinner was invited every year and was very much a favourite- as was the late Bob Crowe who was a brilliant speaker. If you've never been, I would recommend going.
After I took redundancy from my previous job I did voluntary work with a community group that was closely attached to the Durham Miners Association - what the Durham NUM became after the pits closed. It was one of the joys of my life to share tea breaks with the old miners' leaders, all of whom were getting on and most have passed away since then. I loved their stories, feistiness and wisdom. I bonded with one of them over the subject of real ale pubs in Liverpool! I never thought there would be days in my life when the leader of the Durham miners would pop his head round the door of our office and say " eeh pet, shall we have some tea?"
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You're up early this morning Anj. Hope you are ok.
BTW I love your stories, especially the Bolsover Beast story ( dad didn't get on with him at all!)
 
anjelikaferrett said:
I did a week as a volunteer at the Durham Book Festival some years ago. Bear with me, this will become relevant soon. One of my jobs was being in charge of the roving mic for an evening with Dennis Skinner ( I love the man - I know he's not your taste @peteblue) It was a brilliant night.At one point he talked about his Mum who was always singing when she did her household chores when he was a child. Years later his Mum developed dementia and was in a nursing home. She didn't recognise anybody. Dennis decided to sing one of the songs she used to sing to her. To his amazement she joined in with him, remembering all the words. That became the pattern of his visits with her. They would sing together. It was a truly beautiful story.
Click to expand...
Strange, my dad who is now living with my sister, has started listening to muisic from his younger days. He has never ever been a person who plays a lot of music, don't think I have ever heard him with a stereo on. All of a sudden he's listening to Elvis, Frank Sinatra and such over alexa.

My sister says it's driving her nuts. I told her he also like Dolly Parton and she asked him, he said yes and it went on straight away, she thanked me for something different lol

So it seems as dementia starts setting in, you must start remembering stuff from your childhood.

Morning everyone.
 
jazzy said:
What a thread Karl created. Having gone from never having met or spoke to each other I feel that we now know each other so well .
We comfort each other , we share diverse stories , see photos of places we've never been , we have a laugh and we moan about Everton.
Some of us have even now met and spent holiday time together.
It is genuinely a remarkable feat that Karl achieved. I'm sure that he would , justifiably, be very proud.
Please keep doing what you are doing everyone.
Click to expand...
I second that.
 

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