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www.ilkestonlife.com ILKESTON LIFE January 2022 20
New Year – New Life Michael A Facebook forum for friends

Rosenblum
who like to remember
The Bible tells us that our lifespan my admission ticket to the cinema. gotten my provisional driver’s
here on earth is three score years The pandemic has, at least until license after only a 6 month wait
and ten. now, removed this reminder – one – thank you DVLA – we are now
Some 3,000 years after that Psalm of the few blessings of Covid – and embarking (note the barking part)
(90:10) was written, we don’t seem there are not many. on an entirely new project. Carol Ann
to have improved very much, on Faced with the inevitability of my We are going to write a series of Chilton (left)
lifespan, antibiotics aside. (Al- pending mortality, I was reminded travel/cookbooks – of course, with and Gillian Pro-
though I did read that even in Vic- of the words of the sage Hillel, who accompanying video – based on theroe Castle,
torian Times, the average lifespan in the year 110 BC wisely wrote: travels inside the UK. Regional admnistators
was 38 years). “If I am not for me, who will be? cuisines, local produce, local his- of Reflections
of My Life.
Thus, as I approached my, very And if I am only for myself, what tory, local characters. It’s the kind
hard to believe, 67th birthday, I am I? And, if not now, when?” of books that you can do and take ne of the nicest local Get me the hobbing iron.
thought, as I suppose we all do It was the last line that struck me Murray with you – hence the crate,
when we reach a certain age which with the most resonance. Indeed, which is designed to fit nicely in OFacebook groups for older Mangle these clothes for me, will
you?
becomes inescapable, ‘I don’t have at this point, if not now, when. And the back of the car – along with the people is Reflections of My Life,
much time left’. So what do I really so, inspired, I decided to make a pet ramp. Lisa is a gourmet cook, which is run by friends Carol Put the battery in the oven for a bit.
want to do with the remaining time, change. (Let us be honest here, it we are both ‘foodies’, and if Rick Ann Chilton and Gillian Prothe- Draw the fire up.
however long it may be. was Lisa who decided we should Stein can do it, then why not we? roe Castle. Turn the TV over.
Take the flashlight and some news-
As Samuel Johnson famously make a change, but I was more I have informed my literary agent At the time of writing, it has 472 paper with you.
wrote, ‘Depend upon it, sir, when than happy to go along with her and she says, all we need now is to members, many of whom are Don’t forget to pull the chain.
a man knows he is to be hanged wisdom, which is at least as good write the book. regular contributors to the daily Have you been for your divi from
in a fortnight, it concentrates his as Hillel’s). Thus, it was that we So simple! Who knew life could be conversation threads. the Co-op?
mind wonderfully. As a child we all decided to sell our home in Man- so easy? Nostalgia is the theme and mem- Members are sometimes asked
anxiously look forward to our next hattan and make our move to the If the Bible is right, then I figure bers are invited to share memo-
birthday with delight. As we grow UK permanent. we have three years left to crank ries of growing up in and around to put a caption to a humorous
older that delight is replaced by a But that was but the start. out a few travel/cookbooks. Lisa’s Ilkeston and district. photograph or identify a long-gone
growing sense of dread. However, Having spent the last thirty plus father Ken, a lifelong resident of Posts are often accompanied by local landmark or a place they once
considering the alternative, aging years working pretty much 24 Bramcote, lived to 95, and until the photographs of a local scene or a knew well.
up is inevitable, if an ineluctable hours a day, seven days a week, very end, was never sick a day in famous person who was important Memories of old radio and TV pro-
alternative. But it does focus the living on airplanes, flying off half his life. We were recently in Miami to us as we grew up. grammes such as Two-way Family
mind wonderfully, if you let it. way around the world for one to visit my 90-year old mother, who Some recent threads have been Favourites, Mrs Dale’s Diary, Wag-
In America, this passage into what business deal or another, we decide still has an active life, plays bridge about comics we read as kids, TV goner’s Walk, Watch With Mother,
Emergency Ward 10 and Cross-
is rather sadly called ‘senior status’ it was time to live a very different and paints daily, so maybe there shows we loved, old shops we
is marked by the arrival of one’s life. And, like reformed alcoholics, are a few bonus years ahead. God knew, favourite film stars, singers roads are sure-fire response getters.
membership card in the AARP, the we have renounced all air travel willing. and bands, school memories and Admins Carol and Gill are dedicat-
American Association of Retired for work and are never doing that food we loved and hated as kids. ed to making the group interesting
People, along with their magazine again. The time has come to vastly Pictured: Murray Katz, our new Carol and Gill seem able to come and inclusive. They are proud
of the same title. It comes free of scale down our businesses. We are puppy; Ken Pattenden, my father in up with new and interesting topics of the fact that during the Covid
charge, but you pay for it in the committed now to staying home. law - at his 90th birthday party; my every day – as well as quizzes and lockdown last year Reflections kept
never ending barrage of phone To reinforce this, we are getting mother, Judy, exercising at age 90. word games. people in touch with each other.
calls, emails and letters offering a dog – a puppy. A rough coated In short, as the introduction to Carol told us: “Gill and I get a lot
you discounts on things you never Jack Russell, born a few weeks ago newcomers says: This group is all out of it ourselves. We have to dig
imagined you might need until now and due to be delivered January about reflecting on our lives and into our memories to find things
at least – warm fuzzy slippers, a 4th, 2022 – a great start to an en- enjoying seeing and discussing to post that will strike a chord
wide range of bathroom aids, and tirely new life. things we enjoyed all those years with our members. We also post
of course, funeral advice – I never In preparation we have bought all back. friendship quotes and always wish
knew above ground interment was the necessary accoutrements for everyone Good morning and Good-
so easy to arrange. In Britain, the raising a healthy and well adjusted Recent topics have been: night, sweet dreams before we sign
story is sadly no different. As a dog, from the lead to the collars to What was your first job? off in the evening
regular viewer of the appropriately the bed to the crate, not to mention Did you go in this pub years ago? “The group was originally started a
named Yesterday Channel, I find the numerous books on how to train What subjects did you like and couple of years ago by a lady who
my enjoyment of Michael Portil- your dog. All we need now is the dislike at school? shortly afterwards had to give up
lo and his Great British Railway dog. Once you have the responsi- Did you have a favourite comic because of personal circumstances.
show continually interrupted by bility of a dog, of course, you can- character? As Gill and I had already become
telling me how I can avoid funerals not any longer jump on a plane for Have you ever met a famous admins, she asked us if we’d like to
entirely and instead offer my family the next project in Cairo or Tokyo. person? take over the running of it, which
a lovely vacation upon my death. Murray is now our main project. Alongside a black and white we did.”
Great! Now, back to the trains. But we are not the kind to play golf photograph of Ilkeston’s old Manor Gill said: “It’s something Carol
A few years ago, with apparent in retirement, or to sit on the beach. Ground, the question was asked: and I enjoy doing. We’ve made
delight, Lisa noted that I was now Having bought our first car in more Did you watch a match here? A lots of friends through Reflections,
eligible for a Senior Discount for than 20 years – and having finally flood of yeses followed and some people we might not otherwise
interesting memories of sneaking
in, footballers of the day and char- have known. Even if we’ve never
acters in the crowd. met some of the members in person
A post which asked: What’s a say- we still regard them as friends. I
ing that kids nowadays will never love it when people join in with the
know? brought in a deluge of an- conversation threads.
swers, many of which were ‘liked’ “We try to support each other. We
and ‘loved’ because they brought all go through difficult times and
back a special memory. need a bit of encouragement some-
Here are some of them, I bet they times. Occasionally some of us
will trigger thoughts of long ago meet up at places like Victoria Park
for you too if you are of a certain and Trowell Garden Centre, which
age: is always nice.”
Rag and Bone man is outside. * * * * *
Have you got a shilling for the If you think Reflections of My Life
meter? is a group you would like to be part
Put the wireless on. of, then find it on Facebook and
Have you got your ticket? The apply to join. You can participate
inspector’s just got on the bus. as much or as little as you like –
Fill the coal bucket up. but you’ll find it hard not to join in
Bring the bath tub in. with the conversations.