So last night, because I am a normal person now who can go and do normal person things in the general Oustside Area, I went and sang in an old folks home.
Now don’t worry, I didn’t just turn up unannounced and start belting out show tunes in the tv lounge or anything like that – because that would be weird right – even by my standards.
No. I went there all legit to sing with my fabulous community choir.
We do sing a lot of songs in That Foreign and to help the lovely old folk be less bemused by our wailings, our choir leader explained what some of the lyrics meant.
“this song is about how one day we will all meet in heaven” she said
to which one splendid old lady jumped up and shouted
“you do know this is the departure lounge don’t you dear?”
at which point everyone fell about laughing.
It made me think though.
And I thunked this.
I hope one day when I am old(er) and grey(er) and staring my demise in the face, I hope I can do it with as much humour and good grace as that awesome old lady.
(As I didn’t take any photos, here is a picture of an awesome old lady I found in the internet, just in case you wondered what one looked like).
OddSoxRox 
I am Sure you will be a singularly awesome old lady. How could you not be, as you are pretty awesome already. You have lots of time to practise your awesomeness, so by the time you are old, grey and very wrinkly about the face, you will be Amazingly awesome!
I too hope that I can face old age with humour and good grace. Nothing is more depressing and frustrating, than having to look after someone who moans and groans & is never happy with what people do for them. If you can be friendly and pleasant, it makes others feel better – and of course, they will be nicer to you (which can’t be bad…).
Keep up the good work and well done for doing normal stuff, like singing. Perhaps you can come & sing for me when I am old and grey (I;m not so far away from it already I think!).
Thank you Lizzie.
I do feel as though I should have some sort of award for being A Normal Person.
Ya know, like a trophy or something.
I would spend my days gazing at it, and polishing it and showing it to all of my visitors.
Even the postman.
(he is usually my only visitor).
Brilliant!! 😀
How jolly sweet of you to say so Jane. 😀
oh you are already so very old. but i can tell you this two things (like a sort of consolation):
1. you are full up of grace & humour already
2. your hair smells wonderful
as a much younger woman, would you like me to sing for you?
1. Flattery will get you everywhere.
2. It DOES doesn’t it?
and c) only if you do it in gumboots.
😀
old folks are the frakking BOMB, yo!
Oh Defiantly.
Except the ones in the post office queue who smell of wee.
shhh that will be us one day!! 😀
(next week?)
two posts in two days!!!! I hope you will come and sing for me when I am in an old folks home, I was thinking of booking in early to escape children etc. i could just sit and stitch and listen to people coming in to sing to me and do magic tricks and other good things
… and change your incontinence pants…D
I reserve the right to smell of wee in the post office! But I’m glad that you would be so kind as to change my incontinence pants. 😀
I still think you should just turn up unannounced and belt out showtunes 😉
I must admit, it’s a tempting thought!
And when the police come to arrest me I’ll say “Heather made me do it.”
😉
Do you think the reason that old people smell of leaked bodily fluids in the post office is because the queues are so long they just can’t hang on? I’ve been close a few times myself!
I think you may have a point.. sometimes when you come out of there, you feel like it’s been days since you’ve seen sunlight! 😉
How fab! I have my zimmer on order, it has flashing fairy lights, go faster stripes and a dell boy style hooter on it 🙂 Can’t wait to take full advantage of being even more eccentric when I am old …. just think of the mischief we will be able to get up to 🙂
I’m with Heather on the show tunes and Zoe with the old lady mischief…..i’ve started a list already of *things* to try in case I forget when i’m old (er)……..but have a shiny brassy trophy for your efforts so far. Well done for getting out of the house.
Do you know the poem about wearing purple? http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/warning/ I’ve started by dyeing my hair, it claims to be cyber purple but really it’s more burgundy. Bit like the mauve rinse my gran used to have in hindsight!