We had a little ‘tea’ yesterday. For the exceptionally old and the extraordinarily young. We’re in the middle. Much nearer the latter, obvs. We brought ‘the dads’ (combined age 193) to see their great-grandchildren (combined age 8, nearly) because its good for generations to mix. Beneficial to all. So the old’uns get to fall asleep near children and the kids have 2 more ‘things’ to ignore as they run around breaking everything in the house. We’ll have just one new rule for Lila and Joey (making a grand total of… errrr… one) which is ‘DON’T BREAK THE ZIMMERS!!!!’ Great-grandfathers can be repaired or will heal, as they often are and do, but Zimmer frames become the most essential thing in their lives as neither can walk even across a room unaided. It’s what happens. Will happen to us all (should we be so lucky to live so long, pth, pth, pth).

On Friday night Mel & I ‘led’ the Passover festivities in the care home. I’ll spare you the details because all went swimmingly well except for a few reservations. Summed up by the old expression: you can please all the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time and a room full of Jewish nonagenarians NEVERRRRR!!!!! But that’s life. What was interesting was that in a room full of about 30 pretty old people, at least half used Zimmers. Because modern medicine is a brilliant thing, capable of keeping us alive and… not so much ‘kicking’ as possibly ‘limping’ or ‘staggering’, for longer than previous generations would have imagined possible. But it can’t stop the natural deterioration of bone and muscle. Which, kind’a, holds us all together and keeps us moving swiftly. Or slowly. And more importantly, stops us falling down. Thus the Zimmer frames. They can’t help with the other inevitabilities, like loss of hearing and sight, but they can stop you falling over so much. And provides amusement as you see three or four all heading for the door, as if racing, but in slo-mo. Very slo-mo.

And so the contrast. Lila and Joey, all energy and activity, and ‘the dads’, somewhat less so. But you can’t help thinking that its somehow instructive for the kids as well as a tonic for the elders.

I’m ordering my Zimmer today. In case they run out in the next 30 years. I’m getting the GTI-Twin-Turbo, capable of up to half a yard every 3 minutes.

Happy Families

A xxxx