It started with Clap For Carers

 My neighbours would all go out to our front gales at eight o'clock on a Thursday evening and clap or otherwise make a noise in appreciation of all front line workers during the early stages of the pandemic.  That went on for several weeks and I got to know more of my neighbours and I got to know them better.

We enjoyed this new neighbourliness and even when the clapping stopped we contined to go out at 8pm each Thursday and that continued throughout last summer.

Then summer moved into autumn with its dark, cold evenings and we decided to meet at 11am instead and that still happens most weeks today.  This Neighbourhood Nattering lasts about half an hour but it's really brought the little community on this Close together.  One gentleman has died and his wife has been supported.  One lady has had surgery and chemotherapy for cancer and she's always being offered lifts.  A couple go away regularly with their caravan but they know that neighbours will keep an eye on the house and put the bins out.  People shopped for me and are now taking me for medical appointments while I cannot drive

So many things about this pandemic have been terrible but I wonder how many communities have been drawn together as this one has.

It's good to talk!

Ever since the first lockdown started I've had a monthly zoom with a couple of friends, Sandie and Jan. (Before that we used to meet for pub lunches.)   They are sisters and I can't remember not knowing them.  We are "Coffee Kids", still kids despite our ages ranging from 69 to 77!

Back in 1954 a group of eight women decided to meet each Tuesday and they continued to meet every week for over fifty years.  At first it was a cup of Nescafe, a real treat in those years of post war austerity.  (Anybody else remember those tiny tins of coffee powder? )  They were The Coffee Girls.  It's hard to think of a similar group today as most women go out to work but I suspect that in those days some sort of a meet-up was an important defence against being driven crazy by the endless round of caring for husband and children alone at home.

As well as the weekly Coffee Morning they had days out together, they had parties, when one couple bought a narrow boat they had day trips on the canals.  Those women and their husbands were all Aunties and Uncles to me.  

The last four Coffee Girls in 2002

As years went by inevitably those Aunties and Uncles died.  Around twenty years ago I had a party for the four remaining ladies at that time and as many Coffee Kids as I could trace.  It was good to catch up with everyone.

So, once a month, Sandie, Jan and I, each in our own homes, make a cup of coffee and settle down for a chat to celebrate a friendship of 67 years.  

It's good to talk.

Adjusting 10 Knit and Natter

 I've been amazed at how well many older people have adapted to using technology in the last year.  Obviously that's been the people who already had the technology in their homes and have learnt to do more with it.   I know that some older people have felt excluded because they can't use in-home video technology, but so many people have pushed themselves to learn more.  They've learnt to zoom with their tech savvy grandchildren and great grandchildren, they've mastered on-line grocery shopping, and they've even ventured into on-line banking.

The group which amazes me the most is our knit and natter.  I'm definitely (at 69) one of the younger members of the group!  Once a fortnight we have an hour-long zoom chatting whilst indulging in that that very old-style hobby - knitting.  

The group I belong always has some sort of charity project on hand, like knitting hats for sailors or twiddle muffs for dementia patients but it's OK just to bringany project along to occupy one's fingers while everyone natters.  At the moment we are knitting a Christmas tree.  We've seen them and we want to have a go!  (Ang at Tracing Rainbows was involved in one a few years ago.) 

Tree knitted by United Church, Ferndown in 2017

We're going to be part of a Christmas tree festival which has nursey rhymes as its theme and we've chosen "Round and round the garden like a teddy bear".  After we have exhibited our tree the squares will be made into blankets, the teddies will be sent to a children's charity and the garden flowers will be sewn onto twiddle muffs.