Hi all,

In the "Old folkers" thread I mentioned an idea I have had for a number of years of setting up an Old Folkies' Home/Retirement Village, so that we don't all get trapped playing bingo and carpet bowls when we could be sitting around playing music, talking about music, reciting poems, dancing, and reminiscing about the good old folkie days.

Here are the bits cut & paste from that thread.

Helen

Subject: RE: Old Folkers From: Helen Date: 01-Jan-99 - 06:09 PM On another note: A few years ago I had an idea (but no resources to carry it out) about setting up an Old Folkies Home/Retirement Village. I think that my own personal nightmare of growing old is the possibility that I'll be trapped in a regular old folk's home with bingo players and carpet bowlers, being wheeled in to a concert of singers singing way off key, and playing out of tune fiddles, playing "We'll Meet Again" or something from the turn of this century (rather than Stairway to Heaven or a bit of Metallica?), and being patted on the head by a well-meaning young-un who says "you'll love this music, dear" and being left there, incapable of wheeling myself away from the aural torture. It's be far better to set up an Old Folkies Home where the residents would sit around having sessions and Mudcat-type chats and *we* would be the ones going to other old folks homes to provide the music. Like one long folk festival for the rest of your life. What do you reckon? Helen

Subject: RE: Old Folkers From: Alice Date: 01-Jan-99 - 08:45 PM That's interesting, Helen. My voice teacher works two mornings a week at the county old folks home. On her first day, there was an angry looking woman in a wheelchair in the hallway, and she was told, don't bother with her, she only speaks Italian. My teacher (who speaks 7 languages and was once married to a Sicilian opera singer) asked the woman what kind of music she liked. The woman snapped back something mean, and then was astounded when my teacher responded with some chiding Sicilian slang. Ever since then, she has been eager to listen to the music each week, and comes out of her room to listen, even though she never participated in group things before. There were patients in rooms where the staff had said, you don't need to go in there and sing, they are 'out of it'. Well, my teacher would go into every room, and now there are people responding to her singing that never responded to the staff.

Subject: RE: Old Folkers From: Big Mick Date: 02-Jan-99 - 02:11 AM And now you know why I chase after the fair Alison, eh lads? Helen, I love your idea, let me know where it is at and I will have myself committed straight away. We will call it "The Mudcat Manor". I will never give up my music, when I am too old to make a decent chord on a guitar, I will sing sean nos. Art Thieme sent me a tape of an old Wobbly organizer that Art recorded in the early sixties. The old man was singing away on that tape and telling the stories. There is never a need to stifle ones soul. All the best, Mick Lane

Subject: RE: Old Folkers From: folk1234 Date: 02-Jan-99 - 12:49 PM Helen, I truly like your idea about an old folkie retirement village! Imagine, if you will, a Pinewoods-like setting (with a few more comforts) in an environment of music, dancing, learning, sharing, and caring. I might even retire again for something like that! This may be meat for a new thread. Who's interested, how can we do it?