AofA's Hot To Trot Talking Points
Every Friday
Fabulous night at the Vagina Museum on Tuesday. Celebrating Jan Day and all she brings in terms of Tantra, openness and vulnerability and love. Monique Roffey - award-winning author who wrote a memoir With the Kisses of his Mouth about her work with Jan - was asking the pertinent and delving questions - while Jan Day and
author of Love Me and Help Me were answering. Both Monique and Marianne have written books about the personal work they've done with Jan. It was a celebratory and exploratory evening in a great venue.
The Irish Independent reported about this wonderful woman called Betty who has recently turned 100. But why didn’t they say her surname too.
‘A woman who celebrated her 100th birthday in Bangor, Co Down, last week happily admits to being a big fan of Love Island — and to owning a pair of shoes for every year of her long and music-filled life.
“I have a lot of health struggles but I try to ignore it and don’t let it get me down, sat in a chair. If I stop moving, that will be me,” she said.
Betty loves to dance for the residents and staff.
“I can’t dance the way I used to but I make an attempt. I just want to give everyone a laugh,” she added.
“I don’t feel 100 at all, nowhere near it. My health might not be hot but I’m very lucky with my mind.
“I’ve been graced with good thinking — my mind is as sharp as a pin.”
And the secret to her longevity? A positive attitude.
Betty said: “Don’t hold spite. If you have something to say, just say it.
“Don’t fall out with anybody, it can eat you up inside.
“I love living here at Ravara Court, there is not one person that I do not get along with. I am just so happy.
“Just live your life, do what you want to do, and enjoy every moment.”’
Image from Observer
There was a lot of discussion about the Observer’s investigation into the background - the loss of their house - of the Winn’s history and discovered that all was not as it seemed or was portrayed either in the book The Salt Path or the recent film. It seems that Raynor Winn - formerly known as Sally Walker - stole £64,000 from her employer in Wales and only returned it when she was found out. This seems like a leap a way from how she portrayed their demise ie that they lost their family house because they had invested in a friend’s co that went bust. They went from victims to perpetrators. Well she did. Mostly people were disappointed and sad. Some were angry. And others wanted to wait and hear Winn’s side of the story. And Raynor Winn released a statement which explained a lot. It’s here raynorwinn.co.uk
4. One of our members,
wrote about her experience of the Welfare Cuts debacle and it’s pretty terrifying.https://bylinetimes.com/2025/07/09/worth-reduced-to-work-a-disabled-persons-experience-of-the-welfare-cuts-debacle/?
‘The confusion about what is being done to the disability components of UC remains raw and terrifying for younger disabled people. MPs across all parties have been culpable throughout the campaign, misunderstanding what each benefit means and what the rules are – crucially, that PIP is not means-tested, whereas UC is an income-based benefit.’
5. I put a challenge to the group. A NEW AWARDS CATEGORY - BEST OVER 60S DANCER. We’d love to receive your 30 sec dancing video - you in the garden, in the living room, in the kitchen…. dancing like the wild thing we know you are. Please do share in the comments or email me on rosejanerouse@yahoo.co.uk
6. I'm going nominate Cathi Rae for our Style Queen Award. I've just discovered her on Insta and she is magnificent. Spoken word artist, 62, wearer of shorts, member of the body positive movement....she has great style. If you do, please do nominate yourself with a photo for our AofA Awards 2025 - Style King or Style Queen.
