This was a piece in the Guardian written by Paul Roche’s (above right) - who had a long, intimate friendship with Duncan Grant (above left) - his daughter, Cordelia Roche. It’s a wonderful piece and one of our members, Alison Goldie, brought it to our attention. It coincides with an exhibition at Tate Britain Inside Bloomsbury.
‘I am a big fan of the Bloomsbury Group, like so many of my generation, and this is a wonderful read. I am fascinated by the characters in the group because they are a post-Victorian model of true Bohemianism, breaking social and sexual rules all over the place, whilst creating a huge body of extraordinary art, literature and design. This piece is a corrective to the belief of many that they were all shagging each other and foregrounds friendship of a particular and refreshing sort. The Bloomsburies weren’t flawless humans - who is? - but in a world that seems to be increasingly anti-intellectual and morally judgmental, I find their lifestyle, their artistic productivity and their legacy so important to remember and treasure.’
There was an outpouring of love and support for Michael Palin who posted on his Insta about his fall a month ago. We appreciated his humour once again. And wish him a good recovery.
‘It’s now exactly a month since I thudded to my bathroom floor – returning from a pee at 3.30 in the morning. I still can’t walk without a zimmer. The laughs are all on me. Zimmers were used in Monty Python when we wanted to play slow-moving elderly people.
Now I’m an elderly person for real, having to move very slowly as I have three broken ribs and a cracked pelvis. Bones take time to heal and I’m probably doomed to play this particular Python character for a few weeks more.
I’m feeling sore, not just because I’ll never be able to achieve my dream of being the oldest Olympic hurdler but that I was never able to finish my Philippines tour and had to disappoint so many who’d bought tickets. I promise not to go to the bathroom ever again, and I shall try and find some other show dates next year.
For now, I have a stack of books to read and all the time in the world to catch up with Slow Horses and the absolutely compulsive This City Is Ours. And, if things get really low, the Fish Slapping Dance.
Thank you all for your patience. Here’s to the next time.’
This is a moving piece about a family in the Netherlands. The couple - she had dementia, he had Parkinson’s - decided to end their life legally there. Their only son agreed with them but has been left with lots of grief around it. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c81dwllzv113o?
British History Daily have created this image of a young mudlark in 1904 which is very evocative. I asked if people in the group had ever mudlarked themselves? Mostly they hadn’t. ‘A young mudlark scouring the freezing riverbed of the Thames at low tide, photographed in 1904.m(And I guess put onto this background of the Thames afterwards)/
These destitute London street boys waded barefoot through raw sewage, sharp flint, and freezing river mud, searching for anything of value dropped from passing barges—coal lumps, old iron nails, copper bolts, or lost coins. Earning mere pennies after a full day's dangerous scouring before the tide swept back in, their desperate trade was a testament to the bitter hardship of Edwardian London's poorest children.’
One of our members asked if she was real. She is. Joan Macdonald started training at 70 because she was overweight and on numerous medications.
‘Joan is living proof that age is never an excuse to surrender your health. If she could start from scratch at 70, you have no reason not to start today.
“The final result isn’t just about getting in shape—it’s about cultivating a loving, compassionate relationship with yourself built on trust. I started full of doubts, but week by week, I saw my progress. One day at a time, one meal at a time, I learned to take better care of myself.” — Joan MacDonald
At 70 years old, facing a severe health crisis and dependent on multiple medications, Joan decided she had enough.
Now, after nine years of unwavering discipline, she has lost 66 lbs and completely eliminated her prescription meds through a simple, non-negotiable routine:
5 High-Protein Meals Daily: Fueling her body consistently to build and preserve lean muscle.
Heavy Strength Training 5 Days a Week: Lifting hard to restore bone density and metabolism.’
This was a story in the Observer and the photo is by Jane Hilton. Actor Peter Marinker has Alzheimer’s and is still acting. I am fascinated by the changing landscape of what is possible with dementia. ‘Peter Marinker has Alzheimer’s, but that hasn’t stopped him performing a one-man Beckett play.
“It opens doors to a lot of people,” Marinker says. “I am in the now. I’m not able to go back and I don’t bother too much about what’s forward. But I’m taking in what’s around me at a very high level.“‘
Really interesting, particularly the bit about the couple who decided to die together, and how it was for their only son after they went. My parents died within the same week, which was hard, but I had siblings to grieve with, and I do think that makes a difference. But I still think they did the right thing - I couldn't imagine going against my parents in this kind of situation, just like their son couldn't. Despite how he felt afterwards.