Nostalgia Now
Nostalgia Now - making friends and sharing stories.
Bruce Geeves (Front R.) with friends at Nostalgia Now.
Bruce Geeves interviews Exhibit 'A'
What do you think NN gives to people and parishes?
To people — NN provides an opportunity for people in a non-threatening Christian situation, to take glory in their own early days, sharing it with others in their own age group. Thus bolstering their own self esteem and encouraging a positive and healthier attitude to their own ageing.
To parishes — NN opens up communication in their own age group, within the parish. This very often fosters the release of a wealth of knowledge, wisdom and experience to others in a different age group, including the incumbent if he or she takes part.
What have you found difficult in the last 12 months?
- Increasing difficulty in mobility and balance. Especially going down stairs.
- As a result of my hearing deteriorating I have found a variety of difficulties… In meetings, or prayer groups, I tend not to make a contribution lest I make a fool of myself, by repeating something that someone else has just said. I frequently lose the plot and have to ask where we are at, because if you can’t hear you tend not to listen and miss points etc.
- When you make mistakes, because you ‘hear wrong’, people tend to treat you as though you are a ‘nutter’ When you give this strange out of context answer to a question you can see a look on their face whch says, ‘Hullo, we have a nitwit or a nutter here.’ It is demoralising.
- Making ends meet. Trying to pay off an accumulated debt accrued on a Visa Card, whilst receiving a very much reduced income.
- Going to sleep more quickly and for longer in front of TV.
What has given you satisfaction in the last 12 months?
- After four and a half years, finally completing construction of an 18 foot wooden clinker built Pulling Dinghy. Having my youngest granddaughter aged three and a half sporting a pink parasol, launch and name the boat ‘H.B.G.’ – the initials of my wife who died seven years ago.
- Exhibiting the aforesaid Pulling Boat at the Wooden Boat Festival and enjoying the congratulations and compliments.
- Having a large loving extended family, not to mention various others hangers on. The love, support, tolerance and understanding I receive from them has to be experienced to be believed. A lucky man am I.
- A plenteous supply of first class fresh food.
What books are you currently reading?
Fraud by Paul Waldman. The story behind the Bush Lies and what the media didn’t tell you. Source Books, Naperville Illinois USA 2004
The Living Church by John Stott. The convictions of a life-long pastor. Intervarsity Press, Nottingham UK 2007
What is in the future?
No one knows, but it looks good to me. So many things to do and enjoy. A stack of ‘old’ friends to visit. (Mind you, ‘old friends’ are getting a bit thin on the ground now. (Aged 84)
A stack of new friends, who are stimulating, challenging, full of beans and fun. Feel very happy about the youngs – the up and coming ‘olds’.
There will be a recession I think, but this does not disturb me: I have seen it all before and we survived.
There are lots of ‘Good Times’ to come.