|
Newsletter No.
010
Well,
the New Year is upon us. The
days are getting longer and
the 1st stirrings of new
growth are emerging in the
garden. You can tell Christmas
is over, summer holiday ads on
the telly, easter eggs vie for
space next to soon to be out
of date puds in the
supermarket. Oh, the joy.
Back to 'relative' normality
with issue number 10. Happy
New Year everyone.
We
hope you enjoy this and the
previous issues but if you
missed any and would like to
see them either in our ARCHIVE
or email Sylvia at [email protected] and
she will gladly send any you
have missed.
|
|
|
Friday
Walks - Abington Park
Just
to remind everyone that we walk
in Abington Park every Friday.
The meeting place is near the
tennis courts at 10.30 a.m. Most
of us use walking poles (there
are some spares for new walkers
to try). Also, there is usually
a qualified instructor with us
to show the technics of Nordic
walking. We walk one of two
routes. One short and one a bit
longer. The bonus is the company
and both groups meet up at the
café from 11.15 to socialise
afterwards. Just come to the
Café if you can’t do the walk
but would like the company
–everyone is very welcome.
MORE GOOD NEWS
Starting
Tuesday, February 4th and every
Tuesday thereafter we will have
a second weekly walk. It will be
at the racecourse. We will meet
at the racecourse pavilion at
10.30 a.m. There is ample
parking space with 3 hours
free. As with the Friday walk,
there will be short and longer
routes to suit every ability.
The paths are well made and
even, especially good for those
with walkers/rollators.
Afterwards, we will meet up at
the Umbrella Fair café at the
rear of the pavilion where we
can have drinks and cake.... if
required! Everyone is welcome
–if you would like more info
about either of the walks you
can email Sylvia at [email protected] |
|
|
Let's
get Quizzical
- Who
was the last non-european to
win Formula 1 world
championship?
- Which
country is the largest
exporter of coffee?
- Which
medical TV series was set in
the Scottish village of
Tannochbrae?
- Where
was the 1980 summer Olympics
held?
- Which
king of England had the
"nickname" "Lackland"?
- What
is the meaning of the word
Meretricious?
A) beneficial
B) gaudy C) straight
forward
|
|
 |
|
Men
in Sheds
I
went along to see some men in a
shed the other day. Had a great
time.
Northampton Community Shed has
its roots in the Men’s Sheds
movement which started in
Australia in the 1990's. They
are a community-based
organisation with a dual purpose
–
- to
serve the health and wellbeing
of members
- to
serve the health and wellbeing
of the local community.
Men
in Sheds has been described as a
development of a man’s shed, as
might be found in his garden – a
place where he feels at home,
pursuing his interests and
deciding his own arrangements.
There are now 1000 Sheds
across Australia. In the UK at
the last count, there were over
400 Sheds, with more regularly
added. Men (and now
women also) follow
their interests, working
together ‘shoulder to shoulder’.
It’s all about finding purpose
and companionship while
developing skills, making stuff
and friends. A community of
Shedders (that's what they like
to be called) of all ages,
together decide the Shed’s
arrangements, creating for
themselves a relaxed place for
all to enjoy. They do this while
funding their enterprise through
the receipt of donations and
securing support from grant
sources.
Activities to be found in Men’s
Sheds in Britain and other
English speaking countries are
many and varied. Woodwork is
most common but metalwork,
repair and restoration,
electronics, alternative energy,
gardening and many other
activities are featured. Having
fun, sharing ideas, conversation
and making things is a great way
to enjoy leisure in later life.
As well as having a great time
Shedders also help with
community projects. Northampton
Shed has made furniture for a
local community cafe, phone
charging stations for local
overnight shelters and many
other projects.
If you are interested in Sheds
and Shedding please check out
their website for more details.
|
|
Sylvia's
Gardening Tips
January
is a month when not
much can be done in
the garden so I turn
my thoughts to
planning for the
coming season. I make
a list of what flowers
and veg I want to
grow. In the case of
veg, I stick to
growing what I like to
eat myself. I always
buy my seeds in
January. They can be
quite expensive but
most garden centres
sell them at half
price at this time of
the year and I do like
a bargain! Just check
the use-by date on the
back of the packet.
Yes! Seeds really do
have a use-by date!
|
|
|
|
Many of us use herbs in
our cooking and a little
sprinkle of this or that
can transform a mediocre
dish into something really
tasty. However, not so
many of us know that herbs
have other powerful
properties. I have listed
a few below. |
|
|
- Bay
leaves are rich in vitamin C,
folic acid and many minerals.
Ingested in very large amounts
it can have a narcotic effect!
Therefore don’t go munching a
whole bay tree!
- Basil
aids digestion but is best
eaten immediately after
picking. Nothing like making a
fresh tomato salad with fresh
basil leaves thrown on top.
Pots of basil plant are
available in the supermarkets
now. Just put it on the
kitchen window and give it a
little water now and then and
it will just keep on growing.
- Chamomile
is commonly used to treat
insomnia and upset stomachs.
It makes good tea too.
- Chives
(a member of the onion family)
are, as we all know brilliant
in our cooking or salad but
they also contain vitamin C, K
and Folate amongst other
things. I grow them because I
just love the bright purple
flowers which seem to go on
and on! And they are edible
too!
- Coriander
is antibacterial and helps to
lower blood pressure. It's
lovely in a salad.
- Dill
and Parsley are good sources
of vitamins A and C.
- Mint
has antiseptic,
anti-inflammatory, and
antibacterial properties. Used
as an oil it can relieve
muscular pain. It has been
suggested that it may also
support healthy cholesterol
levels. You can make your own
mint tea by just roughly
tearing up some leaves and put
them in a jug. Pour over
boiled water and leave to
infuse for ten minutes. Strain
into a cup and if required add
a little honey.
- Rosemary
has powerful antibacterial
properties and should only be
eaten in moderation. In any
case, only use a little as it
can be very overpowering.
- Sage
is rich in beneficial oils,
minerals and vitamins A, C and
K. Avoid taking it
excessively. My favourite is
the purple sage, the colour is
lovely.
A Recipe for another drink which
is said to help cold symptoms
and also the immune system :
In a mug put:
- 1
oregano capsule. These are
readily available at Boots,
Holland & Barrett and
online.
- ¼
teaspoon turmeric.
- A
few grains of black pepper.
- One
capful of The Mother cider
vinegar. This is apple cider
vinegar which is simply
unrefined, unpasteurized and
unfiltered. This can be
obtained from Boots and Aldi.
Most herbal retailers will
sell this.
Pour
boiled water over, stir and
drink when cooled down a
little. I add a little honey and
leave out the oregano as I am
not a fan. I also add a small
slice of lemon. You can drink a
cup of this every day if you
wish but three times a week is
ok too.
My thanks to Aggie for sharing
this.
And finally, keep warm, keep
moving, stay fit and fab! Spring
is just around the corner! I
have the little white heads of
snowdrops just peeping through
the soil in my garden. Always a
sign that spring is on its way.
Sylvia
|
|
|
Giving
Parkinson’s a hard
time.
Another
footballing story.
Simon Ingram
|
|
|
|
During
the last few weeks of 2019,
one of the coaches at our
Tuesday morning ‘Walking
Football’ sessions ask me if
it would be okay to submit a
nomination in my name for the
Kettering area ‘Get Active’
award.
Now I’d love to say that it
was my football skills and
general sporting prowess that
pushed me into the
limelight…sadly not! The
reason for the nomination?
Quite simply because of my
absolute determination not to
let Parkinson’s disease
dictate what I can and can’t
do.
Football has been my passion
since I was a youngster, my
team of choice Queen’s Park
Rangers (QPR FC). I simply
fell head-over-heels for the
Super Hoops from Loftus Road.
One example of how Parkinson’s
can affect your life without
you noticing is you can start
to shy away from life-long
activities, in my case
football, simply because it
becomes all too difficult to
actively take part…RUBBISH!
I’m well aware that as a
football player I can still
trip-the-light-fantastic on a
Tuesday morning at the
Kettering Conference Centre,
scoring spectacular goals most
weeks. I’d not really thought
about it until I began to
write but, since turning out
once a week to play the
‘beautiful game’ I’ve got a
season ticket at Loftus Road.
In addition, I have purchased
a replica QPR shirt that I
wear with pride most weeks. I
could still do a job if the
manager could find a spot in
the first team for an
enthusiastic 53-year-old!
I won the ‘Get Active’ award
AND a thumping great big
silver trophy for the Sports
Personality award, again for
the Kettering area.
I guess the message to all my
Parkinson’s friends out there
is, give a new opportunity a
try as you never know where it
can take you.
|
|
Saturday
for Seniors at
St Giles Church
A
day full of fun,
entertainment, and
activities enjoyed in
the company of fellow
seniors. A great
opportunity to make
new friends and
develop lasting
relationships.
We meet four times a
year; our next dates
are 25 Jan/ 18 April/
11 July/ 17 October
2020
Please get in touch
with St Giles Church
Office on 01604 628623
to reserve a place for
yourself or your
relatives to attend.
St Giles Church, St
Giles Terrace,
Northampton NN1 2BN www.stgilesnorthampton.org.uk
|
|
|
I
Remember Part 10
Place: RAF Khormaksar,
ADEN
Time: 2230 hrs 3 July
1965
Temperature: 82
Fahrenheit
|
|
|
|
So
here I was 22 years old,
married, 2 children and now I
had been posted to this flyblown
sweatbox for how long I had no
idea. But the immediate order
was that we were to bed down for
the night and then to be
assigned in the morning.
At 05.30 the next morning I was
awoken and after going through
my ablutions, we went to the
dining hall for breakfast. I
said to the guy who was showing
us around that it did seem to be
getting rather warm very
quickly. He laughed and said
this is what they call the cool
season. I found out later that
average temperature daily hit
96.8 F (36 C).
On reporting to the orderly room
for the Ordnance Depot, MELF,
(Middle East Land Forces). I
found that I already knew
several guys which is always
handy. I was assigned to the
Vehicle Depot. But as usual with
the army, nothing is straight
forward.
To explain; on being posted to a
foreign posting a regiment would
be sent as a complete unit and
was usually sent for a “tour” of
6 or 12 months. Families were
not sent on the short tours. If
it was a longer tour then
families would be included. If
you were in a corps such as
RAOC, REME, RAMC etc. then a
tour would be for 18 months
minimum. Usually, it was 3 years
and families would be included
if you qualified for quarters.
I qualified for quarters but
Aden had been declared a combat
zone and there was a halt to any
families being included for the
immediate future. In fact, there
were plans in place to
repatriate all families.
Consequently, I was not
accompanied by my family and did
not know when I would get to see
them again. In those days there
were no mobile phones or
internet. The only communication
was by mail.
My regular job in the Depot was
as a Tech clerk, but after about
a week or so I was transferred
to the Orderly room in the
Vehicle Depot HQ. This was
because I was being included in
the unit’s football and cricket
teams. Also due to the usual
army foul-ups, there was a
shortage of manpower to maintain
all patrols particularly those
considered to be soft targets:
The orders at the time were:
- No
one, including families, are
allowed out on their own, you
must be accompanied at all
times by at least 2 people and
they must be armed, so, for
example, a wife with her
husband must have another
person with them, and at least
2 out of the three must be
armed, very incongruous when
shopping. Shopping list:
“sugar, tea, 2 machine guns”.
- Never
allow you or the people you
are with, to be surrounded on
the street.
There
were several other rules for
shopping or going to the married
quarter areas, which I will
explain as we come to them. To
say this was the strangest place
I had been to in my time so far
in the military was an
understatement.
Well, later that year I was
selected as one of the people to
be allowed back to “blighty” for
Christmas. The one thing that
was guaranteed in Aden was that
besides it being the hottest
place I had ever been, time very
rarely dragged because something
was always happening.
Therefore, the time to fly back
came quickly and I arrived home
5 days before Christmas.
I explained to Tina why I was
refused married quarters. The
fact that only 2 weeks before,
there had been an attack on a
teenagers party; a terrorist got
into a community hall and
planted a bomb which killed 3
and injuring several more,
rather proved my point. However,
this meant that we would apart
for a while yet. At this time,
we had been married for 3 years
and actually been together for
about 5 months. Still, whilst
home I managed to see the
Cobblers on Boxing day. It soon
came around and I had to fly
back to Aden, it would be
another 18 months before coming
home.
On returning, it was back to
‘normal’, work at ungodly hours
and hellish temperatures. There
were occasional moments of light
relief and at this point I would
like to introduce a few
individuals: Norman “Piglet”
Pearson, “Scouse” Jones, Davy
“Wee Dram” Macpherson, Hector
Little, Mick “Hell on wheels”
Helliwell and “Geordie “
Littlejohn. These were the
residents of Banda 108, (a Banda
being the billet/ barrack) we
were assigned. Ours was the
nearest to the outer perimeter
(about 600 yards) and we had at
least one or two drive-by
shootings and a number of
grenade attacks every 2 or 3
months.
|
|
Looking out of our 'Banda'
In the distance is
hellfire bend, a bend in
the back road into Crater
district. We had countless
grenade attacks and
drive-by shootings by
terrorists. We were the
closest at 500 yards but
no one from our banda was
hurt in any attack.
Unfortunately others were
not so lucky. |
|
|
Where 'geordie' McIntosh
dug his crocodile pool
before he was shipped home
for being 'sand happy' |
|
|
The bar area of the Ord
Depot club used by all
ranks below sergeant.
Officers and sergeants had
to be invited to enter.
Bob Chatterton and I
repainted it. |
|
|
|
Anyway, one day on going back
to the Banda, myself and Piglet
after completing a 24-hour
patrol/guard duty, came across
one of the guys Geordie
MacIntosh digging a big hole in
the sand outside the Banda.
“What you doing Geordie?” I
asked, “Digging a pool”, says
Geordie. “What's the pool for?”…
“Crocodiles,” he says. I gave
a nod to Piglet and he knew what
I wanted him to do. While I
carried on chatting to Geordie,
Piglet went for our duty
Officer. He arrived, and after
assessing called the medics. The
upshot was that Geordie was
hospitalised. He had what was
known as “gone sand happy” the
first one I came across, but
certainly not the last. This is
now known as Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD).
As you may realise, that Aden
campaign was a “cock-up” and we
were informed by the government
that we were to withdraw and
give the locals independence.
However, no one knew who we
were to hand over to, or indeed
when. By this point, the two
main forces of the rebels were
fighting each other. In fact,
the whole sorry mess was to drag
out for another year. In this
period quite a lot of men lost
their lives.
This was probably the only time
in my service that I, along with
quite a lot of squaddies, were
voicing opinions on what was
happening with the situation. A
good example was we had
instructions that if we
apprehended a suspect we had to
call out “Stop or I shoot” 3
times in Arabic if they
attempted to escape, or if they
attacked. As usual, the top
brass had us fighting with one
hand behind our backs.
It was at this time later in
1966 that myself and a couple of
the guys went to the main area
for what was left of the
families which was considered
safe; the Maala Straight. We
were celebrating England's world
cup win which we had heard on
the radio. After wandering
around the bazaar trying to find
something for wife and kids, we
ended up at Chings Sin’s bar, a
well-known watering hole. Many
hours later I ended up at the
rear gate to the camp rather
inebriated. Luckily for me, the
Welsh Guards had duty that week,
the guard commander was one
Frank Wilson, who I had been at
school with. He realised the I
had left the camp with
others, found out where I had
been, put me in a vehicle and
took me to the bar where the
guys still were, wondering where
I was. It turned out that I had
gone back to camp straight
through one of the main Arab
areas, unarmed and alone. Frank
left me there with the others
and they took me along to one of
our mates who had his family
with him and thanks to them;
Larry and Viv Coulson who
sobered me up enough to be taken
back later to camp. I still
think I was a very lucky man,
considering how many were lost
there. The silliest thing I did
whilst in the service.
By now it was November 1966, no
leave this time, at least not
back in “blighty” but 4 of us
were offered a trip to Mombassa,
Kenya on board a Navy vessel and
return 2 weeks later. This was
very pleasant, we went to the
Tsavo National park and Nairobi,
to say it was different from
what we had become accustomed to
is an understatement.
On returning to Aden the
inter-faction fighting of the
rebels and the attacks on the
British troops and their
families had increased
considerably. The troops and
police of the SAA (South Arabian
Army) had rebelled, once allied
with the British but now were
against us. All British
families had been sent home and
in March of 1967, I departed
from the fly blown sand heap
called Aden. I can honestly say
that of all the places I have
been this was the only one I’ve
never wanted to return to. Aden
and the Protectorate are now
part of what is now called
Yemen.
On return, I was posted to
Central Ordnance Depot, Bicester
and was allocated married
quarters, so Tina and I after 5
years of being married would
actually be living together. I
will let you know how things
turn out in the next episode.
.
I look forward to the next
time. Doug |
|
|
A
Little Background on
The Aden Emergency
The
Aden Emergency, also
known as the Radfan
Uprising, was an armed
insurgency by NLF
(National Liberation
Front)and FLOSY (Front
for the Liberation of
Occupied South Yemen)
during the Cold War
against British forces
stationed in South
Arabia, a protectorate
of the British Empire,
which now form part of
Yemen. Partly inspired
by Nasser's pan-Arab
nationalism, it began on
14 October 1963 with the
throwing of a grenade at
a gathering of British
officials at Aden
Airport. A state of
emergency was then
declared in the British
Crown colony of Aden and
its hinterland, the Aden
Protectorate. The
emergency escalated in
1967 and hastened the
end of British rule in
the territory which had
begun in 1839. On 30
November 1967, British
forces withdrew and the
independent People's
Republic of South Yemen
was proclaimed.
|
|
|
We
aim to be...
an
inclusive group so if
you have an idea for
an article that you
think would be of
interest then get in
touch with us.
You don't have to be a
journalist, and if you
find trouble getting
your idea onto paper
or email we'll give
you a helping hand.
|
|
|
|
Answers
to the Quiz
1) Jaques Vilieneuve (canada)
2) Vietnam
3) Dr. Finlay's casebook
4) Moscow
5) King John
6) b -- gaudy
|
|
| We have a community
facebook page, here is the link
please like and share: https://www.facebook.com/northantsparkinsonspeople/
|
|
|
And
Finally...
A
couple of weeks ago while out
walking someone said they felt
really cold. I said you should
wear a hat because as everyone
knows you lose 40% of your body
heat from your head. Not So!
It's a myth said the hatless
lady's spouse, a myth put about
by the US Military in WWII to
get their guys to wear hats.
No, not another of my gran's
stalwart sayings debunked. What
about the others? Did I miss out
on sitting next to my teenage
crush all those years ago? She
sitting on a concrete step, me
standing there like a lemon torn
between a cuddle or terminal
piles. Why is my world being
torn apart by all these
truth-tellers? What other
'facts' that shaped my life are
wrong? So many, here are but a
few...
- Eating
junk food and chocolate causes
spots. Nope!
- Peeing
on a jellyfish sting will
reduce the pain. Nope!
Vinegar works, urine is not
acidic enough.
- Sitting
too close to the TV will make
you blind. Nope! back in the
1960's General Electric
produced a TV that emitted
100,000 times the max
radiation allowed. They were
recalled but the myth
continues.
- Cracking
your knuckles will give you
arthritis. No gran was
fibbing, again!
- Carrots,
eyesight. Naw.
- Chewing
gum if swallowed takes years
to digest. Nope! another
porkie!
- Stop
that or you'll go blind. No
thank god.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
