|
|
Fat Rascals at Bettys CIRCLE OF FRIENDS LETTER Dear Circle Readers,
We visit our share of abbeys, churches, and graveyards. We walk market towns on market days. We shop at Safeway. We visit the green grocer. We befriended the local news agent who, by the way, has given the best touring suggestions thus far. We drive on the left side of the road and repeat out loud "stay left" as we enter each roundabout. We try to use British washing machines. We gawk at the shops in Harrogate. We walk in the park. We email our friends and family. We go to Royal Botanical Gardens. We use any opportunity to talk with locals. We go to National Trust sites.
And mostly we observe. This time much of what I am observing is older people, particularly women. Since arriving, I have had good conversations with a number of women over 70. One was a women who was 89 and lives in Ripley, just a stone's throw from Ripley Castle. We live only four miles from Ripley and, of course, I wanted to visit. The 89-year-old Ripley resident "retired" eight years ago after running a café in town for years. She liked to cater to bicyclists and ramblers (walkers) as they were going from one small town to another. On her best day she served 523 meals in this very small café. Since her retirement, she has volunteered for the blind. She sells old books and the proceeds go to the local charity. She needs a cataract operation and has been on the waiting list for 12 months. So far she has not been called. We tell her that we have purchased some books to read while we are here and that we will give them to her when we leave so she can sell them at her kiosk. She tells us that would be nice.
I did not bring any books with me thinking I would get a library card and read local books. But something different has happened. Who thought I would come to Yorkshire and spend a number of hours reading about menopause and health concerns of the older woman. Well I certainly did not, but I also did not want to pass up on a rare opportunity. The rare opportunity is Dr. Mary Jones. She ran a Menopause Clinic for 20 years at Leeds General Infirmary, retiring in December 1993 at age 70. Our local friends, Barrie and Valerie, live near Mary and her husband, Denis, a retired architect who now travels around the country sketching historical buildings and making Heritage Maps of his finely produced color pencil and pen drawings. Jack ordered us a special one which includes Ripley Castle. Barrie arranged our meeting with Mary and Denis after Jack described to Barrie our interest in Mary's work. Mary invited us for coffee one morning last week. As Barrie was taking us to their place, he told us what an energetic and delightful couple we were about to meet. We were not disappointed. Barrie "took us round" to their place to be introduced and then unceremoniously left as it was clear we were already fully engaged in conversation with the enchanting couple. After Denis showed us his artistic wares, he retired to the far side of the drawing room to work at his sketches. He was clearly within earshot, but he said, "No problem, I'm known as Mr. Menopause around here and I've taken many a call from a patient." With that, our interview started. Two hours later I had asked several questions; Jack and I had sampled Mary's fine cakes and strong English coffee; and Mary talked, in very proper English, of her 20 year's experience at the clinic.
|
