Growing Old Disgracefully

Growing Old Disgracefully is a wonderful concept,and though there are now many womens clubs like the internationally known Red Hatters,and local groups such as Ladies Who Lunch,it is probably not new; it's just that the current crop of feisty ladies are those who were the Youth of the Sixties,the Baby Boomers and are a wealthier generation than their predecessors










Growing Old Disgracefully: How to Upset and Perplex Your Children with ...

By Rohan Candappa is a fabulous book which is previewed here

Growing Old Disgracefully


The Red Hat Society

is the largest international social organization for women over 50 who want their middle age to be elegant and fun with a purple frock and a red hat and the catalyst for kick starting the society was this fabulous poem by Jenny Joseph

Warning

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple

**

For more Red Hatter poems click the link

Red Hatter Poems



Very similar to the character Jenny Joseph wrote about is a feisty, but very crabby old lady character who calls a spade a shovel, created by a Hallmark cards artist, who goes by the name of Maxine. The character, not the artist. The artist's name is John Wagner. She has grown old decidedly gracelessly but she is very popular and very funny. Here's the link
Hallmark's Popular Character, Maxine

Old folks are worth a fortune,
With silver in their hair and gold in their teeth,
Not to mention stones in their kidneys,
And lead in their feet

**

I have become older since I last saw you
There's bin a few changes I must say.
I have become quite a frisky old gal...
I am seeing five gentlemen a day.

As soon as I awaken,
Will Power helps me out of my pit,
After which I go to see John
Where I enjoy a right good sit.

Later Charlie Horse comes along
And he indulges in horse play .
After that Arthur Ritis shows up
And stays the rest of the day.

He likes to wander about,
So he takes me from joint to joint.
After such a day I go to bed
And Ben Gay then helps me out.
What a life!!!

**

The preacher called the other day
And said at my age that I should
Be thinking about the hereafter.
I told him, "Oh well, that's good
Because I do, many times a day.
I think I'm getting dafter
No matter where I am, upstairs, or down
I think, 'What am I here after?'"

**

Growing Old Disgracefully according to Harry Enfield



That's all for now from Growing Old Disgracefully but there'll be more and we'd like to hear your G. O. D stories. Come on, spill the beans on yer granny!