General Chat

Hello Shirley

Hope you find an interest group at your local U3A that you would like to join. If not, once a member of your local U3A you may be able to attend meeting of other U3A groups nearby. Our local group is attached to about another five or six in the general area and I understand that you can attend if your group does not run certain activities. Or what about starting a family history group if one does not already exist! I only joined U3A at the beginning of the year - attended one family history group - and have been asked to help out with the beginners at the local library! You just never know where things will lead.

Good luck

Thank you Both

I am hoping to find a group within U3A that takes my interest

Janet
I checked the website and they do have my area but no address given , seems to be online rather than actual meets. No tel nos etc to enquire

Sounds promising though


:-)

Hello Shirley

It is nearly two years now since my husband passed away and I found it very difficult to go out any where on my own. I discovered a national widows group called the Jolly Dollies they have local branches across the country,here we meet for coffee and lunches and some groups organise theatre trips and mini breaks and the difference is you are all on the same journey and understand exactly what everyone else is going through.
check to see if they have a branch in your area
https://thejollydollies.com/FindYourNearest
and this is an article about the lady who set up the original group:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2729331/The-merry-widows-club-When-Yvonne-lost-husband-yearned-talk-REALLY-understood-grief-isolation-So-came-truly-life-enhancing-idea.html

Hi Shirley,

Some years ago after watching painting groups on Tv I decided to have a try myself.
I joined a C3A group which also had classes for sewing, card making, French or German and rambles.

I loved the painting and find it an interesting challenge- I was so engrossed I often forgot to go to bed and found morning had arrived lol.

The class members were all friendly and we would often get inspiration from one another.

Have a think about it Shirley, I had never done it until later years (still hopeless at drawing) but it is a hobby you can do from home at any time of the year.

PS. I enjoy watercolour

Thank you x

Hello Shirley
It is good to read you are getting out and about, it will do you good and as the weather gets better you may find other places to go to and meet new friends, enjoy.xx

Well done Shirley.........one step at a time. You could always google to see what is going on in your area - there may be something you fancy trying...... <3

That's good Shirley....you are doing well.you have made a start to socialising a bit,
It is hard when all your time has been caring for someone and not thinking of yourself.
<3 <3

Glad you've found somewhere to go. My mother once she started to make the effort found a whole new life open up.

You go girl. :-D

I have been to the local University of the Third Age monthly meeting a couple of weeks ago . When I went as a newbie a lady who was with the one signing you in asked if I knew anyone there and was going to introduce me to a member and sit me with them so I wouldn't be alone

Fortunately I had been talking to my next door neighbour and telling her I was going and she said I am a member if you want me to take you any time I can , I sat with her and her friend .

They have a weekly coffee morning at the local Dobie garden centre restaurant and I have been to a couple of them . Folks there are very friendly ,some don't go to the main monthly meeting but have joined some of the groups that are under the umbrella of the main society

I was invited to the local choir by one lady who belongs to it , maybe !!! I did belong to a choir as a teenager but not sure if I can sing now lol

Another lady does French conversation that I was interested in but they meet at each other's houses which I am not keen on at the moment as just had the lounge redecorated and a new carpet put down !! Am a bit of a fusspot with folks knowing its shoes off before they walk in the lounge .

So looks like it's U3A as they call themselves , and hopefully one of the groups that takes my fancy . They do outings too which would be nice providing my back doesn't protest at the walking . It needs more exercise which would be good for me :-D

That is a shame Shirley. I don't think people mean to be unkind, they just don't see beyond the ends of their noses, but well done on making the effort to get out on your own.

Where you live do you have a local newsletter or something similar that lists your local organisations? Maybe there is another sort of group that you could try - a lunch club or some sort of social club perhaps. They might be a bit friendlier. Or how about a garden group? Our local ones have some lovely outings and there are often people on their own who pair up for company for an hour or two.

Just carry on getting out when you can as I am sure your lovely Michael would want that for you. <3

I would go until my subs ended then tell them or write a letter explaining why I was leaving.

I joined a couple of things where unless you knew the groups you sat on your own, both times I explained why I no longer was going to go. I hope it meant other new people wouldn't feel cold shouldered.

Hope you're ok, getting out is a good idea.

:-) <3

Well went to the monthly meeting of local branch of Kent Family History last thursday

Have been a member for about six years and went to all the meetings and outings & many trips to London to Kew and the London Metropolton Archives and to the records office that held the bmds records in big ledgers from which you ordered certs there

WELL I couldn't attend the monthly meets for about 18 months because hubby wasn't safe to leave on his own but kept up with my subs . I went to the Nov meeting and said hi to members I remembered but got little reaction.

No dec meet cos of Christmas but the jan meeting was a bit ?? as didn't know many members .

Tried again last week but I sat on my own,no one talked to me even though i tried to instigate chat .

Think I will be giving it a miss from now on which is a shame

still early days Shirley - you'll get there - you're already on the right track

I kept Lawrence's dressing gown, ties and a cap - not sure why, just need to see the dressing gown hanging on the bedroom door

Well done Shirley, somebody is going to benefit and the charity is going to benefit and it sounds as if it is just what your hubby would have advised you to do. <3 <3 <3

Well done Shirley.
You will have great comfort in knowing you will be helping others by giving your husbands clothes to those in need and as you say, your husband would want that too.
Take care xx <3

Well took the bull by the horns and looked at the heavy jumpers we had in the second bedroom units, found too hubbies summer shorts and his winter long johns.

Bought em all out and inspected for being clean . Not a problem cos i kept an eye and said that needs to go in the wash !!!

Today i took up to the local Sense charity shop OH jackets ,about 8 of em, the heavy jumpers etc AND his Clarkes shoes and trainer shoes all in very good condition as hardly worn Was a boot full so needed help to unload .

told them i have more like his shirts and more jumpers and they said we will glad to have them when you are ready

signed to a Gift Aid form so they can reclaim tax on what they sell

Am OK with what I have passed on ,know hubby would be ok too and he would say well I cant wear em !!

He was a practicing Roman Catholic and went to mass every Sunday and supported both overseas and uk charities so I am comfortable this is what he would have wanted




<3 :-)

One step at a time. Our neighbour was widowed 2 years ago. Although I think she has given away the majority of his clothes, she's kept his fleece hanging in the hall, and his dressing giwn on the back of the bedroom door. It gives her comfort.

What ever is right for you.

That's good Shirley, keeping something important which holds the memory attached to it is probably something we all do, I kept my mum's red dress (worn the Christmas just before she died) for quite a while before realising that it would always be in my memory anyway and I could let it go to someone who would enjoy wearing it.

Do it at your own pace, but I do think it helps to let go of the things that are just 'there'. The memories never go even when the items connected to them have gone on to be useful to someone else.
:-)

Thank you , grandson went home Friday so have had a quiet weekend

Just pottered around and did some laundry on Saturday and put clean linen back on the spare bed

Cleared out the coats in the understairs cupboard and washed two of hubbies summer jackets ,
Made the decision to take all the jackets to the charity shop along with his shoes and trainers and some of his very heavy jumpers that he bought in Canada but hardly wore .

Was going to store but decided I could part with them

Eventually I wil keep one outfit of his and his caps and walking stiick but not ready yet to go that far .

So am moving forward slowly