Since I divulged my age in a recent article, I have been near inundated with age-related mail, phone calls, and conversation, some serious, some humorous, from far and not so far. As a matter of fact, my chuckle bucket near runneth over.
Here is a clipping tucked within a birthday card, out of which I know my Little Lady, having watched the legendary movie The Sound of Music several times over (it first hit the theatres in our early 20s), would have definitely gotten a chuckle or two.
Sing these lyrics to the tune of My Favourite Things.
“Botox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favourite things.
“Cadillacs and cataracts, hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favourite things.
“When the pipes leak,
When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favourite things,
And then I don’t feel so bad.
“Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favourite things.
“Back pain, confused brain and no need for sinnin’,
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin’,
And we won’t mention our short, shrunken frames,
When we remember our favourite things.
“When the joints ache,
When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I’ve had,
And I don’t feel so bad.”
Now, I don’t expect your singing voice to match actress and vocalist Julie Andrews, who reportedly sang this commemorating her 69th birthday at Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall.
But I see no reason not to share her clever wit and humour.
Go for it.
Sing along.
Take care, ‘cause we care.
barrie@barriehopkins.ca
519-986-4105