More thoughts from up the ladders.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I'm not sure that this is really the place but then again, it's as good as any and better than most. I'm also sure most of you will forgive me for meandering off-track somewhat.

Anyway, I had a visitor at the Towers today which is quite unusual in itself but probably more unusual was the fact that my visitor was Terry Jones - yes, that Terry Jones. I knew he hadn't been well but was a little taken a back by his condition. We chatted as best we could before he went for a short walk in the forest.

After he'd left and I returned to my ladders I couldn't help but think about him. He's a man who's known fame and celebrity for a long time. He's had a life that I'm sure many would envy or at least aspire to yet here he was on a Bank holiday watching a bloke point a wall while listening to Body Count and unable to say more than two words. It made me think how illness, accident and life in general has no respect for status or standing. Anything, both good and bad can befall anyone at any time and when people say 'lifes too short' it really is. All those things that you want to do but keep putting off - don't because sooner or later you won't be able to simply pick up the pieces and start where you left off.

Sorry if that sounds like a blindingly obvious thing to have said but my visitor really brought it home to me. You'll also be glad to know I've finished pointing for the minute

[In Reverse]

listening to Body Count and unable to say more than two words.

If the two words he'd been able to say were actually "body count" then he'd have been absolutely fine to be fair.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I'm sure the only two words he'd pick up from listening to Body Count would be f*cker and mother

[ton]

life is a proper bastard sometimes.
the trick is to try and be a harder bastard. keep getting up, keep going forward.

[voodoo_simon]

The last few weeks have made me think of this. My dad had an operation to remove prostrate cancer a few weeks ago and it made me realise what you have.

A day before his operation, unless he told you, you wouldn't of known he was ill, he was chasing after my 3 year old daughter and waiting on her on her beck n call!

My daughter is pretty quick witted for a three year old and normally gives some friendly banter after towards him but a week after the op, even she was feeling sorry for my dad He was grey, very pale and looking fragile.

Anyways, fast forward three weeks and my dad is now thankful he can walk a few miles to and from the shop. He's getting better by the day, so all good.

It does make you think though as the future.

Carpe diem as my old music teacher used to say

[Wotsits]

Wise words Stu..

[GregMay]

Agree Stu, watching my father going downhill with Parkinsons and then having a stroke which killed him made me realise a few things:

1) He'd have been happier having a stroke and dying than the downfall of Parkinsons.
2) "Living" with a condition which decays your ability to keep your mind and body going as one cohesive unit is not the way I want to exist.
3) Having money in the bank and doing nothing with, then dying, is utterly pointless.

Pretty much changed my outlook on the world 4 years ago. Now, I just do things, say things, worry about the future when it arrives.

[Bearbonesnorm]

watching my father going downhill with Parkinsons

At times the only thing I've had of any value is the ability to think creatively ... losing it is one of the few things that properly scares me.

[Richard G]

Pretty much changed my outlook on the world 4 years ago. Now, I just do things, say things, worry about the future when it arrives.

Probably about 5 years since my world was rocked in a similar manner, and it completely changed my outlook.

I went from wasting my life to pretty much always having something to do / look forward to. I guess at least we could take something positive out of adversity.

[GregMay]

Pretty much changed my outlook on the world 4 years ago. Now, I just do things, say things, worry about the future when it arrives.

Probably about 5 years since my world was rocked in a similar manner, and it completely changed my outlook.

I went from wasting my life to pretty much always having something to do / look forward to. I guess at least we could take something positive out of adversity.

Definitely. There is always a positive to everything. Even if it is just learning not to let it happen again.

[Mike]

Im guessing its only me who is asking who terry jones is then?

[jay91]

Im guessing its only me who is asking who terry jones is then?

And me just had Google the actor?

[PaulB2]

Im guessing its only me who is asking who terry jones is then?

And me just had Google the actor?

Sigh, the youth of today...

[jay91]

Im guessing its only me who is asking who terry jones is then?

And me just had Google the actor?

Sigh, the youth of today...

[Richard G]

I am sort of interested as to how he found himself there though. Previous connection?

[pistonbroke]

Terry Jones has lived in Dylife for many years, if you've ridden the WRT or one of the other events starting from BB towers, it's likely that you've ridden quite close to his house. He is/was also a fairly regular drinker at the Star Inn,the pub that welcomes BB riders now it's under new ownership.
There, saved you a job Stu!

[Bearbonesnorm]

am sort of interested as to how he found himself there though. Previous connection?

Only sort of?

I'd like to say that he'd heard on the internet how cool 'boners were and after years of searching he'd finally tracked down their secret lair deep within the hidden forest and wanted to see if he could join cycling's elite force but the truth is, he's got a place in the next valley.

Terry Jones has lived in Dylife for many years

Close but not quite Duncan

[Lawmanmx]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOuWWzP7wl0

get him on Keto Stu.

[whitestone]

You're very naughty boys!

Neurodegeneration is pretty worrying as you become a prisoner in your own mind. I know one person who developed Alzheimer's in her early 60s, within a year or so she couldn't recognise her children. I last met her about 6 months before the condition started and there was simply no indication (to me as a non-specialist) that there was anything untoward.

[psling]

I am sort of interested as to how he found himself there though. Previous connection?

Probably searching for the holy grail (or a killer rabbit)...

[ericrobo]

It is... ( or seems...?) very tragic and very sad...

I remember a friend of mine whose father had Alzheimer's and ordered his wife of many years to "go now or the neighbours will be talking"

He thought she was the cleaner who had come for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

She protested that she was his wife but he said if she didn't leave he would call the police ! And he did - pity the poor police.

How can you come to terms with any of this ?

Probably not but in my struggle for something....

I've been buying indoor cyclamen recently - such beautiful flowers but after a couple of weeks "pourquoi les fleurs se fanent, meurent, et disparaissait".... (it's the wine, Sicilian.. )

"Why do the flowers fade, die, and disappear "

So in that sense the deterioration of the frontal lobe cells is just part of the bigger process... and the only thing that can be done is acceptance.... (we can kick and scream but nature just does its thing)

Whether the mind is capable of acceptance in that situation ? Or does the mind feel the pain and tragedy that it is ?

I don't know but I do know that acceptance makes the jobby easier...

Thanks for posting this Stu - I'm definitely about to try the Deeside Trail now ( but starting from Blair Atholl, less driving) after reading this - probably start next week (wc Sept 4th or if weather crap a week later)

And perhaps remember: "Always look on the bright side of life"

https://youtu.be/jHPOzQzk9Qo

[ZeroDarkBivi]

In the last fortnight two incredibly inspiring colleagues of mine have died from chronic illness in their fifties. Both of them where extra-ordinarily talented modern adventurers; the sort of people who, like Mike, raise the bar of what is humanly possible, and can overcome anything. It is very sobering, but at least they led the fullest of lives, more than most people would dream of.

[Jurassic pusher]

Always look on the bright side of Dylife.
Sorry couldn`t help it!

[giryan]

That's so sad, but there is definite brightness on the horizon, for Alzheimer's and quite a few of the similar degenerative brain diseases. Alzheimer's is being shown to be caused by the brain becoming insulin resistant, and so cells are basically starving, but there are ways to fix it, and studies showing dramatic improvements for people.

[Bearbonesnorm]

In the interests of clarity, I perhaps should just point out that from what I believe, Terry Jones is suffering from the effects of a stroke.