Baby Boomer Blues
En route to visit She Who Must sing, the awful truth struck me suddenly in the middle of my lumber vertebra. The suitcase that I had been hoisting with great ease and dexterity for the last twenty years, suddenly caught me in a vice like grip of pain. And what's more .. there is now a blind and frantic grapple for the specs as I am no longer able to read signs of any description, due to some sudden strange eye disease that I have contracted !!
Worst of all those expensive creams I have been purchasing for my face are now failing to smooth out the lines until at least midday and a thick layer of subcutaneous fat is rapidly encompassing my middle from below my bust to just above my knees.
The horrid truth has finally dawned -- the dreadful things they have been saying about the Baby Boomers, have at last arrived !!
We Baby Boomers, according to the fundis, were born anywhere between 1946 and 1964.
Caused of course by the elation of victory and large numbers of returning troops to their country after the end of World War II thus triggering off a baby boom.
In those days most Rhodesians were fighting for King and country as a colony of Britain, and both my Mum and Dad were in the British Royal Airforce stationed at Kumalo Airport in Bulawayo. Hence Baby Boomers abound in Zim today.
Whatever year we were born, we Boomers came of age at the same time across the world, so that while Britain was undergoing Beatlemania ...... people in the United States were driving over to Woodstock, organizing against the Vietnam War, or fighting and dying in the same war.
18 year old Boomers in Italy were dressing in mod clothes and "buying the world a Coke", boomers in India were seeking new philosophical discoveries, American boomers in Canada had just found a new home after escaping the draft south of the border, and boomers in Mexico were discovering new hallucinogenic drugs and rediscovering old ones.
Boomers in Zimbabwe didn't even know about the term Boomer and were not doing anything special except enjoying ourselves as normal healthy teenagers !!
Every day hundreds of thousands of the baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, celebrate their 60th birthdays. The very earliest Boomers (if you do your maths) are hitting seventy next year !! And thousands of them are finding, as I have found, that we are not as infallible as we always thought we were !!
The art of Travelling to Hee Hoo and to me, had become second nature, easy almost, but suddenly the jet lag takes longer to shake off, and whereas before we were iron-men travellers now we feel like dented pieces of luggage after a long haul flight.
Suddenly instead of drinking champagne and watching the movies all night long, we are drinking water and doing exercises to try and avoid DVT .... Gone are the days when we could haul huge amounts of luggage across the concourse, now we have to settle for lightweight luggage and a couple of ibuprofen beforehand !!
And then of course there is all that vulnerability to those germs that lurk around in aeroplanes, trying to keep those little nasties at bay takes a whole suitcase full of unguents and medications.
Oh the joys of being a Baby Boomer !!
Those halcyon days are gone now, when HeeHoo and I would backpack across soggy foggy Ireland, when we would find comfort and joy sleeping on a wooden bed in freezing cold spartan mountain huts with only a sleeping bag and a pair of hiking boots, and we would often drive, seven of us, in a tiny un airconditioned car, across deserts for three days !!
These days I love my private space and turned-down percale sheets. I yearn for that occasional upgrade to business class, I love having porters to carry my luggage, I look for the elevators and not the stairs in airports and hotels.
As we geriatric Boomers approach our middle age, will it still be 19 hour long hauls across the world's various oceans from now on to visit the fledglings who have fled the nest, or will we have to resort to compression stockings and cruises
But excuse me, its time for my nap...
WATCHDOG
LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE
Queen Elizabeth Children's House is appealing for assistance. Due to the heavy rains part of the durawall has collapsed . We are looking for durawall panels. Kindly contact the Administrator on landline 60753 or cell 0771 976 077 or visit our home.
OLD MUTUAL HEATH STREAK CRICKET ACADEMY TRUST
4th Extension Ave, 7th Street, Suburbs, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Email: heathstreakacademy@gmail.com
OLD MUTUAL HEATH STREAK CRICKET ACADEMY TRUST REQUIRES AN EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATOR CUM COACH
Old Mutual Heath Streak Cricket Academy Trust urgently requires a young, professional, sincere, hard-working and dedicated Administrator who could independently manage this prestigious institution with passion and enthusiasm. Knowledge on cricket coaching and accounting would be an added benefit. The Administrator would report directly to the CEO.
Kindly email your CV to heathstreakacademy@gmail.com
Shortlisted candidates would be called for an interview immediately.
The Old Mutual Heath Streak Cricket Academy Trust is a non-profit making institution striving for excellence in sport. Established in 2012 the renowned institution boasts of a luscious green grass cricket field, state-of-the-art floodlit net practice area, fully equipped Health Club, Fitness Centre and Sport Massage Parlor, Coffee Shop & Restaurant serving healthy dietary delicacies, WI FI and other recreational facilities for parents, Junior Sports Field, Swimming, Soccer, Karate, Kick Boxing and Rugby Academies at the venue, in an atmosphere and ambience unparalleled to any other sporting facility in Zimbabwe. There is no doubt that Zimbabweans are already witnessing the fruits of our labor seeing children from less privileged environments stand up to the challenge and compete at par with those coming from more affluent background.
In-spite of the serious financial crises and economic slow-down the nation has been facing, Heath Streak International Cricket Trust has made giant strides in the growth and development of cricket in Zimbabwe.
The Academy offers talented youth and those with a desire to LEARN, the opportunity to showcase their abilities with the hopes that they may perhaps one day represent their School, Club, Province or Country with pride, determination and above all - a SMILE.
With a genuine intent and desire to shape a brighter world for the children of Zimbabwe, the Academy employs professional coaches capable of providing leadership, direction and quality programmes that result in the development of the game at the grassroots level, producing young cricket stars ripe for the International stage 5 years from now. Youth Cricket has grown tremendously over the last few years. The development agenda focusing on age groups structure adopted by the Heath Streak Academy has been very successful and more local Zimbabweans are being attracted to the game. Our age-group teams U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U17 and U18 levels have been winning International tournaments with great distinction. The Academy is very passionate about the sport and our aim is to ensure that our talented cricketers have the very best opportunities and a first class future which will help Zimbabwe regain her past sporting glory. The Academy nominates players to attend provincial age-group trials relevant to ability and potential. We expose our cricketers with cricketing interests, knowledge and methodologies that can be utilized to develop a high level of professionalism.
The Academy hosts its prestigious flagship Under-15 cricket tournament brand - 'The President's Afro-Asia Cricket Cup' featuring various African & Asian nations annually. The popular tournament has been growing in leaps and bounds and is destined to turn into an Under 15 Cricket World Cup in the coming years.
The Academy inspires and motivates the girl-child to get involved in playing cricket and engage in outreach programmes to support young talented girls to train and coach at the Academy.
The Academy inspires corporate conglomerates and business houses to incorporate sport and education into their community responsibility programs.
Heath Streak International Cricket Tours offer talented youngsters immense International exposure, helps develop their potential to the fullest, strengthens their abilities and mental strength to play in tough and challenging conditions and enhances their overall personality. Coaches are offered the opportunity to LEARN and improvise on their coaching skills, abilities and techniques.