Some South Woodford scribbles from DD, our resident diarist and observer of all things local. Illustrated by Evelyn Rowland
My friend, Audrey, was 80 last week. Her son gave her a new wetsuit, ready for the start of the competitive kayaking season. This stunning information prompted me to wonder about the hobbies and pastimes of my fellow shoppers in E18. Are there any amateur tightrope walkers in the queue at Sainsbury’s? Or part-time taxidermists, perhaps? I set out to investigate today.
Fred has been joyfully making and flying model aeroplanes for 15 years with no problems or accidents. “Of course, as you get older, you are limited by eyesight; you lose track of where the plane is!” Hassain loves a game of five-a-side, but with two very young sons, it can only be an occasional treat. Stefan didn’t hesitate: “Football is Life for me with a capital L, playing and watching.” Yes, he was a West Ham supporter.
Elaine and Jill were enjoying a coffee in the sunshine. Soon, Elaine was sharing her passion for car-boot sales. “I get out at the crack of dawn to be sure of the best bargains. But it’s the socialising, the chatting, the open air and exercise, often lovely views to be had from a field out in the country. I was in Cambridge last week. Bought a beautiful new sofa.”
“It was volunteering that helped me through Covid,” said Jill. “Fostering guide dogs. Normally, those that had failed their training and needed looking after till they were rehomed as pets. Some were ‘buddy dogs’, not reliable enough to guide adults safely, but with sweet temperaments, ideal for placement in a family that included a child with sight-loss. The child would learn to feel happy with a dog; good preparation for possibly relying on one later in life.”
Sixth-former Matt was on his lunch break. “I used to love skateboarding. Got very skilled at it. Then I broke my arm and my wrist. That’s history now!” Phil has been into martial arts for 47 years. His job has gone on to be his hobby. He trains every morning, Chinese and Filipino exercise systems combined. “I don’t jump about and spin as I did in my younger days. Too dangerous. I’m just going to speak to a women’s coffee morning, advising them on fitness and self-defence. There is a circle round each of us. If you are arguing with someone across the road you can still feel safe. But if you are disagreeing with a tall, strong man standing close-up, you will have good reason to be scared.”
Young Sue was queueing at Barclays. “Oh! Travel! That’s my big thing! The more distant and the more exotic, the better. That’s where all my pocket money goes: Costa Rica, Fiji, Polynesia.” Peter stopped for a chat at my garden gate. “My hobbies and pastimes? Well, I play badminton twice a week. Lift weights every day. I’ve got a mini gym in the garage. I’ve had two hip replacements, one six months ago, the other six months before that. The surgeon said: ‘That’ll be the end of your badminton playing, won’t it?’ ‘What?’ I said, I’ve had the hip ops so that it won’t be!” Peter is 87.
Elegant Jo is a collector: but it’s not stamps or book matches or coins. She collects random, single playing cards. (Honestly, I’m not making this up!) “I cover a lot of pavement. I love walking. I pick up cards from all over the world. About four a year. The Philippines, Bali, Rio, wherever. If I find a whole pack I choose one card only, but without looking first. That would be cheating. Some cards are muddy. That doesn’t disqualify them. Occasionally pornographic. Ditto. In some countries, the jokers are truly works of art. I started in 1986 and now I have only the 10 of hearts left to find. The last of the 52. One of my friends asked me: ‘If you do ever find the 10 of hearts and it has poo on it, what will you do?’ To be honest, deep down, I don’t really want to find it, mucky or not. I love the thrill of the chase.”
Aylin is just 21 but admits she ‘prefers the older ways of doing things’. “My fiancé and I, we have challenged ourselves. Each year we take ourselves off to a different borough in Wales. We want to visit them all in turn. We shed our phones. We book a cottage for a week, completely remote. No-one around. Just greenery, maybe a few cows and sheep. All of us human beings need to experience this sort of lifestyle, right away from social media, the constant pull of the electronic world. Right away from everything. Really encountering each other. Genuinely recreative. We strongly recommend it.”
Alex has ‘a really full-on hobby’. As he describes it, I get the impression it’s almost a kind of meditative process but sensuous and with indulgent, pleasure-filled refreshment thrown in. Smoking meat very slowly – maybe six hours – on the barbecue. “Sitting, lounging comfortably, probably a glass in hand, perhaps intermittent conversation with a friend. Infusing the meat with amazingly varied flavours according to the choice of woodchips. The sweet, smoky taste. Sometimes, a bowl of fruit juice adding its aroma. Endless possibilities.”
Bob didn’t hesitate. “For me, it’s films. I go to the cinema at least three times a week. It’s the bigger picture. It’s escapism. No interruptions. It’s how I feel about reading a good book; you don’t want to put it down; you want to read it through in one sitting. I say to people, do what you love doing. I’ve no time for snobbery or elitism. Just because you love opera, it doesn’t mean you won’t thoroughly enjoy going to the dog tracks. I relish both. Yes, do what you love doing, I say. And if you are in a job that you love too, as I am, you are amongst the most fortunate of people.”
To contact DD with your thoughts or feedback, email dd@swvg.co.uk
