The messsage from Barbara Yacos could not have been sent on a more
appropriate day when Charles and Di were officially divorced and Di was
divested of her Royal Highness title.And so dear Barbara if you want to find
out more from Di about the village you no longer have to curtsy and say Ma'm
or in your words 'bow and scrape' and can with impunity greet her by saying
'Hi Di'without risking being frog marched to the Tower of London and
suffering the ultimate  penalty for disrespect.Yes we still have a few old
fashioned customs here even if we are a washout at the Olympics.Talking
about washouts if your are thinking of visiting this week - don't- it's
raining.I'm not certain by the way that Di is still patron of the Parkinson
Disease Society.She has resigned from most of her official positions no
doubt to concentrate on learning how to manage on her measly fifteen million
severance packet small fry to what I suspect someone like Ivana Trump got.I
digress.

Lying awake last night during the witching hour my imagination began to run
riot.Was there really a Parkinson village - a whole village inhabited only
by Parkies - a sort of Parkinson list in the flesh? It would have to be in
the depths of the English countryside.There would be lots of picturesque
cottages with thatched rooves and roses growing over the walls-gardens full
of hollyhocks lupins and foxgloves; neat little vegetable patches devoted to
growing Broad(Faba) beans.Neighbours would greet each other with little
remarks like 'Come in and have some of my cyder vinegar- it's very good for
cramp.Or 'There is a new man moved in to Honeysuckle cottage - you wouldn't
think he has Parkinsons - mind you they say he is up to 3000mg a day.He'll
pay for it one day mark my words ' Yes, gossip woould be rife. In the
village hall there would be something going on every day  - on Sunday a
constipation forum hosted by Dr Block( limited seating- bring your own
stools).Tuesday morning Tai Chi classes. The village pub aptly called - wait
for it  -yes - 'The Parkinson Arms' would have a cheery 'On Bar' and a more
sedate 'Off Bar'. It would be noted for it's Pub Grub particularly it's 'All
day protein free breakfast' and it's Faba bean soup naturally only to be
eaten outside weather permitting.

There would be frequent jollifications on the village green including wheel
chair racing and attemps to beat the record for the slowest 100m yard
sprint. The village stocks would  be revived and unhelpful neurologists
pelted with rotten fruit.The village elders would discourage computers and
Internet access to the listserver so that villagers would be distracted from
participating in the communal life.

Where I mused was this Parkinson paradise? Must be in middle England not far
from Stratford on Avon right on the tourist route and might it not attract
flocks of visitors to view the curious inhabitants just like the Amish
settlements.Suddenly I began to think of the  commercial possibilities and
the opportunities to raise money for Parkinson research.And then with a
flash of inspiration I remembered that William Shakespeare was borne in
Stratford and might it not be possible to proove that he suffered from
Parkinsons disease.After all scholars studying the texts of his plays had
come up with all sorts of weird and wonderful theories - that he had not
written the plays , that he was gay, that he was an extra terrestial being
etc etct. It might sound
stupid of me but it was only at this point that I suddenly realized that the
main clue to the Bard being one of us was in his name William SHAKE spear.As
we all know there appears to be some hereditary element in the cause of
Parkinsons.One of his ancestors was no doubt standing spear in line waiting
to repell an attack by savages from Ireland,Scotland or Wales and his hand
was shaking not through fear but because the poor guy had early onset
Parkinsons. His mates would have taunted him 'Look ye there-Will shakes
spear'And so the name stuck.I am sure there must be some Shakespeare
scholars on this highly intelligent list who can come up with some
quotations further proving the point.And maybe John Cottingham could be
persuaded to write one of his brilliant programmes for searching Shakespeare
on CD Rom for key words.And if the connection could be shown what an asset
the Bard would be to the Parkinson cause because he is truly immortal and
translated into  over 50 languages;worth at least 100 Alis or Billie Grahams.

Whether this flight of fancy came through drug induced hallucinations,or
indigestion after pigging out on to much cheese after a protein free day, I
cannot tell but hopefully it has not caused any offence and in the cold
light of day I have to report that Di has indeed resigned as patron of the
Parkinson Society .Although the society do not appear to have a village they
have recently opened a residential home with 19 beds.

Looking forward to meeting up in the 'On Bar' of the Parkinson Arms.

David Langridge




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>JG - I wrote something about  the PD village concept two-three weeks ago.
> Vern probably has a copy.  I don't keep stuff as I never can find files
>anyway.  As well, I was on a PD village tangent over a year ago and generated
>a lot of positive feedback.  Of course I don't have that file either.  I'll
>bet old John Cottingham would work up a neat folder for us.  I've also been
>nagging people in England to send details on their Manchester PD Village -
>particularly Simon Coles whose father was involved with the Brit's PD Society
>and saw the PD village to fruition.   Simon never answers me as I didn't bow
>and scrape in regards Princess Di - who was the PD society's patron, and may
>still be. Maybe I'll get in touch with her.
>
>It bothers me that we have five or more PD organizations in the USA and the
>PD village concept actually was built and is working in a country with ONE PD
>organization.  Go figure!!??
>
>Anybody out there going to the UK this fall?  Might be worth a trip to check
>this PD village.
>
>Barbara Yacos, RN
><[log in to unmask]>
>
>