I am attempting to write a book (no plug) about facing up to ‘ballooning longevity’, what measure countries are taking and choices for old people. At the same time I have taken various ‘themes’ over my 80 years since the end of WW2, and, trying to judge, objectively and dispassionately, whether humanity has gained, because living longer poses more problems than blessings.

The themes are: My parents’ marriage, my father’s bird business, Sicily, My writing, Animals, Agriculture, Gardening, Cartoonists, Food and Books. Cartoonists proved a delight. I focused on Giles and his anarchic family. Every cartoon was a picture, they are history, not a major event goes un-noticed. My favourite, perhaps because the US dominates all the news at the moment, was a State Visit by President Eisenhower. They are approaching Balmoral. Vast line of armoured vehicles, outrider motor-cycles. Small path leading to the river. Convoy stopped, Military Police on guard. A photographer emerges from the path, with fishing nets round his neck. Caption, to fellow photographer: ‘Watch your step, Hank, hostile native down there, fishing’. Probably Prince Philip or the Queen Mother. Charlie Brown and all the other characters are psychological studies in themselves.

My parents’ marriage led into marital problems. They were very unhappy but no chance of divorce, or money to live apart. Now, we can marry or not, the little gold band almost meaningless. Yet here on Moodscope we hear so much of people who have stayed in ‘toxic’ relationships for many unhappy years. So, improvements in relationships gets a thumbs down.

So many of the themes raise furious polemics. Agriculture seems to have been, still is, the worst sufferer. From after the war we were encouraged to grow more food, by any means. We had; Dig for Victory’ in the war. We were successful – too successful. Arguments rage, get rid of cows, methane, get rid of sheep, cause erosion. Organic farming, great, but it cannot feed the world. With agriculture automatically comes climate change, now on a back burner. So, progress we have, but endless polemics, another thumbs down.

Food is another huge area for argument – also I find very sad. The so-called ‘developed’ countries have never been so well fed and such a choice of food. But obesity is a major cause of death, and a huge cost to medical services. We are lectured, badgered, endlessly got at by governments and our doctors, eat less, better, 5 fruit and veg a day, less sugar, more exercise. But exercise demands will power, people LIKE burgers, chips, chocolate, cake. So, humanity benefits from food? A lot of the world is starving, thumbs down.

So, not just for my pseudonym, the big vote goes to gardening. Gardeners World and others persuade us to grow anything, anywhere, roofs, walls, ugly corners, communal gardens. Garden centres are Meccas. Of course gardening gets my vote. Can YOU help ME to take a more positive attitude?

The Gardener

A Moodscope member