Of course my hair looks nice, Ms Platell. It’s a wig!
Was amanda Platell being deliberately unkind, humorous or simply patronising in commenting on Esther Rantzen (Mail)? What’s wrong with wearing a wig? Many people more famous than Ms Platell wear them — and they aren’t shy about admitting it. I’m one of the many thousands of women in this country who wear wigs because of illness, genetics or, in my case, years of thyroid problems. I’m not embarrassed about it — if someone says my hair looks nice, my usual rejoinder is: ‘That’s probably because it’s a wig!’ and what about Botox? Cosmetic surgery? Orthodontics? should we feel shame in trying to look our best? I’m 82, I walk the dog twice a day, do a mean rumba and can still rock ’n’ roll flat out for three-and-a-half minutes. Fortunately, I don’t give tuppence about what others think of my appearance or what I do to maintain it. Good luck, Esther!
DOROTHY ALLISTER, South Shields, Tyne and Wear. Why can’t older folk just enjoy being idle any more (Letters)? The short answer is because they don’t want to be. I’m 76, work full-time for myself, and have done so for the past 55 years. I still dance three times a week with my husband, who is a church-bell ringer and does a little accountancy work for a local tradesman. We’re both active members of our local church and belong to several local organisations. and we grow quite a lot of soft fruit, most of which I make into jam, which is given away. Fortunately, we’re in reasonably good health, apart from the usual aches and pains, but I accept that the time may come when we won’t be able to do these things. Until then, I hope to continue doing what I now do — and most of my friends feel the same way. Perhaps it’s because we live in the North-West, where the colder climate gives us more energy to lead an active life.
Mrs M.A. POTTS, Macclesfield, Cheshire.