Thatcher: A Miner joke turns B Flat

MIXED MEMORIES: Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in October 2007 Wikipedia

TWO OF A KIND: Ronald Reagan, who showed signs of Alzheimer's while President of the USA, with his great friend and fan Margaret Thatcher Wikipedia

MARGARET THATCHER DIES - live reaction and updates, according to The Guardian blog today. Notice the wit and irony, eh?

I wasn't a fan but she was certainly a woman who could not be ignored. The flurry of minor/miner jokes are a little too predictable, though, as were puns about strokes and strikes, but I do think the bedroom tax gags were topical and amusing.

Brace yourselves for wall-to-wall coverage about the legendary politician until her funeral at St Paul's Cathedral in London. I won't bore you with my two-penneth worth but Fenland fiddle-faddle is concerned with dementia because of the impact my mother-in-law's illness has had on our family. So here is a statement from Jeremy Hughes, the chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society (http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/):

"It was well known that Baroness Thatcher had dementia during the last years of her life.  Dementia is caused by brain diseases; the most common are Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. One in three people over 65 will develop dementia but for too long dementia has been kept in the shadows and families have been left to struggle alone.  

"Today, up and down the country people will be sharing memories of Baroness Thatcher. At this time we hope people will also reflect on the impact dementia can have on a person’s life.  By speaking openly about the effects of the condition, we will begin to tackle some of the stigma that still surrounds dementia and ensure that everyone gets the support they deserve."