Simonne Dermaux, 98, shares her story below…
Walking inside after milking the cows, I could barely feel my fingers. My family were Belgian farmers with cows, sheep, goats and pigs.
It was winter 1940, a year into World War II, and I was just 13 years old.
I always loved living on the land, but the war meant resources were scarce for my 11 siblings and me.
“Will you help me make some clothes out of our sheep’s wool?” Mum asked me.
“Of course,” I said.
That’s when I learned how to knit and crochet.
I started with a chain stitch scarf, then I moved on to gloves and blankets.
Before long, I graduated to socks, jumpers and even undies! As I grew older, I never went anywhere without a ball of yarn on me.
Read more: Why I do yoga in the nude
At 26, I married a Belgian man and, soon after, we moved overseas together.
There we found jobs picking tobacco and working in a restaurant.
Although the marriage didn’t last, we had two beautiful children and I maintained a simple life close to the land.
When I retired, I moved onto the hobby farm belonging to my daughter, Monique, 55.
One day in 2016, Monique burst into my house, roaring with laughter. She showed me a video of people doing yoga with goats.
“It’s called goat yoga,” she grinned.
“I want to run it on the farm. Our town will love it!”
Monique was a yoga instructor and had my love of farming, but I never imagined she’d combine the two!
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“Oh, how unique,” I said, trying to understand it.
Monique got two baby goats, a light brown one named Firestone and a black one named Ruth Bader Goatsburg.
“Ruth’s named after the American Supreme Court judge,” Monique explained, “because her black fur looks like a judge’s robe.”
“Then she needs a collar,” I quipped.
I got some white yarn and crocheted her a collar that the real Ruth Bader Ginsburg would have envied.
Of course I had to make a pink one for Firestone, too, so she didn’t get jealous!
To my amazement, goat yoga was a hit and soon everyone wanted a photo taken with the frilly kids.
In June 2024, Monique closed the goat yoga business, but I’ve stayed busy volunteering.
I knit items for people experiencing homelessness and I also run a group that knits tiny jumpers for premature babies.
Our knitting gang ranges from women my age to men in their 30s.
I tell the men they keep me young, so they’re my honorary boyfriends!
In October 2025, Monique posted a video of my goat collars on TikTok.
To her delight, it racked up millions of views.
I don’t know what it means, but I’m happy to make people smile.
My advice for a long and happy life is go for walks, drink plenty of water, enjoy a good whisky and keep the company of younger men.
Life’s far too short to lose your cheeky spirit!
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