I can't seem to find a way.
can the font in nextstart menu be changed (enlarged)
the eyes ain't what they used to be

Yes, but it might not be as linear as you would like it to be, since you're already entering the realm of application skinning.

1 - Open NextSTART Preferences.
2 - Navigate to the Appearence Preferences tab.
3 - Click on the Menu Buttons button.
4 - In the Button Text section change the font size.
5 - Depending on the theme, you might also have to adjust the height of each menu 'button', in the Button Metrics section, so the new font size fits.
6 - Press Ok to close the dialog.
7 - Go to the Themes Management tab and click on the Save button. This last step is necessary to make sure the changes you've just made to the current theme are not lost when you switch themes.

Hope this helps,

That was exactly what i needed.
thx a lot.