Challenging times

10th November
Our local WI craft group held a meeting this afternoon at which we set about planning the activities for the next few months.We are toying with the idea of doing some quilling and a bit of decoupage and also visiting some craft venues too.The main topic was what to do for this sampler for 2010 for which the Bucks Federation has asked every Bucks WI to contribute a page, rather like the County page in the Millennium book or the Book of Banners.The latter may be viewed at Stuart Lodge in High Wycombe or WIs can request it for display at one of the WI meetings. There is always the craft basket down there as well which is of interest to members and may be loaned.Anyway, we want to identify the main features of our town on our sampler but it is going to be difficult to fit everything on to one page especially with the inclusion of the name. Members are already sizing up little sketches and imagining the use of different crafts.
12th November
I attended the Annual Meeting of a troubled WI today. It is so sad when personal feuds infiltrate a WI. Private disagreements should not become public property and disrupt the activities of any WI but it does occasionally happen.Nowhere in the WI constitution does it say that anyone is voted on to a committee for more than one year: it is not a life sentence! It is for this reason that it is always best to go through the nomination procedure even if the outcome is probably a foregone conclusion. A president usually welcomes an election because it re-affirms that the members want her back; if she has had her doubts, she sees that she has been chosen, not just landed with the job.Every member has the right to serve on the committee and, once a committee member, has the right to stand as president.
13th November
The meeting of the Education and Current Affairs subcommittee was held today. We spent a long time conducting a review of the Eat, think and be Healthy evening which was quite hectic but seems to have been popular. Certainly it was good to be able to keep the entrance fee down, thanks to obtaining a small grant to help with the costs of hiring the hall and speakers.The visit to Dorney Lake had been successful too. Other events planned in the future sound promising but I am not sure whether modern technology has speeded up communication as heralded. We still spend ages waiting for replies from speakers or organisations which complicates the long run in to events which publicity in the Federation Monthly Letter demands. Either the notices appear too far in advance or we are accused of leaving it too late.
18th November
Every year the WI Shop takes to the road and is set up in some member's house, one South one North. These are pleasant events as members share a cup of coffee or tea and a mincepie and chat while choosing Christmas cards and gifts. There were fewer people attending in the North this time which was rather disappointing but quite a lot of sales were made.This is a chance for members who never visit the WI shop at Stuart Lodge to see what is available in greater comfort than down there.It is a case of use it or lose it, I'm afraid.
19th November
Cheddington village hall today for a talk called "In the steps of Darwin", except it wasn't! A Chairman's worst nightmare is when a speaker doesn't turn up or in this case double books. Anyway the meeting went ahead with a photographer showing wonderful pictures of wildlife in Africa.Everyone could see the vibrant colours of the birds and the close-ups of cheetahs and zebras as the photos were beautiful.I think the committee did very well to find such an excellent substitute at such short notice.I hope we will not receive too many grumbles because of the change of subject. It is impossible to phone round every WI to warn them when there is only 24 hours notice.
21st November
This evening it was the turn of the local WI to organise an evening of fundraising in the form of a quiz. We had 14 teams booked in from WIs, The Lions and golf clubs and a very professional quizmaster was in charge. I think he over-estimated our depth of general knowledge as lots of the questions were challenging. However, these quizzes are very popular round here so we didn't want easy repeat questions, did we?Well done to the winners who won by half a point--which was a surprise as I didn't think there were any half points! The members produced delicious desserts as advertised, the bar did well and there was a happy atmosphere--no fights but a lot of good natured banter between the teams.Next year we will do something different and try to entice the townspeople to come along and support us again as they usually do.We are grateful for the help given by husbands moving tables and generally carting boxes and dishes about.We billed it as a fun evening and I think it was.