New life

29th October
It was the last committee meeting before the Annual Meeting tonight so there was a lot of planning to do. Sometimes we have a glass of wine or snacks at the Annual Meeting to try to sugar the pill of so much business but I think we have left it too late this year. The programme for next year is organised and looks interesting and varied. We now need to thread in some competitions which are vaguely relevant to the subjects. There has been a marked improvement in the number of entries recently so we will continue to hold them.Looking back, the worst problem we have experienced is the way in which members happily sign up for tickets to County events and then receive "better offers" and think they can just cancel.One doesn't like to say that they must still pay if they cannot find a substitute, but there is no way the WI should lose money in this fashion.
31st October
There is a good write-up of our local Big Tidy Up in the weekly paper. Not everything is accurate but the photo is good and we all look very cheerful--which we were. Several people in the town have asked how we got on and admired our efforts so it was a good community exercise.The trouble is it needs doing again. I never noticed much litter until the Big Tidy Up and now I see it everywhere!
There was a good article in the Daily Telegraph about the WI's national Love Food campaign. This is a diet plan with a difference because it gives ways of food planning in order to reduce waste and waist and save money. As an antidote to the credit crunch, the WI is encouraging the rebirth of cooking skills with fresher food that has more nutrients and less fat and salt.
3rd November
I went along to the Public Hall this afternoon to help serve teas and drinks to the people who have given blood. Our WI has been doing this for several years but one of the regulars had to pull out at the last moment so I went for the first time.It is an admirable thing to do---to donate blood,not to serve teas--- and must be one of the most personal impersonal things one can do. I believe the law has changed the set-up for the other donations because of the perceived necessity for traceability nowadays. With blood, no one knows who gets whose. I fell to wondering whose blood I would like to have had and whose I wouldn't if I had seen them in the hall. My donor must be past his/her drip-by date after about 40 years. These people give blood which is such a personal transaction, yet some put up a wall and hesitate to talk to those offering them tea afterwards.It is true altruism and great to see.
Just heard from the Chaplain in BFPO that we can continue to send parcels to the forces as we are on our detachment's "Friends and Family" list. That's nice, isn't it? We didn't want to clog up the postal service for relatives so had enquired.
5th November
There were explosions outside the hall tonight but thankfully not within for our local WI Annual Meeting.I quite enjoy these meetings when we review the year but many members don't. They are either frightened to get landed with a job or just find it boring. We try to make ours lively but really if it proves difficult to get someone to volunteer to ask someone to give the thanks at a meeting, not to do it themselves, what hope is there? There is one change on our committee which is still too big in my eyes. I'll have to come off next year and put my money where my mouth is.
We have a born- again new President. Fifty four members, about 8 nominations for President and still we had to twist an arm to get a yes! Everyone is so busy these days. We were busy too--we had families and jobs and husbands that needed to be fed but I am told it's different today.
Good article in Woman's Weekly about the new-look WI this week. I haven't seen this magazine for ages and I couldn't help comparing it to WI Life and finding ours so much better. WI Life is not so desperately feminine as this, more ideas about the world beyond a "dream kitchen". Who dreams of kitchens anyway?
7th November
Local WI in the local newspaper again this week but no photos this time. It is just reporting the safe delivery of the knitted house to the playgroup. Also in the paper, another WI is praised for its continued support of the Carers Association providing cakes for every meeting and generally being around when needed. Another example of how WI members are vital to the community, but we do hide our lights under bushels.