19th October
This evening the autumn group meeting was held for the five WIs in the local area.These are important dates in the WI year when it is a chance to get together and discuss relevant topics. Some groups have fallen by the wayside and others have changed the nature of their meetings into fundraisering events open to all.We are very fortunate to have an active group convener who is prepared to go beyond the usual job description: she organises outings for the local WIs as well, so we get to see each other more frequently and support each other for events.Last summer it was a trip to London and now she is planning a pre-Christmas outing to Birmingham which will combine Christmas market shopping with an art gallery and a guided tour of the new developments in the city.
The speaker entertained the members with monologues written and immortalised by Joyce Grenfell. She is a tutor from our own Denman College and everyone enjoyed her presentation.We had the usual reports on what some of the WIs had been doing over the last year and noted possible speakers for ourselves. One WI included the usual complaint about the rising cost of the subscription, warning of possible loss of members because of fixed incomes. However she rather undermined her argument by reporting that her small WI had entertained a speaker from the Air Ambulance people who had been delighted to sell over £100 worth of goods at the meeting. It's all a question of perceived values, I suppose.
20th October
Local WI Book group this afternoon and I'm pleased to relate that we are a growing band, although any more and I for one will have difficulty in finding comfortable chairs for everyone.We had requested a Hilary Mantel novel following her Booker Prize win last month so the Bucks Library came up with "Beyond Black".Those who had managed to read it in time were praising the writing and the wit but it caused a few doubts because it was such black humour and a weird subject matter.The writer is so observant of our society (and it is our society because the story is centred around the outskirts of the M25), our ways in supermarkets, our behaviour on roads, the modern training jargon for work improvement, the philosophy behind new build projects---it's all there and so funny! But if you cannot stomach the idea of companion spirits like Harry Potter's and those in Northern Lights but seedier by far, don't read it. It is very original and we now want to read some more of Hilary Mantel but in the meantime we are going back to a classic or two.
Sunday 25 October 2009
Sunday 18 October 2009
All over the place
30th September
The local WI committee meeting tonight was taken up with discussing how to approach the problem of the future venue for WI meetings. There are pros and cons for wherever we choose but we must decide quickly as the programme for next year's speakers is completed and we need to have it printed ready for the new year. We finally agreed that we would have to give the members the opportunity to vote but to make it a written and signed vote so that there could be no claims that the choice had been other than what it was.Tickets are ready for sale for the Barn Dance and posters were distributed. Also nomination sheets for next year's committee will be available at the meeting.
7th October
We knew it was going to be a busy meeting and so it proved. All the members have taken away a voting card for their choice of venue but the issue was even more clouded tonight as the Winslow Centre administration had suddenly come up with another alternative price for hire of the premises.Are they running scared, I wonder. However this offer was still subject to change in April 2010 with no detail on what the change may be.Some members suggested charging for coffees at the meeting, which we used to do years ago, but I think one of the pluses to our WI is that drinks are free as well as the Green Letter. Anyway, we'll see what the vote is.Then we had forgotten about arranging the Christmas dinner and then there was some discussion on the pricing for the Barn Dance and ...so on.The speaker turned out to be not quite what we expected in that it was really a fairly blatant call to support his charity which was rather naughty as he has spoken to other WIs and should be aware of our rules and regulations.
8th October
Six of us were up early this morning to catch a coach to the Alexandra Palace for the Knitting and Stitching Show.The journey was quite eventful as the driver missed out a pick-up stop and we encountered two accidents so arrived later than expected. The view across London was lovely but inside we went, to do about 6 hours looking and walking around the stands. The exhibitions of embroidery and quilts were breath-taking ; the accent this year was definitely on knitting. Last year it was beads, the year before handmade cards. I can remember one year when there was only one stall where the wools were heaped on the floor in a mountain and that was it for wool! This year everywhere, of all sorts from about 20 ply to gossamer thin.It is always interesting to see what is being worn too---real works of art in crochet and knitting.The show was very crowded in the morning and there were lots of members from Bucks there who had arrived by different means.One rather strange thing occured when I picked up a leaflet on a stall about knitting for the children in Afghanistan and I turned to the steward and said that that might be an idea for us as we had been turned away from providing for the Army. The steward, a titled lady according to her name badge, said "A much better cause than knitting for those bloody soldiers"! As we walked away, I asked my companion whether she had really said what I thought she had said, and she said Yes. Whoever let that woman loose as a steward? The following day when visiting Basildon Park (as a free agent) I overheard a NT steward saying in her room commentary some really unpleasant things about one living member of our royalty and another now departed from natural causes.What has happened to respect for others these days? Or tact? Or indeed Christian charity?
12th October
Tonight the Bucks Federation put on the meeting called Quavers and Quilts. Those who didn't go missed a treat. Jennie Rayment is a wonderful speaker who just happens to be talking about patchwork and showing off marvellous examples of her work but is also entertaining everyone to snippets of her experiences travelling the world teaching her art.This was followed by songs from Lori Tingay Weber accompanied by David Perkins which were absolutely lovely to hear. The whole event was great and we want more like this in the future. The new teacloth with Bucks views on was on sale and some of the WI samplers were on display too.
14th October
And now for something completely different! The International Day on Holland managed not to mention canals nor windmills all day. Instead we had a very interesting talk about bulbs by Janet Cropley, followed by a presentation on Dutch floral art. We now know what to look for in still lifes and can read the symbolism of the picture content. This was given by Anna Steven who teaches at Denman College. After listening to Anna, I think I might book in for one of her art appreciation courses.We enjoyed a Dutch light lunch and then listened to the tales of Jean Johnson's travels while filming her exploration of the world of brothels in Holland and around the world.She continues to fight for the legalisation of brothels in order to afford some protection to the women from violence and exploitation by pimps.All in all it was a very different event for the WI to stage and we will await comments from the members.
15th October
Several former VCOs gathered in a kind of reunion this morning and (even if I shouldn't say this) we have worn rather well! I think it is the sense of humour that is still rampant and the sense of common purpose as well as the belief in the spirit of the WI that lasts the test of time. Beware of phoenixes!
The local WI committee meeting tonight was taken up with discussing how to approach the problem of the future venue for WI meetings. There are pros and cons for wherever we choose but we must decide quickly as the programme for next year's speakers is completed and we need to have it printed ready for the new year. We finally agreed that we would have to give the members the opportunity to vote but to make it a written and signed vote so that there could be no claims that the choice had been other than what it was.Tickets are ready for sale for the Barn Dance and posters were distributed. Also nomination sheets for next year's committee will be available at the meeting.
7th October
We knew it was going to be a busy meeting and so it proved. All the members have taken away a voting card for their choice of venue but the issue was even more clouded tonight as the Winslow Centre administration had suddenly come up with another alternative price for hire of the premises.Are they running scared, I wonder. However this offer was still subject to change in April 2010 with no detail on what the change may be.Some members suggested charging for coffees at the meeting, which we used to do years ago, but I think one of the pluses to our WI is that drinks are free as well as the Green Letter. Anyway, we'll see what the vote is.Then we had forgotten about arranging the Christmas dinner and then there was some discussion on the pricing for the Barn Dance and ...so on.The speaker turned out to be not quite what we expected in that it was really a fairly blatant call to support his charity which was rather naughty as he has spoken to other WIs and should be aware of our rules and regulations.
8th October
Six of us were up early this morning to catch a coach to the Alexandra Palace for the Knitting and Stitching Show.The journey was quite eventful as the driver missed out a pick-up stop and we encountered two accidents so arrived later than expected. The view across London was lovely but inside we went, to do about 6 hours looking and walking around the stands. The exhibitions of embroidery and quilts were breath-taking ; the accent this year was definitely on knitting. Last year it was beads, the year before handmade cards. I can remember one year when there was only one stall where the wools were heaped on the floor in a mountain and that was it for wool! This year everywhere, of all sorts from about 20 ply to gossamer thin.It is always interesting to see what is being worn too---real works of art in crochet and knitting.The show was very crowded in the morning and there were lots of members from Bucks there who had arrived by different means.One rather strange thing occured when I picked up a leaflet on a stall about knitting for the children in Afghanistan and I turned to the steward and said that that might be an idea for us as we had been turned away from providing for the Army. The steward, a titled lady according to her name badge, said "A much better cause than knitting for those bloody soldiers"! As we walked away, I asked my companion whether she had really said what I thought she had said, and she said Yes. Whoever let that woman loose as a steward? The following day when visiting Basildon Park (as a free agent) I overheard a NT steward saying in her room commentary some really unpleasant things about one living member of our royalty and another now departed from natural causes.What has happened to respect for others these days? Or tact? Or indeed Christian charity?
12th October
Tonight the Bucks Federation put on the meeting called Quavers and Quilts. Those who didn't go missed a treat. Jennie Rayment is a wonderful speaker who just happens to be talking about patchwork and showing off marvellous examples of her work but is also entertaining everyone to snippets of her experiences travelling the world teaching her art.This was followed by songs from Lori Tingay Weber accompanied by David Perkins which were absolutely lovely to hear. The whole event was great and we want more like this in the future. The new teacloth with Bucks views on was on sale and some of the WI samplers were on display too.
14th October
And now for something completely different! The International Day on Holland managed not to mention canals nor windmills all day. Instead we had a very interesting talk about bulbs by Janet Cropley, followed by a presentation on Dutch floral art. We now know what to look for in still lifes and can read the symbolism of the picture content. This was given by Anna Steven who teaches at Denman College. After listening to Anna, I think I might book in for one of her art appreciation courses.We enjoyed a Dutch light lunch and then listened to the tales of Jean Johnson's travels while filming her exploration of the world of brothels in Holland and around the world.She continues to fight for the legalisation of brothels in order to afford some protection to the women from violence and exploitation by pimps.All in all it was a very different event for the WI to stage and we will await comments from the members.
15th October
Several former VCOs gathered in a kind of reunion this morning and (even if I shouldn't say this) we have worn rather well! I think it is the sense of humour that is still rampant and the sense of common purpose as well as the belief in the spirit of the WI that lasts the test of time. Beware of phoenixes!
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