Normal service has been resumed

29th June
Dear Reader, I rather hope that you have missed me throughout this month but the truth of the matter has been that for some reason or other, best known to itself, the family computer died. Technology is all very well until it goes wrong. What worries me is that we are forever being encouraged to rely on the www. and to become a paperless society without taking into account what happens when information technology fails or is sabotaged. And as for doing away with cheques...the mind boggles! Isn't it galling to have to visit someone who one thinks would make a lovely grandson, if one needed any more, for advice and rescue?

22nd June
I joined around 60 WI members on one of the summer rambles arranged by the Leisure and Performing Arts sub-committee. These rambles are very popular because one gets to walk in areas not usually explored previously by the walkers and there is always good food at the end. The Steeple Claydon ramble was exactly so. We were walking in lovely green countryside, plenty of trees, few stiles and dry underfoot. We passed in front of Claydon House where people were scattered about the grounds drinking Pimms and listening to jazz from the drawing room. It was a beautiful summer evening and we were able to escape from the TV's post mortems on the budget. I hear many WIs are well advanced on the Triathlon organised by NFWI for this summer. I reckon our WI should not have decided to give it a miss because although we are short of cyclists, we could have shared a bike and done short runs along the cycle track and reached the desired mileage probably in relative safety. It is not too late---we have until October after all.

21st June
The Chairmen and Secretaries of the sub-committees met down at Stuart Lodge this morning. The purpose of this meeting is to reinforce the "house style" for BFWI as there are always a few changes in office every year. It was useful this time as our Treasurer explained some of the rules about VAT charges in respect to county meetings. The federations are VAT rated and the part of the subscription which we as WIs pay to the BFWI incurs VAT. We are also being encouraged to use e-mails as much as possible to cut down on the rising postage costs.

15th June
The local WI reading group met today to discuss "Lighthousekeepig" by Jeanette Winterson. It is a short novel completely different to the author's other works and I thought it was wonderful; so poetic and so imaginatively original. I read it through twice and even made notes of favourite parts but quite a few people present hadn't bothered to finish it. It had been a bit confusing to listen to on tape for our nearly blind member but she enlisted her husband's help to point out the chapter or story breaks from the written copy: the professional reader had not made this clear. The arrangements of the chapters had confused another reader but in spite of that she had enjoyed the novel. But I wish more had persevered because we ended up talking about odds and ends which had been read during the month and I felt thwarted!

14th June
The Education and Current Affairs day called "Henry VIII and All That" at Cheddington was a great success which I know I shouldn't say as I was so heavily involved in its running. But it was: the speakers were excellent, the jester was made welcome at lunchtime, the food was good and the caretaker had had curtains made for the top lights especially for the WI following our remarks after the Holland Day. The screen showed up better in spite of the bright sunshine. We had all worked very hard on this event. The cooking alone had been going on for days beforehand and just to serve out and clear away after 180 people is a logistical nightmare. It also means that the committee members see and hear very little of the proceedings that they have so carefully planned. However, it becomes worth it when members stop to say "Well done" or write/e-mail to congratulate us. We learned a lot from our speakers and hopefully it will encourage members to visit Hampton Court with us in September.

9th June
The local WI Discussion Group met this evening to work its way through a conversation kit on the whys and wherefores of electronic health record data banks. This is a topical subject as the government is discussing this at the end of the month. We have sent up our thoughts to be included in its consultation. Our WI is fortunate to have members with experience in the Health Service past and present so we benefitted form their input. It is a subject worth thinking about as you may not be aware that already the data bank holds a lot of medical information about us without needing to consult us at all about whether we want to opt out or not. Ask your doctor as practices vary.

8th June
Of course, it rained today! Whenever our WI decides to go al fresco, it rains. It was our part of the NFWI's national coffee morning week. There was a good turn out in spite of the weather and we have probably contributed a reasonable sum towards an educational bursary.