Talk about Talk

14th October
Well, that's a first! Someone hauling me over the coals because my blog is not up-to-date.I wish I could give the excuse that it is because I am having trouble using the computer in bi-focals but that has only happened now while my proper reading specs are being up-graded---or down-graded, whichever way you look at it.
So last night a small party of us made plans for our local WI's big fund-raiser at the end of the month. The time was mostly taken up with shopping and cooking lists as well as discussion on whether we should use some disposable crockery in order to save on work in the kitchen. Is it more environmentally friendly to use light and heat or to throw masses of plastic away? We don't want standards to drop because the clientele has become used to our events being rather special. The result is that we are going to have a bit of both but you will be pleased to hear no plastic cutlery! We are nearing capacity with the sale of tickets which is good news as knowing numbers makes planning so much easier.

13th October
Our subject for discussion at our meeting tonight was "celebration" and we had a first class cause for worldwide celebration in the freeing of the Chilean miners which was taking place even while we sat comfortably in a member's house.We had been thinking that celebration nearly always involves food but in actual fact lots of celebrations are small scale personal feelings of thanksgiving for the natural world around us; our families and gardens bring joy and a sense of achievement. Many of us bemoaned the commercial led celebrations which seem to sprout up throughout the year. The festivals of all the religions in our nation are cause for celebration to whoever follows that faith but Hallowe'en has highjacked All Saints' Day and so has Christmas been changed into a trade bonanza.The growing fashion for memorial services for ordinary people like ourselves not just the great and the good was welcomed: held after the traditional funeral or wake that we all remember. Mind not all of those were dreary affairs. Celebration and thanksgiving seem to have been interwoven since the caveman brought home his kill. It will be a sad day when no one can think of something to lift the spirit nor a single thing for which to be thankful.

11th October
A small gathering of craft people met to think about winter activities. While we are so small we cannot really afford to have separate demonstrations but there are some other members thinking of joining us on these afternoons. We will probably have a go at the competition for a handbag which the Arts and Home Crafts subcommittee is running in the Spring across Bucks and there is nothing wrong with spending a couple of hours in companionable sewing , knitting or making cards.

6th October
Unfortunately I missed my local WI meeting tonight as I had a family commitment. I know the members voted against buying a sound system for the WI which is interesting. Apparently they sorted each other out about standing up to talk from the floor and not engaging in conversation among themselves while being addressed from the top table: a bit of group therapy there obviously! I hate missing meetings because one loses out on booking for events and this year for the first time for donkey's years I didn't order a WI diary. I'll never find another which will have the information which I so often want.I was told years ago that the most valuable thing a WI member can do is to regularly attend the meetings. It certainly works the other way around.

4th October
Down to the Bucks Federation Office today for the annual Dates Meeting. This is when representatives from all the county subcommittees gather together to claim dates for the next year's activities planned by their own committees. This is very necessary to avoid similar types of events occuring in the same month or there being too many planned for the same venue etc. I always call it "the day of the long knives" but it isn't really like that! This meeting was rather special because we used the new laptop and projector which the BFWI bought with the help of an AVDC grant---paperless society here we come!. You will be seeing this equipment in use for many events in the future.