Connections

29 October
The local WI Craft Group has come to the end of a series of sessions doing cross-stitch. There are some impressive projects still to be completed but now there is a change of subject. Six members gathered today to learn or re-discover crochet. Abilities ranged from beginners to the very proficient. There are more people interested in joining the group but half-term rather affected the numbers attending this first session.We hope to take in reading knitting patterns as well because there are quite a few knitters who can do all the stitches but have difficulty following a pattern.These meetings have a very pleasant atmosphere because one helps another and it doesn't matter if anyone comes along just to do any craft in company with others: we share in the talk and a cup of tea.

24 October
A nasty morning weatherwise so about 40 WI members from across the County were pleased to meet in Milton Keynes to learn how to start to set up a family tree. The tutors were excellent and their presentations were easy to see and understand.They talked us through from buying soft pencils and index cards to consulting census forms and deciphering parish registers.The questions were all answered and talk over lunch was all about "lost" past family members and strange family myths which were either proved absolutely wrong or had become embellished over the years.We are now capable of finding skeletons in cupboards and broad-minded enough to acknowledge them. It worries me that the present mores of society are going to make it extremely difficult for future generations to trace their families when everyone is able to play fast and loose with registering names of children and changing partners frequently.The displays of examples of family records were good too. I for one am now determined to organise the bits of paper with dates and names on which I have been storing in old envelopes in "important drawers" about the house and consult the many websites which Betty and Brian recommended to us. You never know, I might find someone famous among my ancestors...but I don't think that is very likely.You missed an enjoyable day if you weren't there!

23 October
Confusion worse confounded today! Our WI Book Group met to discuss "Started early, Took my Dog" by Kate Atkinson.This is one of her novels featuring the detective Jackson Brodie; I think my favourite sleuth. The plot is so finely woven that quite a few of us finished reading not sure how we had missed a vital link and had to start again. The fact that we wanted to do this is a compliment to the writing. The characters are well drawn and the jokes and puns are really funny. The comment on society is spot on although rather unsettling as there are crooked police officers and social workers and businessmen...At the moment, what's new? So we pooled our ideas and we think we have cracked it! It is well worth reading. The novel is set in Yorkshire with lots of references to well-known abbeys and Betty's Tearooms so a must for the Bucks WI members just returned from holiday in Skipton.