I went to my first WI [Women's Institute] meeting tonight. It was in the Village Hall so I walked to it, down the bridle path and along the green buffet containing the cows and calves.
The 'meeting' part was daunting, a whole new language of campaigns in defense of women and good stuff like ensuring people value water and use it appropriately. Sitting there as the new girl I realised that this small body of women, probably no more than eleven mothers and grandmothers, was duplicated up and down the country in similar village halls in towns and cities, all applying pressure on government or organisations, collectively making a difference.
It's good that.
The second part of the evening was outstanding. A lady called June Emmerson came and showed us all how to peg weave. http://www.woollythinking.org.uk/shop.html I can't even knit yet I have made a gorgeous little sampler with a mixture of coloured wool that June creates on her spinning wheel at home and scraps of fabric that she liberates from charity shops. It was relaxing and fun. I'm hooked and I know my 8yo would just love it too.
My hands feel soft and they smell of lanolin from the gently washed but generally untreated wool.
What a lovely evening.
I kid you not, go check out your local WI. My only disappointment was that my branch didn't appear to be planning a calendar this year.
You had me at bridle path....
ReplyDeleteI always joke with my best friend that we need to be thrown out of a WI meeting before we die!!! It's that film it brings out the worst in me.....so god knows what I would be like in an actual meeting :)
ReplyDeleteI vaguely plan to join when the ballet runs stop (but can't think about that as it will mean Eldest will have left for uni). Went once when there was an embroiderer giving a talk, her work too was inspiring, but was slightly daunted by being required to sing Jerusalem...
ReplyDeleteanother classic post, ms. lou. and ... wanted to say CONGRATS at 101 followers (now, if they all don't leave now that i've actually spoken the words!). very proud of you. your blog deserves all of the traffic, bloglovin, and then some. have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteOh gods do you REALLY have to sing Jerusalem? I'd instantly revert to my 11 year old self and sing all the 's' words as sausages and all the 'm' words as mash. It got me thro' all those school assemblies. Actually by the end of the first term I think I had whole menu of replacement words..... I suppose I'd have to sing all the 'j' words as jam.
ReplyDeleteThinking further I don't think I'd be let in the hall in the first place. I'll virtually join in thro' your blogs instead. Keep us updated then. I'll make a start on my peg weaving straight away...... quietly.