living on the North Norfolk Coast
Just Another W.I. Year - 2019, by Nancy
So here we all are, once again
For this, our Christmas meal
And as for me, I hope ‘twill be
A jolly festive deal.
For starters, it’s a female ‘do -
No men to call the shots –
So chat – drink and be merry
Praps down a few more tots!
We’re just All Girls Together here
It’s W.I. – thus fair
The only males (if any -)
Are waiters to our chair
To service all of our desires.
Like food – and yes – more wine
So ladies of our W.I. enjoy this pause divine
Before the Christmas frenzy starts
To get itself in gear
You’re here – they’re there – enjoy your meal
And lots of festive cheer.
In January our year kicked off
As we’d agreed before
To greet New Year with Fish and Chips
And plan what was in store
For future meetings we would have
Throughout the coming year –
A planning evening policy, to which we’d now adhere
In February, we heard Richard Leeds,
A local tower of strength
Who spoke of Cromer Lifeboats
And had gone to some length
To illustrate his talk with slides
And other intormation.
We all felt glad of plucky men
Who man the Lifeboat Station,
Who put their own lives much at risk -
Put other people first
Who are in peril, out at sea
Return with pride – and thirst.
In March, another well-known chap
Who’s also local too,
Tim Bennett, ex-headmaster here
Gave many fact – all true
About an author – Gervaise Phinn,
Not know to me, I fear
Who was a school inspector
Who ranged both far and near.
The talk was entertaining
Far better than T.V.
We learned a lot and laughed a lot
Before we had our tea.
Next, April brought us Keri Lowe
Whose talk – Fibre and Earth
Enlightened as it entertained –
So learning, spiced with mirth.
Up next, was Resolutions
Which always comes each May –
These were discussed, then voted on
Before we went away.
We met again – this time in June
Too soon, the year’s half done.
Some walked, some talked, some hulled and
chopped
Our strawberries. What fun!!
June also brought our outing.
Once found, we sailed from Horning
Aboard a Paddle Steamer.
But first, were given warning
Of how not to conduct ourselves –
Some headed for its bar.
Not me though – I went up on deck
Far better view by far,
To feel the wind blow through my hair
And witness, as it passed,
A watery, wonderful, wild world
Which glided gently past.
On land once more, now safe ashore
We found a nearby pub
Which Anne had sensibly checked out,
And yielded top-notch grub.
July brought someone quite high-powered,
Linked to the British Legion –
Lyn Hatch who had the mammoth task
Of planning this regions
Own vital Poppy Day Appeal – a complex, worthy task
Which raises funds to help all those
Who didn’t wait to ask, but signed up, willing to give all
For King and country too, not knowing what it would involve
Displaying courage true.
We heard of how these funds are used
And learned much else that night-
How cash is spent on many things
For those who went to fight
Who came back, not the men they were
So for Remembrance Day, we should give money generously
Not look the other way.
In August, we met early – avoiding same-day clash
With famous Cromer Carnival Day
And its 50th Golden bash.
Our speakers theme was wellbeing
So during it he told us we should praps grow wiser
Alongside growing old.
He urged us to be selfish, aware more of our needs
To be a touch more ruthless, to help us to succeed.
September came, now nine months into this momentous year
Time rushes by – and far too soon, the C word will appear.
Amber Restaurant, the venue for our Christmas lunch
Our speaker’s talk came from the heart –
Her subject – meditation. No cross-legged pose Required of us – just quiet contemplation
Of the advice she clearly gave,
Which was simpler than we might think –
We all could do this anywhere
Just standing by the sink.
She said we should be more aware
Of something we all do, quite naturally, without thought
In that sense nothing new.
We should check our breathing and with this in our mind
We should perhaps feel calmer and to ourselves by kind.
Cheer up – we’ve reached October, and learned of Templewood
The home of Eddie Anderson – we knew he would be good.
He surely didn’t disappoint us – with his laid-back style –
He had our full attention as he sought to beguile us
With his presentation which ended far too fast.
Our senses started reeling, as facts came thick and fast.
Pure treasure trove was Templewood
With fascinating features
Four columns – Bank of England once –
A balustrade – ten creatures
Crouched low – in stone – reflective pool –
A tennis court, with hut
Which housed a wealth of workmen’s tools.
I thought ‘Class shows’, yet but
His home still, had a strong allure,
And that was its exterior.
We then were shown a batch of slides
Of Templewood’s interior
Which was of course spectacular –
Not what you might expect
Were easy to detect.
Back to reality we came, once business was done,
Returning to our humbler homes –
We’d had our evening’s fun.
November was our A.G.M.
Which isn’t too exciting
So cheese and wine was brought along
To make it more inviting.
We wined and cheesed, and listened hard
To all we’d done this year,
And thankfully were reassured
Finances held no fear.
At last we’ve reached December
At Cromer Country Club
With appetite for what’s to come –
A feast of lovely grub.
Now all we need to do right now
Is sit, chat, drink and eat.
The meal prepared by other hands,
Is therefore, hard to beat.
That’s it. You’ve been a patient lot –
Let pleasure forthwith reign.
With luck, we’ll meet again next year
Post Christmas, when we’re sane!