Something Tabor wrote about the other day, how we see each other and how they see us. My profile is fairly easy, small, untidy hair and fairly shy but willing to engage in whatever is happening.
Yesterday was the gardening club at Appleton-Le-Moor. We gather, about forty of us maybe, I have driven C and S there and J has gone on earlier because she is a commitee member, as is S. Apparently there was a meeting this last Monday for Xmas lunch, and I had said I was a vegetarian, which is not strictly true, but they have also put a quiche on the menu. The whole venue is so friendly, we listen to the talk and then have a cup of tea and new ventures are variously discussed.
The talk was about jam making, drying fruit and making apple juice. All very WI but it was interesting. She had bought her dryer, for drying fruit and fungi, and also that clever little thing from Lakeland that peels apples, might treat myself to that one.
Well the assembled people, mostly women of a certain age chattering away but there are a few men, in summer there are always plants for sale as well. Many people of course are 'incomers' retiring to a quieter life, ready to join in and be part of the community, but the one thing Appleton has and many other villages is a village hall.
Something our village has not got which is sad. The church could be a good canditate but like all churches it is cold in winter, and a very meagre heating system just stops you from turning blue with the cold. Plus of course the church resides in the ownership of the Church of England, apparently the Catholic churches all belong to the Vatican, (nothing like googling!). The CofE may take the villager's money to repair their church but also expect villager's services gratis free but use of the church has to be carefully monitered by the tiers of religious bodies (mostly human).
Our village has some rights in the village hall in the next village, it is supposedly shared, but somehow our input is missing but I think we should be able to hold some happenings there.
Appleton-le-Moor
In our small "village" we can use the public library for meetings. Some groups rent the local museum auditorium (small). The smaller groups sometimes use the church community hall...we have many, many churches and most are modern and well heated. Groups also use a small Community Resources Building. We seem to be well prepared for meetings!
ReplyDeleteWell something similar is of course in the nearby town, library, Quaker Meeting house, etc. Our churches are of course living museums from the past, beautiful historically but not able to function in a modern society.
DeleteI'll stick to the paring knife.
ReplyDeleteAt this time of year there are an enormous amount of apples to process, that is if you go in for putting apple puree down in the freezer ;) It looks a dinky toy....
DeleteI haven't got a freezer.
DeleteFair enough, but what happens if you are snowed in for a few days?
DeleteMy pantry is full. Have You heard of tinned food? Dry things like packets of rice? Sacks of potatoes? Ingredients.
DeleteWhen I worked for Habitat for Humanity our monthly meetings were held in an old church’s basement. Although, not nearly as old as yours, they were cold and damp and smelled like mildew. All these things made us work fast and the meetings were productive and done in an hour.
ReplyDeleteActually I don't think there is an answer sadly.
DeleteIt is the same with most clubs and societies here - members are almost exclusively incomers of a certain age.
ReplyDeleteSomehow that makes me smile, we all retire to the country from suburbia and then grumble!
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