Audlem WI – Old Friends

I'm not one of those people who wakes up and thinks, 'bring on the day!' I have to have about 7 pints of coffee before I'm even remotely awake. I could be a morning person if morning started around midday, but my best ideas usually come much later after all it is the essence of genius to make use of the simplest ideas and the way to get good ideas is to get lots of them and throw the bad ones away!

Yesterday was different though, our WI were holding their annual 'Open Meeting' and there were preparations to be made! A perfect method of adding drama to life is to wait until the deadline looms large.

Joyce Clydesdale carried the huge responsibility of purchasing the Prosecco and providing the cut glass champagne flutes, after all alcohol is the great anaesthesia by which we endure the operation of life, it also helps us to relax and have fun! Joyce has elongated arms now, due to the burden of the carrier bags she had to carry on our behalf – what a trouper.

Jean Cook bore the weight on her fragile shoulders of preparing and providing food, setting up the room with Joyce and ensuring she arrived early to allow our entertainment to do sound checks and other technical stuff which we don't understand.

Pat Smith remained, as always, cool, calm and collected as she arranged the multitude of raffle prizes to best effect before the rush.

Daphne Mounteney's job was to look elegant and poised, which she did. As she is our President she has to be aware that our efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. It's a shame other Presidents don't realise that!

Helen Drake was accountable for the smooth running of the kitchen, a feat which was attained with suitable aplomb and numerous tea towels.

Anne Hollins was accountable for all monies, she has perfect balance and is brilliant at reconciliations! Anne's desk was positioned right next to the door to ensure no visitor slipped in without digging deep for the lowly payment of £2.50 for their Prosecco.

I was chief drinks pourer, as I never waste a drop and am still learning not to use half pint glasses as they are too heavy for our ladies to lift! I also put a lit up 'Prosecco' sign on the table to guide our guests in the right direction. They have been known to go 'off piste' when there's too much excitement.

Doreen Hubbard, our secretary, arrived late due to the trifling fact that she had had to prepare dinner for a hundred people at the last minute – permission granted this time, but don't let it happen again.

Jackie Creber, our successful jack of all trades, darted here and there doing a multitude of jobs that the rest of us didn't notice, as well as having spent the entire day preparing beautiful bouquets for our birthday ladies. You're a star Jackie.

Christine Salisbury, who is still recovering from a broken arm, was allowed to sit this one out and Sue Davies had been given permission, after heavy deliberation, to go on holiday.

Normally if you want to kill any idea in the world, get a committee working on it, however, Audlem WI's committee spring into action like a well oiled machine using humour to keep stress at bay. It may appear outwardly that our meetings run smoothly, but like everything a lot of hard graft and planning ensures that this happens.

And so the show began – over sixty members and guests turned up and we were delighted to see a handful of men enter out hallowed doors. Raffle tickets were purchased, Prosecco and elderflower water flowed, and our Simon and Garfunkel duo, Phil on acoustic guitar, and Jane, started their first half session.

There are cover duos and then there are tribute duos. The former might be able to pump out some decently convincing song covers for a party, but the latter lives, breathes, and eerily replicates the lives of the original singers. This duo had an additional twist, and in this case it was the fact that they were a male and a female, but if you closed your eyes, you would think it was Simon and Garfunkel. They were mesmerising.

The audience lost themselves to nostalgia as the two played such classics as Mrs Robinson, The Only Living Boy In New York, Old Friends, Homeward Bound and Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard as well as all the others that have established Paul Simon as one of the most successful songwriters of all time.

Like all singers, they needed a break, allowing our members and their guests to devour a cornucopia of cakes, sandwiches and crisps followed by numerous cups of tea.

For our second half, we were elated to discover that our amazing duo also gave renditions of the Everly Brothers Songs and anyone passing the hall could probably hear all the foot tapping and slightly out of tune renderings of 'Bye Bye Love' ( by the audience. )

All good things must come to an end and our duo closed their performance by singing, appropriately, 'Old Friends.' Finally as our members stood to sing Jerusalem, they also joined in, having been prompted with a word sheet by our President!

Raffle prizes were handed out to the lucky winners and Birthday flower bouquets were presented to our June birthday members.

Remember you only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.

See you all in July.

There are at least four mentions of "Prosecco" in this report, so it must have been a sparkling event – Ed

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