Audlem WI November AGM

Audlem WI November Annual Meeting

November, the month of bonfires and fireworks, which throws up an interesting question – how is it that one careless match can start a full scale forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start your Guy Fawkes bonfire?

We wise WI ladies also see it as our duty to inform the younger generation that fireworks look even more amazing when they're not constantly checking their iPhones and good relationships are like fireworks, loud, explosive, and liable to injure you if you hold on to them too long!

This month was Audlem WI's Annual Meeting, an event when democracy is respectfully enforced and we elect a new WI President and Committee. With a little bit of arm twisting and secret negotiations, we usually manage to make the best choices with the available candidates unlike our overseas counterparts!

After all democracy is about being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike the least. Never has this been more true than now, as America votes for a new President and as democracy is perfected, the office of President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day this November, the plain folks of America will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron!

Now Annual Meetings are a necessity, but can be a little boring, and, by the time someone says something in the meeting worth writing down, I've generally already taken my pen apart and lost the spring! This must be somewhat of a family trait as my husband was renowned for sitting in meetings, slowly hanging more and more paperclips from his nose – not a pleasant sight!

However I'm delighted to say that Audlem WI voted wisely and Lin Nicholas, wer to the indomitable Daphne Mounteney, another name I shall now have to learn to spell correctly!

Helen Drake was also voted onto the committee and sadly we lost our raffle lady extraordinaire, Pat Smith, as she is to take a sabbatical year out from the committee – probably staying in a nunnery – to refresh and revitalise herself for 2018 when we hope to see her return with renewed vigour. Pat will be sorely missed by all of us.

To lighten the afternoon, Lin Nicholas had invited Rachel Shorthose from 'Tropic" beauty products to give a demonstration of a facial and make over.

Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin and the most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion, however cosmetics are easier to buy.

In fact failed relationships can be described in terms of wasted makeup.
Forget the laughs, forget the fights, forget the sex, forget the jealousy and take off your hat and observe a moment's silence for the legions of unknown tubes of foundation, mascara, eyeliner, blusher and lipstick who died that it might all have been possible – but who died in vain!

After appearing on BBC's The Apprentice in 2011, Susan Mal was given the opportunity to present her passion and vision for natural and cruelty free skincare to Lord Alan Sugar. Impressed by the products, he spotted a unique business opportunity and invested to become a 50/50 partner.

After a year of planning, Lord Sugar and Susan started their Social Selling Business Platform. Their mission was to empower people all over the country and provide them with the means to start their very own beauty business with Tropic, and Rachel Shorthose took up this opportunity.

Two of our esteemed ladies had been democratically chosen – names pulled from a hat – and to our astonishment the aforementioned Pat Smith waltzed up to the stage – she usually does the Samba – in anticipation of a relaxing break from raffle tickets and flowers.

A variety of citrus smelling products were used to cleanse, exfoliate, feed and enhance Pat's already perfectly acceptable skin regime, however she did appear to fall asleep and we were all impressed with the glowing end results.

The next selected lady – Christina Lawson – confidently took up her position on the beauty chair, and it was at this point that Rachel informed us all that she was a make up artist and would be 'sculpting' Christina's face!

Fortunately there appeared to be an absence of knives so we felt Christina was safe from harm as a variety of make up shades for eyes, cheeks, nose and mouth were applied – and this is when I made a big mistake by letting Rachel know that I had never, in my entire life, plucked my eyebrows or coloured them.

As Christina's freshly sculpted face was revealed to our members – and she did look good – I was 'volunteered' to have my eyebrows coloured using a transfer! I will leave our readers to judge the end result as I have to take my own medicine and include a photo!

At this stage I must mention that I took 'before', 'during' and 'after' photos of Pat and Christina, however I shall be holding on to the first two for future blackmail purposes!

After a delicious afternoon tea, the raffle was drawn, one of the prizes was the beautiful autumnal table flower arrangement which went to Pat Winfield, Jackie Creber, Helen Dunlop and Anne Godfrey were also lucky winners, and birthday flowers were handed out to Christine Harper, Sheila Joule and myself.

Patsy Gash was also given a bouquet retrospectively for her October birthday.

Finally a beautiful bouquet of flowers was presented to our outgoing President Lin Nicholas by our new President Daphne Mounteney, and the WI President's insignia brooch was ceremoniously handed to Daphne by Lin.

Pat Smith was presented with a beautiful potted plant by Sue Davies for all her hard work over the past few years.

Next month is our Christmas Party – now that should be worth a write up!

I'll leave you with this thought;

'Standing under a November moon, we are like fireworks... rising, shining, and finally scattering and fading. So until that moment comes when we vanish like fireworks... let us sparkle brightly, always...............'

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