Hello Ladies!
* It’s hard to believe 2008 will soon be over. The year has gone very quickly.
* Our hearts and prayers go out to Marguerite the Jewel (Marg Brennan) who has been hit particularly hard, having lost her husband and suffered a stroke within a very short time.
* Many thanks to Fabulous Fran, Princess Patricia, and Lady Donna of the Court for hosting our October Affairre! Thanksgiving weekend is always a busy time and it was great to relax and have a little time for ourselves.
* Many, many thanks to Awesome Audrey and Diamond Lil for helping with the Royal Affairre! on Oct. 18. The ladies who attended really enjoyed themselves.
One of the big topics of our discussion was the SOS received the day before from Hatquarters. The general feeling among the Queen Mothers and Vice Queens who attended was that the Red Hat Society has grown so fast that no one really understood how to manage it. While the current problem is distressing, when you consider the economic problems throughout society today, it’s really not surprising. As you will have noted from the subsequent emails from Hatquarters, things are not as dire as they at first seemed. There are changes coming, though, and we shouldn’t be surprised at having to pay a little more for memberships in future. Our chapter membership is only about $40 per year and no one is required at present to also pay for an individual membership but if everyone did, there would be no problem. You can find more details about this at www.redhatsociety.com.
* This month our hostesses, Awesome Audrey (Wyber), Lady Barbara of Keewatin (Barb Fines), and The Red Hatter (Louise Fish) are planning our Affairre! in the Lounge at the Best Western (Lakeside Inn) this coming Saturday. Please let them know by Thursday if you plan to attend. Because so many Secret Friends were unable to attend our October Affairre!, we’ll draw names this month instead. If you have been participating and haven’t given your Secret Friend her gift yet, please bring or send it this month. If you are unable to attend but wish to participate for the coming year, please let me know so that your name can be included in the draw.
Ladies, it’s a lot of fun to have a Secret Friend and if you haven’t done so for awhile or at all, please consider taking part. However, if you do put your name in, be sure to celebrate the year for the lady whose name you draw. There are a couple of ladies who’ve told me they didn’t hear at all from their SF in the past year or that they heard once or twice in the beginning and then nothing after that. We all have Red Hat Moments at times which is why we keep a copy of each SF’s information. If you don’t’ hear from yours when you think you should or if you can’t remember the details about the one you chose, please check so that something can be done for you.
* Our Hostess List be circulated November, December, and January and then a draw will be held if any months have not been filled. January and May are already spoken for so if you have a particular month in mind you can let me know now and I’ll put it on the calendar.
* Plans are going well for our trip to Winnipeg on Nov. 22. We cannot add any more to the reservation for Celebrations Dinner Theatre but there are still lots of seats available on the bus. If you’d like to go for lunch and shopping at The Forks with us and then be dropped off at one of the casinos for the evening, please let me know by Saturday. We will contact each lady who is going at least a week in advance to update departure time and location, etc. If you have paid by cheque for Celebrations Dinner Theatre, I have not deposited your cheque yet but will likely do so this week. This because I have not been asked yet for payment but expect this will happen very soon. If you have any questions, please contact The Princess of Note (Wendy Paton), Goodnight Irene (Belair), or me.
* This month’s birthday girls are Awesome Audrey and Sundance Audrey. If your birthday is also this month, please let me know so that I can add it to the list for next year.
* We still have a couple of months to purchase tickets for the musical Red Hat bear Queen Leslie brought when she visited from California. (The prototype of these bears was made by a Red Hatter to help celebrate a special event. It was a big hit and many asked how they could buy one. The result is the beginning of a business.) Tickets are the same price as our 50/50 draw – $.50 each or 5 for $2 – and can be purchased until our December Affairre!, when we will draw the winner. The bear will be on display at each Affairre! between now and then.
* That’s about it for now ladies. See you Saturday!
