Hello Ladies,
* Despite my best intentions, this newsletter is not, as promised, two weeks ahead of our next Affairre! With our minivention last weekend, there just wasn’t time to work on this, as well. I know you’ll understand. This newsletter is plainer than usual because I can’t get the website to let me change the colour and font.
* Ladies, please keep The Red Hatter, (Louise Fish), in your prayers and thoughts. She is suffering from a rare form of breast cancer. She has an amazing outlook on life and I know that helps her a lot. Please note that she doesn’t was “gushy” cards and especially doesn’t want to be treated any differently than usual. She dreads, as would I, having people feel they have to tell her what they think her treatment should be or a long litany of their own illnesses or those of their friends and relatives.
* Many thanks to our April hostesses, The Glad Hatter, The Cambrian Cutie and Gracious Gwen for a lovely time. Once again we had the opportunity to sit around a table large enough to be able to see each other. Now if only we could find a way to sit around a big table and still be able to talk to everyone else there.
* The hostesses for our next Affairre!, May 9, are Princess Patricia, Lady Donna of the Court, and Fabulous Fran.
I don’t have the details get but I know they’ll be in touch with everyone in the next day or two.
* This month’s birthday girls are Goodnight Irene, and honorary member, Countess Elena (Eleanor Yakel from Chilliwack, B.C.) Remember – if your birthday is not on our list please be sure to let me know so that I can include it in your month.
* Our Murder Mystery Party (at my house Friday, March 27) was great fun. We’ll have to do it again sometime.
* All I can say about the minivention is WOW! We missed those of you who could not attend and you missed a great time. From beginning to end everyone really enjoyed it. We had a small group. Only 43 registered and with illnesses and personal issues, in the end we had a group of 40. While many were disappointed in the small number, it gave us all a good chance to get to know each other. The food was amazing and the service at the hotel was excellent so we could concentrate on enjoying ourselves.
We began at 2 p.m. Saturday with sign in, a small craft fair, and a mouth watering selection of desserts to enjoy as we met and greeted old friends and new. Our craft fair was a mixed success. Everyone commented on the quality and variety of items for sale but because of the small number of registrants sales were not overwhelming. We had five of our own members and three from out of town who brought their crafts. Many, many thanks to those of our members who brought theirs. At the same time theme hats were on view so that everyone could try to match them to the names of their chapters.
Then we took a break to allow hotel staff to set up for dinner. During this time the models from the various chapters were fitted for our fun fashion show. What a laugh we all had.
Our dinner was a sumptuous buffet featuring salmon in dill sauce, roast beef, vegetarian lasagna, and all the trimmings. There were even a few desserts left from the afternoon for anyone whose sweet tooth had not been satisfied.
Following dinner we had a great evening’s entertainment starting with Good Fortune, under the direction of Suzanne McIntosh. This was followed by much hilarity as our models showed off the finery we had created for them. Then we had Other Mothers’ Sons and the Rogue Apples to round out our program.
The evening wasn’t over, though, as those who still had a little steam left congregated in Betty Boop’s and my hotel room for After Hours. We shared some wine, some munchies, an a lot more laughs.
Sunday morning saw the early birds back downstairs for coffee and tea. The rest of us joined them a little later for another wonderful buffet meal. After breakfast each chapter had one of its members model the theme hat they had created and the models told us how and why they had designed their hats as they did. Everyone voted to pick the one that best illustrated the name of the chapter, the most elegant, the most original, and the most amusing.
While the votes were being counted door prizes were given out. Because of the small number of registrants, the generosity of some of our members, and the hard work of our Vice Queen Balistic Brenda who volunteered to approach various businesses, we were able to give a prize to every lady present.
Then it was time to say goodbye to everyone, tidy up, and congratulate ourselves on a wonderful event.
We’ve had lots of feedback and encouragement to do it again in two years’ time.
I would like to personally thank every member who helped make this such a great success.
* Here are a couple of items I’ve mentioned before but they’re worth repeating:
- Last year’s July 1 parade in Keewatin was such a success that they’re planning another for this year and we’re invited to take part again. It’s a lot of fun and no one has to walk to take part. We were provided with a trailer last year and were helped onto and off of it by handsome young men. All along the parade route we heard, “Look, there are the Red Hatters!”, “Love your hats!” and lots of other accolades. What could be more fun? I’ll have more information about it as the date gets closer.
- We’ve been invited by the Quarry Quties to a Red Hat Hootenany in Stonewall, Manitoba on Sat., Oct. 3 from 1 to 6 p.m. The cost is $25 per person and includes snacks throughout the day, games & entertainment, and supper. The RSVP date for this is Aug. 31 so we have lots of time to think about it. I’ll bring a copy of their registration form to our May Affairre!
- I mentioned the following in our February and March newsletters and then forgot to bring it up at subsequent Affairre!s, so I’d appreciate it if someone will remind me to do so this month. I think the city’s Christmas tree looks great with the bows we donated a couple of years ago but there are only enough to cover one side of it. Maybe this year we can give some more to make sure the tree looks magnificent instead of just great. What do you think? Since I first mentioned this, I have been contacted by someone at City Hall requesting more bows and they’d like as many of us as possible to attend the tree lighting ceremony so that we can be thanked.
* I think that’s it for now, ladies. If I’ve forgotten anything, please let me know.
* See you all on the 9th!
In Friendship and Fun
Queen Debbie of the Lake
