Jam and Jerusalem? Don't mind if I do . . .

I've been looking forward to tonight with some real anticipation!

Ok, I'm one of those sad mummies who doesn't actually get out much.  If I hadn't of joined my kids schools PTA, I would get out even less.

So, when I came across a post on FB, about a new chapter/branch(?) of the WI starting up in my town, I thought, damit, I'm going to sign up!

The lovely ladies who decided to start it all, had no idea that well upwards of 120 ladies would turn up - although I think they got closer to 200 at one point as ladies were out on the street with no room to get in!  I'd been lucky enough to grab a lift with another school mum friend, and we arrived early enough to get a seat at the front.  10 minutes later and there was standing room only, and 30 minutes later, after the meeting had started, women were still turning up!

Obviously a need in the local area is being filled by this.

What am I hoping to get out of it?

I'd like to get to know other mums/ladies out there.  I have made friends with a small core group of lovely ladies that I learned to quilt with.  Our classes don't run anymore, but we still make the effort to meet up roughly every month at each others houses and catch up on crafty stuff - quilting, general sewing, crochet, and gossip!

I want more of that!  I want book clubs - with a heavy SFF bent!  I want crochet and knitting clubs, with, as someone said this evening, meetings held in the local pub.  I want chats by inspirational people, who don't let life get in their way, and who inspire me to be more . . .  me.  And I want, selfishly perhaps, friends!  More friends.  I like friends!

I know it's not going to be the old fashioned 'Jam and Jerusalem' days, but I also don't mind finding out about jam-making!  The first 3 speakers - Wine Tasting, Coffee tasting, and Conspiracy Theories should be great fun - most of my boxes ticked right there!

So, today has been a good day.

Except, after having too much wine last night, I didn't run this morning.  I didn't feel bad about it at the time, but do now.  What I am loving is that even experienced runners are showing me a bit of respect for trying to run up the hills I'm attempting - and they're not being kind about it - well, not completely.  However, doing it only twice doesn't really count for much if I don't keep it up.  So, I plan to run again in the morning.

However, this red wine is tasting rather delicious right now . . . . . .