Last Sunday Battleaxe joined her WI colleagues for the Cancer Research Race for Life in Alexandra Park. I realise that we have been doing this as a WI for ten years – have the medals and the blog posts to prove it! I don’t like doing it – dunno why I carry on, really. Then, this week I went over to Waldron to give a book talk at the local WI. Waldron? Where’s that? you may well say. Right in the middle of the countryside near Heathfield. Then I’ll finish with an unusual visitor to our bird feeders.
So why don’t I like the Race for Life? It’s harmless, raises loads of money and for Battleaxe, is just a walk in the park yakking to her mates, but I don’t like the codsiness of it all. I hate all the ‘battling to beat cancer’ stuff. Having cancer isn’t a battle, its just an endurance test. If you are going to die, all the battling in the world won’t save you. I should know. My several cancerous experiences meant thinking I was going to die, then dealing with horrible procedures, then worrying it hadn’t gone until the anxiety gradually fades away. I don’t like being reminded of all that.
Then I hate all that jumping up and down and loud music and ‘ELLO ‘ASTINS! Yaay’.
Ah well. So, what of Waldron WI? Let me tell you, the village was so like my fictional Compton Perceval. The old church, the pub, the village hall set by the playing field, the pretty (and expensive) houses. I expected to see Caroline and Olga, sitting on a bench on the playing field, watching the police activity at the Village Hall while a deranged old priest flapped his surplice at them… The WI has 35 members, probably all local residents. About as far removed from our local Hastings Ore as you could imagine. Like on another planet. It made me realise that when I was a WI Trustee, I had insufficient understanding of how other WIs operated…
I didn’t take any photos on the day, but here is the lovely little hall…
Of course, as ever with WIs, the ladies were incredibly appreciative and friendly, and enjoyed hearing about the books. They bought a good few as well. Poor Philosopher had to drive me over to Waldron – it took getting on for an hour. He drove because I have ointment to go in my sore eyes and it blurs my vision.
Unusual visitor to our bird feeders? This squirrel. In Birmingham, we had endless squirrels who were a real pest – they ate everything, stole the feeders and then broke them, and scared the little birds away. But in Hastings – none, except for one lost baby about five years ago. Why now? Who knows. Tree growth in the locality? Climate change? We have a squirrel baffle but this Hastings squirrel was so agile he just jumped straight over it up to the top of the pole. (And yes, wildlife people, we have stopped putting out (new) seeds and nuts for the summer).
