I love a good AGM

So the other night I set off full of excitement and anticipation, ready to make some new friends. I'm the treasurer of an action group that raises awareness as well as funds for our local park

Of course, the first thing I did was blow up the kettle :-( That's the second kettle in under a week, pretty good going even for me!

From the black looks I was getting from the parched crowd I suspected that this possibly wasn't going to be a friends making evening after all. Off I I shuffled to my seat right at the front of the room, that's the downside of being on the committee, there's nowhere to hide!

I sat next to Joyce. Now I like Joyce, she's just turned 81 but she had the agility of a 79 year old when she wields her walking stick! It's not so much that she needs it, but it's great for keeping Dennis in line. Dennis is the Chair and leader of our merry little band. Sweet as a nut and would bend over backward to help anyone (although thus far I've managed to resist the temptation to ask him to do that!). Dennis is also a bit of a bottom patter and has a terrible line in very slightly risqué jokes.

Joyce very kindly asked after my foot having seen me hobbling down the road earlier (mostly I'm doing that for sympathy now it being much improved!). Her eye sight isn't as good as it used to be so I hoiked my foot up onto the table to show her.



Meet Ankle and Cankle



'Looks fine to me' she said with a dismissive huff. Did I mention she's 81?? Of COURSE it bloody looked fine to her! Practically everyone she knows wears their ankles flowing over the tops of their tan lace ups!

I wasn't ready to pass up the opportunity for a little sympathy just yet however so I dutifully hoisted the other foot onto the table so she could do a comparison.

Much Ooooing and ahhhing followed, it was like a soothing balm to my suffering soul. Joyce however does have two old lady ankles to rival my one so we did a comparison with her's. Thinking it might be a bit much to ask her to get her legs up onto the table I stuck my head underneath to have a gander instead.

It's times like that I wish I were more in tune with what's going on around me.

A deathly hush had settled over the room. 30 odd pairs of eyes were looking at me with horror (and in some cases disgust!), Id forgotten that as well as wandering round the garden bare foot all day my daughter had taken the opportunity while I was lying in the sun to write on the bottom of my feet, ankle and cankle!!

I shall draw a veil over the rest of the evening, suffice to say that I WAS re-elected as treasurer mostly because everyone had their eyes glued firmly to the floor and sat in total silence when the agenda reach the re-election of officer point.

I strongly (and sadly) suspect they may also have been afraid Id remain on the committee anyway and they might HAVE to be my 'friend'!