Iden

PEARLS OF WISDOM: 'Are you laying bricks with that butter', my mum would ask me. The couple of ounces of butter rations per week during the war still played on her mind. If I wore too much make-up, she would say, 'don't think for one minute you're going out like that my lady, you look like a Piccadilly Totty'. ' Pick that up in case someone falls over it', shut the door I'm not heating the entire neighbourhood', ' look up a word in the dictionary every day' 'I'm not made of money' ', always wear clean underwear in case you have an accident', or 'if God wanted you to have holes in your ears, he'd have put them there'---- her little sayings still walk across my mind. If she wanted to borrow something, she'd ask [in jest] 'can I have a squeeze of your blue bag , which originated from when people used to add a squeeze of Reckitt's blue-bag to a clothes- wash to make them appear whiter. She also said that the houses around that Reckitt's factory turned blue. My mum was full of little anecdotes. She would scold me for using too much mustard by saying 'Mr. Coleman made his millions through the amount of mustard people left on the side of their plate'[ even now I feel guilty if I dollop on the mustard.]' If she puts her head in the gas oven, are you daft enough to do the same' she would call up the stairs, and. 'you need something to cover your chest 'she'd say as I left for school. 'Are you wearing your liberty bodice'? liberty bodice [I ask you] Those fleece-lined things with the rubber buttons. No wonder I never had any street-cred. I used to roll it up and put it in my satchel!

AN AFTERNOON AT IDEN BOWLS: Iden Bowls club had a Spring tea -party on Saturday 22nd April. There was an Easter bonnet competition, and there was an impressive array of pretty, and extremely inventive hats. June Humphreys prepared some thought provoking competitions. June is really clever at producing innovative word games. Nice to celebrate the beginning of the bowls season with some frivolity. Everyone contributed something towards the tea. Many thanks to June, and the committee, and everyone who served and washed up, and all those who brought raffle prizes.

THANK YOU TO I.C.E, AND TO SECAMB: SECAMB, together with I.C.E. [Iden Community Emergency Forum], provided a comprehensive demonstration of First Aid manoeuvres, including use of the defibrillator. Thank you to all those who gave up their time to instruct, and to arrange the session, entitled ‘SAVE A LIFE’, which was held on April 18th, in Iden village hall .

FORTHCOMING CHURCH EVENTS: There will be a joint service in Playden Church this Sunday, at 11am. Coffee will be served afterwards [no service in Iden Church this Sunday

CARING AND SHARING: There will be a ‘ Caring And Sharing Eucharist’, in Iden Parish Church on Monday 8th May, at 7 pm. There will be a service, and a talk given about the disabled in India, which should a be most enlightening. ‘’CARING AND SHARING’ is a charity based in East Sussex. There will be refreshments after the service.

FRIENDS OF IDEN CHURCH: The A.G.M., of Friends Of Iden Church is on Monday May 8th, at 3.30pm, in The Old Hall.

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL: On Wednesday May 10th, there will be a meeting of the Parochial Church Council , at 7pm, in the Old Hall.

MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL: There will be a Parish Council meeting on Tuesday 3rd May, at 7.30pm, in Iden village hall . All are invited to attend, to hear what’s happening in and around Iden.

A LITTLE BIT POTTY!: Anyone who cooks regularly, develops a relationship with their pots and pans don’t they? I have pans that I have a great affinity with. One little pan, has no handle, but is just big enough for a few peas. I was there when it lost it’s handle. Someone at the factory didn’t care enough to screw it on properly. Am I going to throw him out? No, certainly not. He’s still a great little trooper. I have frying pans with no handle that have become nice roasting dishes. Oh, these pans wouldn’t make the ‘House Beautiful’ magazine, but there is something lived-in and utilitarian about them. My daughter bought me some lovely new saucepans for Mother’s day. They’re ceramic-coated, and very practical. [Talk about a walk in the park], they look good, are totally non-stick, and clean in a flash. I’m thrilled with them. “Good, okay”, said my husband, “ now we’ll be able to get rid of all those battered old pans” “Oh no you don’t ”, I said. I could no more throw out my pea-pan, and it’s dented little mates than fly in the air. You don’t throw out family members when they lose their looks, or throw out grandad when he’s hopping around on one leg, and once you take on a saucepan, it can over the years, in it’s own little metallic way, still find it’s way onto your stove, and into your heart!

CONTACT ME: If anyone has anything to add to the Village Voice, please ring Gill Griffin [telephone 01797 280311]

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