Iden

we can almost hear a pin drop .Why ?, Well of course the children have gone back to school, and always when that happens, I sense that the gaiety of summer fades and the world takes on a more serious note. Autumn, although incredibly beautiful, does give off a certain [okay guys it’s time to knuckle down] kind of message. Well, I baby-sat this week, for my granddaughter, while her brother set off for his first day at secondary school. Oh my!, everything seems so much more complicated than when I was at school, when all I seemed to carry [apart from Domestic Science days], was a ruler , a pen, pencil, and a slightly gnawed rubber. Nowadays there seems to be a huge black school holdall boarding a school bus, stuffed with everything but the kitchen sink, with a child clinging on to the end of it. Firstly we had to have family photos [me still in my nightie, that will look good in years to come]., and my daughter slightly teary because he looked so grown up in his uniform . She bought, big [allowing for growth,] and in truth, the blazer would have fitted him and the man next door. Homework, as it transpired was a contradiction in terms, because it is done in his school library, necessitating a packed homework-snack. A lab-coat for science, had been beautifully ironed and labelled, but came back rolled in a ball, [boys are so mucky, but sweet aren’t they?] A visual timetable had to be designed, a fitness assessment was on the agenda, school clubs chosen, and team building holidays already in the pipeline [team building, gosh we just said, “hello” to whoever we sat next to and that was that! Then of course, the gum shield had to be tried for rugby [now that would make me feel as claustrophobic as being in a lift, having to wear one of those things] It seems such a minefield of regulations and memory sticks. No, I must say, I am glad that I am only the Granny, and could slope off home, leaving my poor frazzled daughter labelling a gym shoe!

HOLY COMMUNION: There will be a service of Holy Communion in Iden Parish Church, at 9.30am, on Sunday14th September.

THE GREAT AMERICAN SONG BOOK!: This is the title of a compilation of songs, to be performed in Iden Parish Church, on Saturday 27th September, at 7.30 pm. Bob Hammond, Dov Perminski, and Laura Heales will entertain us. The concert is free of charge, but a retiring collection, will be donated to ‘The Friends of Church’ and ‘Iden village hall’. During the interval drinks will be available [donation only] So--‘Do It My Way’, ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’, towards Iden Parish Church, for an entertaining evening, something different, and all in a good cause.

LOOK OUT YOUR JUMBLE: There will be an Iden Cricket Club jumble sale on 25th October in the village hall No electrical items, but just about anything else can be given to Sue White [telephone 01797-280453] Sue will collect if necessary .We all need to get rid of toys, books, clothing and bric a brac, because Christmas is around the corner, and the house will crack under the strain if we don’t have a pre-Christmas turf-out!

A POTPOURRI OF AUTUMN HUES IS EXPECTED: The Iden and Playden Garden Society, never let us down. The flowers, vegetables and fruit that they manage always to pull out of the bag at their shows is always so worth seeing. It’s hard to pick their most beautiful showing-season, but Autumn is bound to be breathtaking as usual. The Autumn Show is in the village hall on Saturday 20th September, and is to be followed by the Annual General Meeting. The Garden Society need members to make their views known, because it has been proposed to have only one winter talk , held in the evening in 2015, due to mounting costs. Lets face it, the Garden Society bring to us at their shows a wealth of gathered seasonal harvest. Growing things is a gift I don’t have, and to me gardeners have some kind of God given ability to nurture, a particular kind of patience that doesn’t give up on seeds and plants, but carries them through to fruition. So, keep going to the meetings and go forth and multiply [horticulturally speaking] and allow us all to continue to enjoy the fruits of your labours.

THE POP-IN: Every fortnight, the folk of Iden gather for a coffee and chat in the village hall. How homely and innocuous is that! Nothing changes but the biscuits [you have no idea how difficult it is to keep everyone happy in that department, but Bru does love his gingernuts!] The men tend to gather at one table for a different type of conversation [what actually do men talk about? It beats me anyhow!] One thing is certain they don’t seem to delve into emotions the way we do. So, the next Pop In is on Monday15th September at 11am in the village hall. Everyone is welcome.

BINGO: Bingo continues to attract more people every week, quite probably because it’s fun, not rocket science, and we can win enough for a nice meal out, or a new frock! A light tea is served, and it’s very nice to see everyone the next Bingo is on Thursday 18th September in the Iden village hall, but people from surrounding villages are welcome .Doors open at 2pm, and eyes down at 2.30pm.

TELL ME THE OLD, OLD STORY: Still in ‘back to school mode’, I often give my grandchildren a little pep talk, designed to smooth life’s pathway [it doesn’t always work, because they are starting to give each other that ‘Oh not again’] look. However, I still proceed, because I am after all the ancient worldly wise grandmother, [been there and bought the tee-shirt!] One said that she was worried about having a new teacher, so I told her that I was sure that Miss Wilson was far more worried about meeting a whole new class, and that they must all help Miss Wilson to feel at home, so that in no time at all their class would be like a little family, just there for school times. Oh if only I could follow them through life making them all feel better with daft anecdotes. It’s a scary old business being a child. Let’s face it, it’s a scary old business being us sometimes too isn’t it? Sometimes I wish that my Granny was still sitting on the end of my bed!

CONTACT ME: If anyone wishes to add anything to the village voice, please contact me, Gill Griffin [telephone 01797 280311]

Gill Griffin

Belfield, Main Street