Have I died and gone to Nordstrom?

As any parent knows, kids grow up so fast.  By this we usually are marking our own emotional milestone tied to their physical one...like kindergarten, middle school dance, prom, high school graduation or just the fact that you look up and you are...literally...looking up at them.  Or their shoe size is now bigger than yours.  They are emotional milestones that have a physical component.  We mark the seasons by looking at the trees and we mark our lives by looking at our kids.

Most of us are able to properly outfit our children as they grow.  But some kids are not so lucky.  They come to school with their toes bunched up in too small shoes, or wearing shorts when it's freezing outside.  Many don't have a coat or even a long sleeve hoodie. School nurses need clothes to distribute to children who are inappropriately dressed for school for whatever reason, be it bad judgement or simple lack.


In more affluent schools, the lost and found runneth over.  You'd be surprised the items that get tossed into lost and found and never picked up.  How does a child lose an entire pair of shoes?  Dozens of gloves (mates included!), knit caps, scarves, hoodies and jackets remain behind when the school year is over.   In the more affluent schools, these include designer brands such as Polo, Gap, and others.  It's a satellite branch of Nordstrom.

Last Saturday the ladies and I washed, dried, folded and sorted the lost and found items from one school alone.  There were 244 items, all of which were very nice.   Every kid in that school must have lost at least one item. 

I usually hate laundry, but watching the fluffy sweaters and clean coats come tumbling out of the dryer, I imagined a child standing there with outstretched hands. 

I wished I could hand it over warm from the dryer, with a hug.   They grow up so fast.

Abby

Looking forward to fall

As I put away my summer placemats and got the Halloween decorations out this week, I thought about the bittersweet end of summer. While we hate to say good bye, it’s always nice to have something new to look forward to. As Ecclesiates says, “To everything a season” and as my grandmother used to say, “This too shall pass.”

Things change, don't they?

Years ago, club work and being lady of the house was vastly different from today. Many ladies had household help which enabled them to put on luncheons and get out the silver tea service. If you’ve read the book “The Help” you will know what I mean. Today we are lucky if we all have the same day available for a meeting and can get 4 matching coffee mugs together. Now days, we all wear so many hats and juggle so many balls. Rather than club "work", I like to think we have club "fun". 

Change isn't easy, even when it's just the season.  This old world turns, and we go along for the ride.  But having something to look forward to makes saying goodbye to the old times so much easier.  So goodbye to summer!  We loved ya' but we like our sweaters and cozy fires as well.   We have club fun to look forward to and good friends to share it with.

See you at the October meeting! 

Abby

Act in October

Hello All!

I've returned from vacation and look forward to seeing you at our luncheon tomorrow.  Check your email for the details.  Soup and salad and good times!

On the calendar for October:
October 16 - Lee District meeting.  Please let me know if you can contribute to our silent auction prize.  We have a lovely teapot and a matching plate.  Any ideas you have for filling out the prize, as well as a catchy name or theme would be appreciated!

October 17 - Monthly business meeting.  Arrive on time, please.  (7:15) and let's leave on time too.  ; )  If you signed up for snacks, please rsvp to our hospitality chairman.

Coming up October 29th we have our "Act in October" event, which is wine and cheese at 7 pm.  Please let our first VP know if you have friends you'd like to invite as prospective members.

And...if you've spied a butterfly don't forget to leave a compliment as a comment on this article! 

All the best,
Abby

Ready to go!

Dear Ladies of TJ,


Today was a most inspiring day today.


Several of us attended the Lee District Leadership Workshop and what fun we had!  There were so many wonderful ideas for fund raising, for Arts projects, conservation, international affairs and so forth.  My dining room table is covered in brochures, handouts, sticky notes and email addresses for new friends.  I got the "official" skinny on my presidential duties, and dutifully accepted the handouts on parlimentary procedure.  And I thought I just got to bang that gavel with gusto!  Nope. We will be observing and learning together the formal rules that help us get along, and get things done.


After the workshop we had a delicious luncheon at Homemades by Suzanne as we sat by the railroad tracks and watched the trains go by.  Ashland is truly a beautiful, welcoming little town and it was a pleasure to sit with my fellow clubmembers and visit like ladies who lunch.  : )


TJ got some accolades today, too.  Our facebook page and blogsite were held up as examples of how to socially connect, when a website just is too much. 


Isn't that what our club is about?  Making new friends, taking the time to post a comment or say something encouraging to a member, and join together in making the world a better place.  Facebook is proof that people are "viral".  We all love to be connected and know each other.  I for one welcome technology into the world of GFWC.   I say, spread the love!


Remember our first meeting is Monday, 9/13 at 7:15.  New members, please come at 6:30 for a light dinner and orientation.  We've got much to teach you!


All the best,

-A-


Abby Magruder, President

Thomas Jefferson Junior Woman's Club