Bath WI

That's right, the WI.  The Women's Institute.  I have succumbed.  I am now officially one of those new-age, granny-chic, cake-baking, dress-making, sock-knitting stereotypes...but you knew that already, right?  And so, to seal the deal, when my friend Sarah (of Strawberry Fields fame) invited me to join her at her first WI meeting, curiosity got the better of me, and off I went.

Instead of their usual monthly, indoor meeting, for September they decided that a guided walking tour of Bath would be a good idea.  If you're reading this in the UK, you will now be laughing, because you will know what a not-so-brilliant idea it turned out to be.  If you're reading in the States, let me explain: we are getting the (thankfully much diluted) arse-end of your recent hurricanes.  And, if you're reading from anywhere else, I'll sum it up for you: it's been blowing a gale and raining cats and dogs ALL WEEK.  Like, too windy for your umbrella, all week. 

So, what's a Crafty Blogger to wear to a guided walking tour of Bath, with the WI, on a rainy, windy Wednesday evening?  How about something like this?

 

Obviously, I had to wear the dress that I made, to establish my Crafty Blogger status.  And I dug out my marvellous I-look-like-a-Spanish-tourist green waterproof jacket.  It's been to Japan and back, and several festivals, but I rarely wear it these days, due to its aforementioned touristy tendancies.  However, after last night, it's my new favourite jacket.  Competition is stiff: I have many coats and jackets and they are all brilliant, but I had forgotten just how warm and impressively waterproof this £25-from-H&M-about-seven-years-ago little bargain is.  All in all, I felt a bit like a Land Girl...a grungy Land Girl.  But at least I was warm and dry.

The WI were all older than Sarah and I (sprightly twenty-somethings that we are) but they were mostly in their 30s, rather than their 70s, as one might have expected.  They are mostly mums as well, which obviously isn't something I can relate to, but they meet once a month (which is not too much of a committment), they are planning some craft evenings, plus a private view of the Marilyn Monroe exhibition at the American Museum in October.  Their next talk is about self defence.  They're Facebook friends with The Makery and the Holburne Museum.  I've never really been one for "sisterhood," but they don't sound too creepy, or cliquey, so...I think I'm going to join.  I do like learning and making stuff, after all (don't we all?) so if that's what they get up to then we can't go too far wrong.  

Let's just not talk about what an absolute grandma I'm turning into.  Let's just put that to one side, OK?  Thanks.