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GOOD
COMPANIONS
There's a bright golden
haze on the meadow. This
was the opening line of the first song the youngsters from
St. James' School sang when visiting us at our last meeting.
It was a beautiful afternoon and they had certainly got their
accents correct throughout the song.
Under their teachers' leadership Mrs. Clifford & Mrs.
Finkin and a kindly Mum giving a helping hand Mrs. Chateris
they delighted us with a wide variety of songs, such as Hush
my Baby, A
land of my own and I
closed my eyes.
As an extra treat, their small orchestra came along as well,
and we heard how they had only had their instruments since
January, and had made good progress since. How wonderful it
is to know that they have this opportunity to make music,
under such professional instruction. We had soloists and duets
in both, choir and orchestra, and with this latter in mind,
Mrs. Clifford invited anyone who had a musical interest, and
maybe once played an instrument, they would be very welcome
to join in at their practices. What on offer !!!
They finished with When
the Saints and we were
asked to join in the second time. After due thanks were given
by 'Chair' they had their annual drinks and biscuits,
and we all felt that they too had enjoyed their visit to show
off their skills.
Our table of interest was a jug, there was a fair assortment,
and Eileen's was chosen by the teachers as the one which
appealed to them the most.
After their departure we then returned to our business part
with news and forthcoming dates and then were treated to a
fruit salad, cream and cake tea, and of' course the much
needed 'cuppa'. Before this was served, 'Chair'
read a short story by Maurice Maeterlinck, as being the height
of summer it seemed very apt. The outline - On a summer morning
the writer passed a beautiful country garden, the typical
old fashioned type. Passing by, he heard movement, and espied
a tiny old lady. Feeling he could not pass by without congratulating
her, she asked him if he liked flowers, and invited him in
to have a look round. She did not appear to look up, being
very careful to watch where she was stepping, As she came
to each variety she named it and saying which country it originated
in, and he realised he had never really looked and taken in
the beauty of a flower until her wonderful description. They
went to different parts of the garden, and he asked her how
she knew her myriad flowers in such detail. her reply "I learned
to use my eyes each day as if, the next morning, I would no
longer be able to see" then said "Then I found
that nothing I had seen could ever be taken from me".
Many years passed, but he remembered her words in that beautiful
garden full of colour and variety, as how could he not forget
them, as at the time of departure, thanking her, she lifted
her old face to his, smiling, he saw the cataracts in her
sightless eyes. Had she not used them well before that dark
morning dawned! It gave us all 'food for thought'
and did I see a few moist eyes? How grateful we should be
for the gift of sight which we have been given, so often taking
it for granted.
There will not be a meeting in August, we have our annual
full day outing, in anticipation of nice weather, but not
too hot.
September Meeting. Jan with her P.A.T. dog.
Freda
Sheppard
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