Everybody was away this weekend

This weekend was a very busy Guiding weekend generally. A large number of girls and Leaders spent their time in capitals round Europe at Capital Jig. I really liked the fact that several Leaders-only teams went, spending quality time in Prague or Copenhagen with friends. I am going to look on the LASER website and see if there are any photos. I am sure it was a fabulous weekend wherever they went.

I was in Weyside at Lizzie's test residential. I can now admit that I have never QM'ed for more than one day at a time. This was a weekend and I think it went well - both food and everything else. We started with some craft activities and then sent them to bed only to get them up again an hour later (well they weren't asleep) to play a wide game which I called Hammurabbai's vision. I was dressed up with a mask and lots of gold cloth, sitting in the wendy house surrounded by candles (couldn't move because of the fire risk). Not all of them guessed it was me and two of them ran away when I started to talk! Saturday saw us helping Enid with chores in the rain, eating home-made pizza for lunch, trail laying in the afternoon, toad in the hole for tea (their favourite) and a campfire in the evening. Sunday was the assault course, various games, kite making and finishing the walking challenge and other badges.
Not much sleep, very little rest (all QMs know this), but great fun. Congratulations to Lizzie for organising it.

Oh yes - the Guides gave me a Kelly Kettle for my birthday. I tried it out but the wood was a bit damp. Nevertheless I made a reasonably hot cup of tea. I am going to try again when it is a bit drier and I can collect dry twigs and leaves.

Odd happenings

I don't want to comment on the postal strike apart from to hope it means fewer trees are felled, but something odd is happening in my road. I had heard, but never really believed it, that Adam Crozier (Royal Mail CEO) lived there. This morning - and yesterday afternoon -there were photographers stood out a particularly grand and lovely house. Putting two and two together, I guess the rumours are true.
I don't live in a grand house, can I say, but would aspire to when I win the pools or lottery - neither of which I do - so it will have to be an inheritance from a very rich but hitherto unknown relative. I can dream, can't I?

QM - to be

Next weekend I am spending my first weekend as QM for my GIC's Test Residential. I have QM'ed lots of time on overnights and regularly cook for 16 at home so it ought to be OK. The Guides have chosen their menu - or at least as much as I have asked them. I am also trying to add some bits for Adventure 100 (eat up-side-down food..) so it has been a test for me too. I hope I haven't been too ambitious. The Guides love cooking so I think it should be OK although our star cook, Olivia, won't be there. Olivia last year, when we cooked Christmas dinner in tin foil because the kitchen had no pans in spite of having a proper catering cooker, made stuffing from scratch with the barest of equipment - and it was delicious. I have a lot to live up too.

The "Hammurabai's vision" wide game that is currently living in my head will be written down in the next few days.

Then all I have to do is buy the food....I have got rid of the last two bags of (unnamed) lost property from my boot. It was shoes and old clothes and my car was starting to smell really bad so it was time for them to go. The things we do in the name of Guiding- still we wouldn't do it if it wasn't fun and we couldn't laugh about it.

Just chill!

It is a little while since my last post because I have been very busy. Not with particularly pleasant things either. Is it the time of year, I wonder? Is the worsening weather leading to worsening moods? Suddenly everyone is having a go at everyone else. So much for being a Sister to all Guides! Look, people! It is easy to find something to complain about but why make the effort? In the greater scheme of things the things that upset us are mostly trivial and with a quick word in someone's ear can be resolved quickly and amicably. Why let it escalate? After all, what ends up happening is that I have to deal with it. Anger does not solve anything on any occasion. I mean - not on any occasion, none whatsoever.

Remember what Enid said - Smile, dear, or you'll make everyone miserable.

Next time something irritates you, why not take a couple of minutes to work out whether it is really important. Why not put your feet up and have a glass of wine or cup of tea while you ponder. Then either let it go - or have a quiet, friendly word in someone's ear and explain, gently, how their action/words made you feel.

If you want a fight, take up boxing not guiding.

(if anyone is upset about this posting then I am very sorry and I promise not to put negative postings on that often. This is, though, a plea from the heart)

Lots of goodbyes

This post is about work rather than Guiding - I hope you will forgive me. We are currently in that rather odd limbo where we know 19 people are being consulted for redundancy and we know most of their names - but we have to pretend we don't until they tell us themselves. Of course they will be moving on soon and there are many I will miss very much. In a recent round in New Zealand a very good friend lost her job, so this month will be difficult.

Next week a good number of people are taking early retirement and some of them have already gone.

All in all there are a lot of goodbyes. Of course, it impacts morale but I have to praise these soon-to-be redundant employees in that they are all, or at least the ones I have spoken to, positive. They often say that those who leave can be the best ambassadors for your organisation. Let's hope so. I have never regretted leaving an organisation but always look back with fondness at the time I worked there.

An unbalanced life

I am so busy! But only in hometime. As the recession continues, paid work is scarce and there are only so many times you can ring clients before it becomes stalking, so I scratch around for useful things to do during the day. We have had more redundancies and there are numerous early retirements so my office is going to be much emptier next month. To look on the bright side that will mean it is easier to get a desk.
Guiding on the other hand could more than easily fill this time - but I can't let it. Today I am, rather late in the day, trying to find a venue for a recruitment training on November 7th. I have to do the various planning permissions for Herons Wey and meet a builder for an outline quote. I should probably also ask our Treasurer how much money we already have.
I need to find some new Advisers, review which appointments are coming up, follow up on the retirement gift and new Surrey Lion Award, look through the Guiding Development Group plans, start thinking more about retention....and I still have Lost property from Wet and Wacky. My six bags have now morphed into five bags and lots of little piles. The three bags in the office remain untouched - until later today when I collect them.
I am, though, very encouraged by the number of positive comments about Wet and Wacky and pleased that some material offers of help have been produced. I have suggested to my District we hold a Mother and Daughter evening to build on this - our Friends of Guiding could get some new members or we could get more Leaders.

More praise for Wet and Wacky

As the team have quite rightly had lots of congratualtions for a fabulous day, I thought just one posting about it was no more than touching the surface. So here are more comments....

I just had a long call from my friend .... who was absolutely ecstatic about Wet & Wacky. She thought it was BRILLIANT and was VERY.VERY IMPRESSED that we could organise something like this that gave girls such great opportunities to enjoy themselves in a fun and safe environment. She was blown away by it and is going to offer to be a unit helper at least at her daughter's Rainbow unit.
A HUGE big THANK YOU to you all for such a wonderful day yesterday. All our Brownies, and the Guides and Rainbows from our District, had the most fantastic day. From the singing and dancing and flag parading of the Opening Ceremony to all the various activities it was a triumph. Our girls made things, bought things, patted police horses, got wet and very foamy and the smiles never left their faces. We told our parents we would probably leave around 4pm as the girls would be tired by then, but in the event we dragged them out at 5.45pm!
I will leave the final words to our Brownies - when asked what they had enjoyed the most? - they replied "All of it"
Thank you for a most amazing start to the centenary! I did really enjoy it (even the hard work..) and I am in awe of your team and the work you put in to make it happen. I hope Voyage Around The World can be half as good. Well done and thank you... from 3000 of us!
I've already had one Brownie parent talk about having her CRB done so she can help out more because her daughter had such a good time - the same one who wasn't sure whether her daughter was robust enough to join such a big event. I just hope they don't start expecting all events to be in the same league in future!

Of course this is just a sample - but a representative one. That we are getting potential unit helpers and Leaders is simply amazing. What other event that we have put on has had that impact?