The Merry Mamzelles - Mudgee's Red Hatters are continuing their efforts to stay social during social distancing, turning to technology and starting small, to make the most of "Corona time".
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For the last couple of months the group - like everyone here and overseas - has had to find other ways of keeping contact, and mobiles with FaceTime and computers with Skype and Zoom certainly help.
And with the loosening of rules to allow visitation of two people, the Merry Mamzelles have decided to hold their get-togethers at several homes - sort-of mini morning teas that allow them to catch up with friends, but still stay within COVID requirements.
Starting slowly on Saturday, two Red Hatters hosted a morning tea, one in the Gulgong area and one in Mudgee.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared 2020 as 'The Year of the Nurse and Midwife' to mark the bicentenary of the birth of Florence Nightingale and to recognise the work of both professions.
And this was an occasion that the Mudgee Red Hatters were keen to celebrate. They recognised nurses' ongoing contributions to global health, earlier in the year - prior to the pandemic - with a morning tea at Medical the Centre Café.
If you are you a lady aged 50 or over, living within the Mudgee region and would like to join a social support group of like-minded women who wear purple with red hats and have a focus on fun, friendship, frivolity and celebrate the freedom of ageing - then maybe The Merry Mamzelles - Mudgee's Red Hatters is for you.
For further information contact Pam 0499 942 225 or Carol 0427 094 481.
Eight Weeks
The Merry Mamzelles - Mudgee's Red Hatters have all found ways to enjoy their home stays. And member Pamela Meredith wrote the following short story Eight Weeks during this time.
It has been eight weeks, maybe more since I dressed to go 'out'. You know 'out'.
Not jeans, and tee shirt, sloppy joe and socks and sneakers. Proper clothes. Slacks, black tapered leg, soft fabric and red woollen jumper and boots, suede side zipper; forgot to mention a bra.
And More importantly, moisturiser, foundation, lip liner and lipstick plus my favourite fragrance, Obsession. My hair received more than a flick through.
My fingernails are tatty after weeks of pottering in the garden, so a brush up and file all the poor torn nails and just quietly I have shaved my legs and body lotion my sad dry limbs.
Eight weeks.
Eight weeks since I shopped, no supermarket, no browsing in shops and no wandering through a nursery to pick up a plant or seedling. No coffee shops with friends, no lunch with the Friday lunch girls or Red Hatters Coffee and cake.
Art class with U3A and spinning group, nothing like that either
No great grandchildren pick up from kindy or school for a treat at the bakery, no visit to the pet shop or library for storytelling. No time at the park.
"Granma watch me, watch me" or "push me Granma come on push me".
Or "I went in the cross country today and came sixth Granma". Well done Nate.
Granddaughters have shopped for me. Grocery shopping list carry bags and debit card picked up from the front verandah and delivery back with food and often a surprise like chocolate or a bottle of wine. There have been visits to the front door with hot dinners or yummy desserts, "knew you enjoy this Granma". Oh yes, I do.
Now after eight weeks of isolation I'm going to the library. Well I've phoned the library and between 2 and 4pm I can go to the laneway at the side of our library and from a table there pick up my book club book for May. Along with my book there are several piles of books, novels and children's picture books with labels on them. Pleasure for some bored families.
So, eight weeks and now perhaps my life can take a short step into living again. Outside my front gate.
