June's Theme

It's funny isn't it how sometimes you can get a light bulb moment in the strangest of places and at the weirdest times. JK Rowling said that Harry Potter just walked into her head whilst she sat on a train, ok so this is slightly different but I did have a light bulb moment for this month's theme whilst scrubbing the toilet. I don't know what it was about the toilet that suddenly gave me inspiration but staring down into the toilet bowl there it was...this month's theme!

Thankfully it has absolutely nothing to do with toilets or scrubbing the bathroom, but I was thinking about the Intellectual Dinner Club and how this month I really wanted to set us a challenge, something that would inspire us, really make us work. I started thinking about school and the subjects I always enjoyed such as art and design and technology and then I thought, why on earth did I never pursue these interests when I was younger? I was always so fascinated by artists and designers, I loved learning about where they got their inspiration from to create something so amazing or quirky or sometimes downright ugly. And so there was my light bulb moment, there was the theme...finally! So this month I have decided that we are going to research a designer and find out about what inspires or inspired them. I then want us to look for our own inspiration, for example maybe each of us could take inspiration from our surroundings, another designer , a country or a pretty flower. Then what  I really want us to do is put some work in and design something based on our inspiration...anything... a car, a picture, a clothes line, make-up range...anything! I quickly threw off my horrible rubber gloves and sat and scribbled my idea down. For the first time I feel confident that everybody in the group will like this theme...including our toughest member Amanda! If she purses her lips I know it's a disaster and that she hates it but honestly I think I've got it this time. It is going to be a challenge and what with work and everything else going on in our lives right now I have no idea how or when we are going to get chance to do our themes...but I can't wait to get started!

Catherine

May's Meeting

"This is not the Golden Cock” said Dannii as we pulled into the car park of the Old Corn Mill. As a surprise to Dannii we had decided to dine at one of her favourite restaurants rather than somewhere she was less enthusiastic about. During the car journey we had managed to distract each other so well that not only had Dannii not twigged that we were  travelling in the wrong direction, but I ended up being locked in the car (Last time I sit in the middle again dammit!). And so began the evening of fun and laughter. You know the Black Eyed Peas song about having a feeling that tonight’s going to be a good night, well that song could have been written for the evening (rather than the dirty one

about lady humps). We were all in a really brilliant mood! Work had been particularly tough for me 

but I was looking forward to a good meal with my friends and fellow witches.

The restaurant was homely and cosy with squishy armchairs and comfy seats. The menu was traditional but with nice touches such as wine recommendations with certain dishes. Amanda took advantage of this and was very happy with her recommendation. Phoebe was struggling to choose her main and asked for a recommendation from the waitress. Unfortunately the waitress had not sampled either dish so was unable to help.

Our conversation quickly turned to Dannii’s holiday in LA which sounded AMAZING! She got a tattoo at the famous LA Ink, nearly got to attend a premiere with Johnny Depp, attended a medieval banquet and nearly appeared in a show until the organisers found out that Dannii’s boyfriend Dan was about 8 foot too tall for the costume! It’s Cathy’s birthday this month!!! We discussed parties she could have and discussed the possibility of an 80’s party. We shared our most embarrassing outfits from the 80’s and 90’s. (legwarmers and ra-ra skirts anyone?) which bizarrely are all back in fashion again and then struggled to think of any fashion highs in the noughties, which posed the question “Fashion in the noughties – what has it ever done for us?”
(answers on a postcard please folks!).

The meal arrived and was delicious. Dannii’s starter arrived and seemed to be comprised of 15 different types of fish all cooked in different ways. The mains were delicious and the sweets were very yummy. Thank god they had not committed the cardinal sin of putting dates or fruit into the sticky toffee pudding and also gave you a choice of custard, cream or ice cream. (Me? It’s cream all the way baby! None of this ice cream nonsensearoo). We had a true flash of the future that night I can tell you !! On the next table were 5 ladies of a certain age, well sweet Jesus they could have been us in about 20 years. There was the noisy redhead, the leader, 2 sweet ones and a slightly tubby one!! It was eerie seeing them. I’d like to think it was something akin to when Carrie sees the 4 new New Yorkers at the start of the Sex and the City film all looking glamorous and stylish, but only if it was set in Huddersfield and there were 5 of them.

And so it was time to come to our theme. I had set the theme and was extremely nervous as it is the sort of the theme which involves telling people what is in your head. (Never a good thing in my case) and through the medium of film. What was great was that we had all gone in very different directions, I ventured a bit close to dungeons and dragons territory. Cathy peered worryingly out from behind Julia Roberts, Amanda outshone Carrie Bradshaw in the wardrobe stakes, Phoebe wore nothing but a shroud of mist and Dannii, well Danii was superimposed onto Ariel from the Little Mermaid,.... badly which caused me to laugh so hard a bit of snot came out!!! The theme was about imagining yourself in a film, and to try and identify what that said about you. What was really interesting was that basically everyone got it bang on and without realising it. Amanda was super stylish and elegant, Phoebe could soothe a troubled situation, Cathy was a great and wise friend, Danni?? Well she’s just nuts (only kidding lovely xx)

And so ended a great evening. Can’t wait for the next one.

Caroline