I dipped my pen into the ink
and scratched my head and tried to think
I thought and thought but nothing came
So I decided simply to write my name.
So ran a rhyme we used to put in autograph books. Young people nowadays might find it hard believe that we all had these books which we filled not only with the famous but with friends, family, teachers – anyone who could be persuaded to contribute. By hook or by crook I ll be last in your book was a favourite for the last page, underneath which someone always managed to squeeze in By eggs or by bacon you’re greatly mistaken
Today autographs are sold on ebay – we would have thought that was cheating.
But actually there s plenty to write about this month: April means Spring – even more than March when we hope but don t get too excited – if it s April it really MUST be spring at last with all the good things that word brings to mind – Spring flowers, Spring showers, Easter, holidays – which are hard to imagine on these cold mornings when March still has us in its grip – and a grip tightened after the beginning of the month which seemed so much more promising. Rather like the build up to the eclipse that turned out to be just an even gloomier hour than the one preceding it.
If Spring is just around the corner then so is the SPRING FAIR (16th May) so whatever the weather we have to make preparations for that. Whether you bake or sew, make jam or cushion covers, have lots of cupboards and bookshelves to turn out (Pre-loved is the buzz word this year) or want to help on a stall you ll find all the information you need further on in this issue.
We have two sermons this month, sort of complementary in that the first one raised a few eyebrows because of its perceived attack on the music so I was asked to put in a definite defence of music as well. Actually Andrew seemed to me to be challenging far more than that, which is why I really wanted to include it. Judge for yourself.
If it s April it must be the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) which this year is being held in the Crypt Room (Monday 20th at 8pm). This is your chance to have a say in how the church is run, to vote on a range of things depending on where you live, whether you re on the church electoral roll – honestly the voting system is so complicated you have to be there to appreciate it. The evening s generally quite painless and it finishes with a glass of wine so do come and support the Vicar and his staff.
The Friends of the Drama hold their AGM this month too – on 30th – and Jon Siddall and Stephen Clarke have written about the group generally and the AGM in particular. We don t do musical acts at the APCM. Perhaps we should……..
Finally, very many thanks to everyone who helped deliver the voluntary rate letters. How much more we all appreciate postmen now – and what a lot of interesting corners Hampstead has.