Di, in the pink, is telling us about when she visited the "Bottle Shop" today and she was asked where she was going tonight. She answered, "To Playgroup." Obviously she was given look of astonishment and it happens to all of us. This is because we are all oldies and are unlikely to be attending 'Playgroup' unless with grandchildren. However, we used to take our children to 'Springwood Playgroup' over 30 years ago. Twice a year we have a dinner together to maintain our friendship.
Sometimes we go to a restaurant and sometimes to one of our houses. Tonight Ann was the hostess and with a couple of helpers she put on a great spread. Instead of paying for dinner, we bring a plate and donate money to a cause or charity.
We played games, dressed up in silly hats. We shared photos and stories of children, grandchildren and holidays. We discussed the pros and cons of retirement and ageing.
Last night we raised money for "Righteous Pups Australia" (Assistant Dogs for Autistic Children). Ann, (above) is explaining how specially trained dogs can help children with autism and each dog costs $29,000 to rear and train. Ann has two grandchildren with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, one is more severe than the other. She is helping her daughter to raise the money for a dog.
Diane, what a great idea and a great way to get together with your old friends. It wonderful to help the charities.
ReplyDeleteI so admire all of your friendships that have lasted a long time. It's great. I have one group of four and meet four times a year for birthdays but that's about it. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteI love this! I've been having lunch with the same group of women every Tuesday for the last 33 years. We met on a bowling league when we all had little ones and over the years we continued to bowl and then lunch. For the last 15 years or so, we just lunch and forget the bowling. (Thank goodness, I was always terrible at bowling and NEVER improved.) They are such an important part of my life. Your group's name is funny, ours is just weird....The Bowling Jocks!
ReplyDeleteI love that your groups still meets, and that maintaining the friendships you had started when you childrens were little was important to all of you. And i love that you use your time together to contribute to something important. :-)
ReplyDeleteI can relate. I have a group of Moms, from the days when my daughter took dance classes, that i still meet with regularly. Those bonds of friendship between the girls and the parents are still strong even though it has been a few years since the girls stopped dancing.
A month ago we went to an Irish pub where one of the girls has a weekend dancing gig. It was fun to see her in the spotlight. We attended the senior art show of another one of the girls last weekend (she is moving to Australia by the way.) Today we are attending the wedding of the girl who was my daughters best friend from dance. (My daughter is a bridesmaid.) And next weekend yet another one of the dance girls is getting married and we are attending that one as well.
Time marches on , kids grow up, things change, but I hope that our friendships remain.
That's a wonderful idea ! I have to organize such meetings too ! We do it already but I never thought about eating together !
ReplyDeletesadly I am back. Besides Rosie, I wonder if the others have noticed my absence. Mr. G. seems to have had a nice time !
You must look forward to these twice yearly occasions.... great post, glad you remembered your camera!
ReplyDeleteI am a bit too far away to always attend, but the group I worked with in the early 1980s still meet up regularly.
I had no idea the dogs cost that much. Donating money to a cause is a good thing and having fun while doing it is an added bonus. It's wonderful that you have such great friends. You all look like such a happy group.
ReplyDeleteDiane I so love the fact that you still manage to main regular contact with these long time friends.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, I have led the life of a gipsy and my friends, and family, are spread throughout the country.
Lovely post.
What fun keeping up with the play group ... and being able to track the progress of children to grand children. I guess in country towns that happens anyway but in the city people have to put in more of an effort to keep connections over time.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to still see friends from back in the day! (One of the negative tradeoffs for our RV lifestyle.) I love the idea of using the gettogethers to help out worthy causes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea to get together with a great group of friends and raise money for charities at the same time. I love the photos, they look like a fun group.
ReplyDeleteAh! I bet it was fun to bring photos of Fox!! And I LOVE the charity - great going..
ReplyDeleteWonderful to maintain old friendships like this..I try to do the same with a group of mothers I vecame friendly with when all our children were young.
ReplyDeleteWonderful charity --I have a severely autistic nephew so I know how devastating the disorder is.
Looks like your Playgroup is a fabulous group of fun-loving women... I know you had a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy