Déjà Vu Week and The Red Hatters

I hadn’t realized it until I was sitting in the audience of a Historical Society lecture that I’d probably heard this speaker before. He was talking about The Edmund Fitzgerald, a freighter that was caught in a storm on Lake Superior back in 1975. Or was it the Lady Elgin’s sinking that I heard about as part at a Life Enrichment lecture series at the senior hall a few years ago? It doesn’t matter. If you’ve heard the details about one ship wreck you’ve heard them all. “It was a dark, stormy night. The ship sank and people died.” My husband loved the lecture at the senior hall and, of course, he had to buy the book. If I wasn’t so lazy I could walk into our library to confirm whether or not this week’s lecture was a repeat. But I didn’t go to this Historical Society lecture because I have a burning fascination for ship wrecks, so what does it matter? I went for bonding time with the people from the new museum where I’ve volunteered recently.

The Red Hat Society meeting this week---my first after a 10 year break---was another déjà vu day. I vaguely remembered 5-6 of the 15 ladies in attendance from when I was a member in the past but it made me sad to think that they’ve had all those years to bond and get to know each other as good friends. I wondered if clicks within the group had formed. Is there a pecking order I’ll need to learn? The dynamics of any group takes some time to figure out. But it was exciting to put on my Red Hat “uniform” and stroll into this meeting. Would I like my new playmates? Will I fit in? Time will tell and in the meantime the ladies welcomed me warmly as one of the founding members of the chapter and the time was filled with many laugh lines. This week's tea was a work/planning meeting and the next “walk-about” takes place next Saturday. We’re going to the new, year-around marketplace for farmers and specialty food vendors in the heart of downtown. I’m excited about going in a group. I would never venture down there alone.

There’s something I had forgotten about this chapter. Back when I was still a member we had adopted a nursing home for staging a service project and the chapter still goes there to make the ladies honorary Red Hatters by entertaining them, load them up on trinkets and stuffing them full of treats. Oh, man! I want to feel young again so I’m not so sure I really want this visual of my future starring me in the face on a regular basis. But then again, maybe going to the nursing home will keep reminding me that I’ve got no time to waste in my septuagenarian years. Not that I need reminding. I’m obsessed with that line of thinking.

I’d also forgotten about the titles. Each member of the chapter has to give ourselves a royal title and I’ll need to know mine by the next meeting. ‘The Court Jester’ and ‘The Countess of Logical Thought’ are already taken. Too bad. I would have liked something like either one. All self-pronounced titles should come with an implied reference to your character, your actions or whatever obscure thoughts you have about yourself.  I’m thinking about calling myself ‘The Mistress of Misadventures’ or ‘The Duchess of Dizzy Thoughts’---both homages to this blog. I could see me being ‘The Countess of Coloring Crayons’ as a reference to my love of art or I could call myself ‘The Baroness of Disappearing Brain Mass’. Cast your vote. Which title would you pick for me?

My third social event this week was this morning, an outdoor art show that was always a favorite event for Don and me to attend. I skipped going last year because I didn’t want to go alone. I thought about asking the woman I exchanged contact information with on the last senior bus trip. She liked art and was looking for someone to pal around with but do you think I could find that phone number! Heck no and I looked everywhere except up the dog’s butt! (I don’t usual lose stuff which is why the disappearing brain mass title might be good!)  Anyway, I screwed on my brave recovering widow’s hat, put on my walking shoes and headed to the art show alone. Many of the artists were ones I’ve met in the past. Some were even selling the same prints I’d seen before, talk about déjà vu! But I wasn’t looking for inside art this time. I was on a mission to find an outdoor sculpture for my little memorial-to-Don corner of the yard. I didn’t find anything but I was surprised to see so many things called “up-cycling.” One piece that caught my eye was a red purse made out of very old Webster’s Dictionary and there were several people making jewelry out of things like sewing machine bobbins, zipper tabs and bits of cut up rulers. I went home empty handed but still lusting after that pricy red purse.

These were the highlights of my week at the School of Back to Life, which is how I’m viewing my busy September/October schedule. I’m sure as the fall progresses I’ll get a clearer view of where I fit in the best---the senior hall, the Red Hat Society or the Historical Society/museum. Call it the old college try. I’ll apply myself in all my “classes” and see how far I get…or maybe I’ll fail this semester and start sucking my thumb by Christmas.

Next week I’m going on a mystery trip with the senior hall crowd. I hope the destination turns out to be some place I’ve never been before. Back-to-back déjà vu weeks would be too creepy at my age, like the universe has pushed the rewind button on my life.  ©