Remembering Vera The Very Delightful Dowager-1910-2012

Vera joined Red Hats in 2009. She came along to events with her daughter Pam, Grand Duchess Bojangles. Vera had her title, The Delightful Dowager conferred on her at our teddy bear picnic in 2009.

Vera was very happy to join in all activities to the best of her abilities, she enjoyed chatting to all who would sit with her and loved a glass of bubbly.







Vera often sat with her friend Doris and when the event was finished she would often tell Pam that she had a lovely chat with that nice young lady, Doris who is 90 years of age.

 Vera would never acknowledge her advancing age. When she turned 99 we threw a party but had to put on the cake 95 plus GST as she would always tell us she was just 95. She loved getting dressed up in the purple clothes and red hats.






Vera was very lucky to have Pam as her daughter as Pam made red hats. Vera turned up to each event in a different hat. She also wore her brilliant bling with elegance.





Vera loved our Easter Egg hunts although she sent Pam to do the egg hunting for her. She certainly enjoyed eating the easter eggs that were found for her.

When Vera turned 100 we organised for birthday cards from Red Hatters all over Australia to be sent to her. On that day we made her queen for the day and changed her title to The Very Delightful Dowager.








Vera participated in activities up until September last year.








Even though she no longer participated we always considered one of us right up until the end.I imagine she would have been the oldest Red Hatter in the world. She never let her age deter her from having lots of fun in her Red Hat life. That is the way we  all will always remember Vera The Very Delightful Dowager.

Winter:- a time of fun and laughter for all Red Hats

Winter is usually a time of hibernation but not if you are a Red Hatter. We don't let the weather get to us, we just rug up and out we go. Just recently we went on a tour of the local opportunity shops. These second hand goods shops are a source of wonderment for Red Hatters. We visited six shops in one day and everyone came away with some wonderful bargains:- things that we will alter and make into something else, things we will use just the way they are. There were lots of oohhs and aaahhs as we hunted the racks. If someone found a treasure that wasn't for them the cry went up; "look what I have found!' and Red Hatters would come running and decide who it suited best.




A couple of days later we visited the other end of the shopping experience and went to have coffee and cake in the exclusive Maling Road shopping strip. We certainly drew a few funny looks but once again we found the just right bargain. It was cold but sunny so it was the perfect day for walking, talking and shopping.





Of course in Australia we sometimes like to celebrate Christmas in July so that we can experience the delight of hot Christmas food on a cold night in front of the open fire. This event was one of our three social events we hold where the men in our lives are welcome to join us.












Just last night six of us braved one of the coldest nights for a long time to go out for dinner. It had snowed not far from where we live yesterday and last night the weather was appalling, rain, wind and freezing temperatures all thrown into the mix.

 We had a lovely time and twice joined in the singing of Happy Birthday for someone who was at the restaurant for a celebration.



When it came to leave the weather was throwing everything at us so the Goddess of Bling and Queen Mini Munchkin chose some interesting methods of staying warm and dry.










In the next couple of months we will be having a beauty spa day with a fish and chips lunch and visiting a local community kitchen where they train people to go back into the workforce. We will rug up and got out and have fun. The weather is not going to deter these little red hatters.