Dear Red Hatters,

THE BIG 4-0!

Fifty is an important number to the Red Hat Society, but this week we are celebrating forty – thousand, that is. On Tuesday, we registered our 40,000th chapter, The Red Hat Rockettes! They are located in an especially appropriate location - Las Vegas, Nevada! There will be a whole lot of us descending on their city in less than three months for our fourth annual convention, The Red Hat Society Big Deal! The registration of this chapter represents a big deal too. Our Red Hat Society sisterhood is now in all 50 states, Canada, and 28 other countries! Thank you for your continued friendship and as we grow together.

BABY ITS COLD OUTSIDE

But not SO cold when you’re wearing a “Stormy Kromer.” According to Queen Mum Regina Miron (The Swinging Cats in Red Hats, Munising, Michigan), her chapterettes don these snuggly winter wool toppers during the winter months to keep their heads warm. Since these hats, considered survival gear, are typically worn by men, the ladies “feminize” them with embellishments of glitzy rhinestone pins, flowers and shiny beaded fringe. Such style!

Queen Jackie Tarpinian (Jewels of the Prairie, Jamestown, North Dakota) says that the cold weather can’t keep her chapterettes from having fun. Even when it’s 20 below zero they venture out to come together for visiting, playing cards or gathering at a local restaurant for a bite to eat. (Dessert first of course!) One of their favorite activities is marching in parades. (Probably keeps the blood moving!) “We fill hundreds of little bags with red hots and we hand them out to the mature women along the route,” says Queen Jackie. “The label [attached] tells about our ‘red hot hattitude’ and they know how much fun it is to be a Red Hatter.”

MUSTANG SALLY

Queen Bee Ann Purnell Collom (Driftwood Red Hat Mommas, Kenner, Louisiana) sent in a picture of their official chapter mascot – a 10-year-old Eclectus parrot named Mustang Sally. Ann sent a photo of Sally in a little red, feathered hat. However, since her little body is already purple and her head is bright red, she doesn’t really need any additional regalia.

Queen Bee Ann promises us that Sally is learning to say “Driftwood Red Hat Mommas.” Perhaps the next phrase she learns should be “Red Hatters Matter,” or, possibly, “Gaudy is good.”

IN THE NEWS

Every week we receive copies of newspaper and magazine features written about the Red Hat Society, and we thoroughly enjoy reading every one of them. Each reporter seems to find his/her own slant on us, but they do all seem to get it. Here are some samples of this week’s submissions:

Queen Dolores Manz (Red Divas, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada) sent an article from “The Sunday Leader”, which accompanied a front-page photo of their chapter. It includes interesting observations by Parin Dossa, an associate professor of anthropology at Simon Fraser University. Ms. Dossa has been studying women and aging for some time and she sees the Red Hat Society as somewhat of a “protest” group (good-natured, of course): “The bold dress code allows members to assert their vitality, the regular meetings affirm female solidarity, and the public frivolity forces others to take note of the older woman.” You better believe it!

Queen Judy Cooper (Sauntering, Sultry, Sassy Salsas, Aztec, New Mexico) sent a clipping from the Farmington, New Mexico “Daily Times” bearing this headline: “Red Hat Society Women will soon rule the world.” Nice to see that in print, don’t you agree?

Queen Madame Lori Lane (Red Hat District, Bartlett, Illinois) sent great photos from “The Examiner of Bartlett.” Those chapterettes were resplendent in their purple and red poodle skirts and saddle shoes, dancing up a storm at their 50’s sock hop! Lori says that “this one time only” they invited husbands, friends and family to join them as they boogied to benefit the volunteer fire department’s ambulance fund. Remember, there’s no “rule” that we can’t do something good once in a while; however, we must have fun doing it.

Queen Mutterer Judy Brown-Kurnik (The Merry Widows and More of Chesaning, in Michigan) wrote an article about the Red Hat Society for “Michigan Magazine.” A colorful photo of Judy and several of her chapterettes graces the cover as well. She says that “What do you do?” is one of her favorite questions to be asked, because the answers can be as varied as the women who respond. She herself answers by listing sample activities enjoyed by Red Hatters, such as “having high tea in an elegant setting, going on train excursions, enjoying a boat ride on one of Michigan’s beautiful rivers, or frightening old men half to death.” (This might be your answer if you are looking for ideas for your next chapter activity.)

LAUGH LINES BOOK TOUR

Very soon, Esteemed Vice Mother, Linda Murphy, and I will embark on a month-long book tour for The Red Hat Society’s Laugh Lines: Stories of Inspiration and Hattitude. We are both so excited to have this chance to meet and visit with many of you! We will keep you updated on where we are going in the Friday Broadcast each week. Many chapters are also hosting “authorless” book signing parties at local bookstores. Here is the link of book tour events, so you can join in the fun:
http://www.redhatsociety.com/booklaughlines.html

SAY CHEESE!

This is just a friendly reminder to send in your pictures from Red Hat Society chapter events. We are always on the lookout for colorful, lively visuals to share with the world in the “Chapter Chatter” section of our magazine, “Red Hat Society LifeStyle.”

Please email print quality digital photographs (at least 300 DPI) to iaretheeditor@redhatsociety.com or mail your photographs (with the negatives please!) to Princess of the Plume at Hatquarters – 431 South Acacia Avenue, Fullerton, California 92832. Remember to include your name, chapter name, location and a short caption.

QUEENS HOLD INTERNATIONAL SUMMITS!

Queen Sue Frankel (Renoir Red Hat Chapter, Orange County, California) and her husband are enjoying the trip of a lifetime! She sent a postcard to Hatquarters, describing her grand arrival in Perth, Australia. As she disembarked she was presented with a lovely bouquet of red and purple flowers by a welcoming group of thirty Red Hatters, and all were snapped by a photographer from the local newspaper. Then Queen Sue was whisked off to a private tour of the city and an English tea attended by 80 Red Hatters. Later, they went on to the Fremantle Yacht Club for a cocktail party (a “sundowner” in southern hemisphere lingo), which included a DJ and dancing. Later, Sue and her husband, Herman, entertained Queen Bev Fussell and Elizabeth Miller of the Dinki Di Divas at dinner on board their ship.

Meanwhile, in another part of the world, Queen MerrieAnn Martin (Forever Young Red Hatters. Vancouver, Washington) and her traveling companion Aleta Belvin (Red Delicious Tarts, Bremerton, Washington) posed in full regalia for a photo in front of – are you ready? - the Taj Mahal in India! While they were there, they were approached by a brand new Red Hatter, also a tourist, from Australia, who joined them in the photo. Queen MerrieAnn says the photo came out very well, and she hopes the Aussie sister will contact her so they can share it with her.

So, while a Californian was schmoozing with a lot of Australians down under, a couple of Washingtonians were meeting an Australian in India! This kind of thing seems to happening an awful lot – and there are probably many such connections occurring which we never hear about.

RED RENDEZVOUS

In February, Queen Kathy Comer (Royal Garnet Girls, Woodhaven, Michigan) and her chapter hosted the Red Rendezvous, a large gathering attended by representatives of a dozen Red Hat Society chapters. Of course the ladies showed themselves a wonderful time, as is customary, and in the process they played an RHS Trivia Game, with 30 questions written by the queen. To answer all 30 questions one would have to be “well-read” as well as well RED.

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS

This week we welcomed the following visitors to Hatquarters:
Bonnie Faherty, Duchess of Comfy Slippers (Ruby’s Ramblers, Northridge, California)
Queen Mother Leanna Linski (Ruby Chics, Commerce, Michigan)
Joy McCormick (Rambunctious Red Hats, Lebanon, Pennsylvania)

MEN TO BE ADMITTED TO THE RED HAT SOCIETY
NOT. April Fool’s!



In Friendship,

Sue Ellen and All of Us at Hatquarters

News From Hatquarters:

Pre-order your copy of Designer Scrapbooks the Red Hat Society Way today at our online Red Hat Society Store. Available in June 2005, the book features more than 100 fun projects full of hattitude, from scrapbooking techniques to invitations and more.
http://www.redhatsocietystore.com/home3.asp