From Queen Tourmaline’s Desk   January 2012 We have a Winner - @ 10:21 A.M. February 1, Lady Tourquoise E-Mailed her Answers & They Were All Correct - Congratulations to Her!  I will have to make you work harder next month when you put those Thinking Red Hats on .............. must have been way too easy! You will notice something new on the website starting this month.  We are challenging our minds, (which is something we all could use) and are posting a game each month.  You email your answers to Vice Queen Diamond. There will be prizes for the winners presented at the event closest to the launching of the site each month.  Get your answers in promptly the first one to get the right answers is the winner We all love to check out the site on the first of each month to see what Vice Queen Diamond has come up with, and how she has changed the site for the current month.  Of course, we want to get event information so we don't miss out on any of our great events. Now we have another reason, we want to be the first to answer all the questions and get the prize.  There will be different games each month, so don't forget to check them out first of the month.     EVERYONE LOVESTO LOOK AT BABY ANIMALS -THEY ALWAYS LOOK SO CUTE AND CUDDLY!   BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE CALLED? MATCH THE FOLLOWING ANIMALS WITH THE NAME OF THEIR  LITTLE ONES BY PLACING THE CORRECT NUMBER IN THE BLANK.   __1___ Antelope                                              1.  Calf __24___ Beasts of Prey                                  2.  Cheeper __12__ Beaver                                                  3.  Cockerel __21___ Codfish                                              4.  Cygnet __25___  Deer                                                   5.  Eaglet __5___  Eagle                                                   6.  Elver __6___  Eel                                                       7.  Eyas __23___  Elephant Seal                                   8.  Foal __9___  Fish                                                     9.  Fry __16___  Frog                                                  10.  Gosling __11___  Goat                                                  11.  Kid __10___  Goose                                                12.  Kit __7___  Hawk                                                   13.  Kitten __18___  Hen                                                    14.  Joey __14___  Kangaroo                                          15.  Owlet __15___  Owl                                                    16.  Polliwog __2___  Partridge                                            17.  Poult __22___  Pigeon                                               18.  Pullet __13___  Rat                                                     19.  Pup __3___  Rooster                                              20.  Smolt __20___  Salmon                                             21.  Sprat __19___  Seal                                                   22.  Squeaker __4___  Swan                                                   23.  Weaner __17___  Turkey                                                24.  Whelp __8___  Zebra                                                   25.  Yearling     Just a little update on the Food Bank donations.  We donated 70 pounds in January 2012 for a grand total of 525 pounds since January 2010.  Well done Red Hatters!!!!  Lady Moonstone Princess Opal, Lady Moonstone, and Lady Turquoise are going on a Caribbean cruise, Three Red Hatters in one cabin ?????   Should be fun!  Imagine they did it last year and here they go again!!!!!! Happy Retirement to Queen Tourmaline - It is all over the End of February - Congratulations! Our Own "Countess Sapphire" made the most beautiful cake in celebration .....       Princess Emerald is off to Hawaii for her very special upcoming birthday - Aloha & Have Fun!       Welcome to "Lady Amethyst" - She has decided to join our group and we are thrilled to have another "Pink Hatter" in our midst.   We celebrated our 6th Birthday on January 12, 2012 @ Queen Tourmaline’s home and what a celebration it was – not only are The Precious Gems Six Years old but, we have also had over 10,000 hits on our Website – what an accomplishment for us!             December 2011   Meadowcroft was a huge success again this year - our singing can definately use some improvement but the guitar player that accompanied us saved the day - The Precious Gems had so much fun giving to the residents - it was an incredible evening for all of us!   Hatquarters News Policy Update. Read This! Effective January 1, 2012: "In an effort to ensure the continued Legacy of our Society, the RHS expects all Members to keep their Membership dues current.  If, for unforeseen circumstances, a Member does not pay on time and calls or mails in a payment at a later date, their Membership is retroactive to their original anniversary date and is good from one year from the anniversary date.  If it is over a year or more, it is expected that Members will pay the retroactive fees associated with the Membership and/or Chapter charter not to exceed the current year and one previous year's dues and the current year's Membership kit will be sent out." International Sisters are encouraged to e-mail Hatquarters at askruby@redhatsociety.com for help with their renewals, if lapsed. In review, the way Membership works is that the day you start with the Red Hat Society becomes your birthday of sorts.  Your Membership runs from that date for one year forward.  Let's say your Membership start date is April 25th, that means that your membership is in good standing for one year or until April 24th of the following year - no matter which day you actually pay your dues during that year. Until January 1, 2012, Members who are a year in arrears will be able to renew and just pay $20.  If you are behind on your dues, renew before January 1st to take advantage of the current policy before the new policy goes into effect! If you have specific questions about how this policy may affect your late renewal, please contact us at memberservices@redhatsociety.com. Thank you to all who are assisting with ensuring this policy does not affect their Members.  Your support is so appreciated!  Remember:  you still have until January 1, 2012 to take advantage of this.                      Accept reality and live in the here and now. Ruby can't be bothered with "what-ifs" or regrets. She says they interfere with her fun!   Accentuate the positive. Ruby always chooses to find the good in any situation she is faced with. She says she would rather develop laugh lines than frown lines.   Nurture yourself. Ruby listens to herself and provides for her own needs. When she needs a break, she gives herself one!   Indulge your sense of humor. Ruby heartily appreciates the value of laughter.   Play! Either Ruby never grew up all the way or she has regressed. In either event, she knows how to have a great time!   Dress up! Ruby adores embellishing whatever she is wearing with glitz, glitter and glam!   Cultivate an openness to new things. Ruby will try almost anything.   Express your creativity. Ruby thinks "outside the hatbox."    Exercise compassion. Ruby loves to laugh and cry with others.   Have courage. Ruby knows she is up to the challenge of whatever may come.                  The Red Hat Society Poem The Red Hat Society poem was written by Jenny Joseph, who was born in 1932 and jokingly entitled it "Warning."  This silly poem is a flamboyant and glorious declaration of enjoying life and changing attitudes about aging.  The poem defies the notion that growing older means fading into obscurity.  Instead, it encourages older women to be eccentric, live life to the fullest, support each other, and get noticed in the world. Here are the first couple lines: "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.   Why the Red Color? The red hat symbol is a way to identify other ladies in the club.  Red is a color that is hard to miss and wearing it is part of the clubs emphasis: living without rules.  In the Red Hat Society, the theme poem is about not making any apologies or excuses and instead doing what you want-especially at an older age.  Whether it's wearing elaborate clothing or doing other small acts of rebellion that were not deemed proper in youth, the Red Hat Society wants senior ladies to feel liberated.         What is the Red Hat Society?   It all began in 1997, when Sue Ellen Cooper bought a red fedora at a thrift shop.  A year or two later she read the poem "Warning - When I am an Old Woman". by Jennie Joseph. Sue Ellen then  purchased a red hat for a birthday gift for a friends 30th birthday and gave her a copy of the poem.   It grew one by one, until the Red Hat Society was formed.  The first gathering was April 25, 1998.       Who is Ruby Red Hat?                              Ruby RedHat is the offical mascot of the Red Hat Society.  Ruby is a frisky, full figured little lady cleverly disguised as an adult.  She represents the spirit of the little girl who is alive and well inside each of us.