September Oasis – A Night At The Races

We all went down to Walthamstow, on the Essex/London borderline …. Saturday, September 16th, 2023, saw Oasis heading down ‘The Stow’ for an evening of dog racing, burgers stacked with onions, winning a bit of dosh for some pink bubbly, and then dancing the night away at Mr. Chan’s nightclub in inappropriate heels. Where else would you want to be?

Race 1: The Setup Stakes
As we flung open the doors of our hall, we knew we had a busy time converting a little bit of Norfolk into the smoky metropolis of ‘The Stow’, so we could enjoy our very own Essex Girls Race Night. As usual, there were tables and chairs to set up…how many? Where should we put them? This time, we also had a screen and oh, the technology! Plugging the PC into the projector is always a big moment…will it work? Hurrah, we’re on the big screen. In the kitchen, Vicky had arrived, turning on the oven, fridge, and hot water…if it could go on, it was switched on! Next door, the Dee’s Roadshow rolled into town, with speakers, cables, lights, laptops and Bluetooth. Now it’s time to go; we’re off…

Race 2: The Introduction Invitation
The meeting opened with a brief statement on Oasis, our membership, and our finances. In summary, Oasis is in good health, hurrah. Welcome to one and all! With an audience of 30 plus, we welcomed new members Billie, Samantha, Rebecca, Collain, and Nicole & Janet. It’s always fabulous to see A & L after their summer break, a hairy Joanna, as well as the miraculous Lauren from her latest interaction with the surgeon’s knife.

Race 3: The Racy Races
With a growing sense of anticipation and a fistful of Oasis Pounds, the races commenced. Our racegoers placed their bets, how would they stake? High or low? The deeds of the house or gold jewellery? Our greedy Oasis bookie accepted it all, and whilst the house always wins, everyone’s a winner at Oasis. Our special winners were Theresa, Carole, and Amy. We also had Andrea, Amy C, Georgina and Lauren as winning owners.

Race 4 The Banger Bonanza.
Now be careful not to get sauce on your party clothes! All that adrenaline makes one very hungry, so how lucky were we that Vicky provided us with a spectacular spread of hamburgers and hot dogs, followed by Mississippi Mud Pie and Key Lime Pie. A definite 10 from this judge. Fabuuuulouuuus Thank you, Vicky; you always spoil us.

Race 5: The Prostate Parade
Oasis is always generous; by selling off the dog ownership, we raised £56 for Prostate Cancer UK. Thank you to all our contributors and owners.

Race 6: The Car Park Stramash.
OMG, we’re going to need a bigger car park. We were full to bursting! Thank you to all for remaining patient, and due to the amazing car manoeuvring skills of Stacey, Jacqui, Samantha, Rachel, and Joanna, we all made it home. Watch this space for news of the Oasis P&R scheme!

Race 7: The Mum Dancers.
With the burgers burgered, the winnings counted, wounds licked, and the doggies put to bed, it was time to dance around our handbags. Dee J Starr nailed it with a banging and exotic set from the ’80s and ’90s. It was great fun to hit the dance floor. “Turn it up to 11 Dee”, and she did. Thanks to my fellow dancers Alex, Theresa, Rebecca, Petra, Andrea, and Serena. Such fun… baby don’t hurt me!

Race 8: The Bye Bye Baby
All good things come to an end, and it was finally time to head north up the M11 out of Essex. Odds-on favourites to do the washing-up were Anna, Tina, and Petra, and so it came to pass. Thank you! Also, a big thank you to Georgina for designing and creating the Oasis Pounds, to Serena for the use of the projector and big help in cranking it up, and of course, the opportunity to boogie in the disco to the rocking sounds of Dee J Starr Roadshow. Ta, Dee.