Keeping promises

or undertakings is something I try to do. If someone asks me to do something and I agree to do it then I will make every effort to do it.
I did two things yesterday. Both of them were the result of a meeting on Saturday.
The first was relatively simple. I found a knitting pattern for someone. She came to me at the meeting with a tiny pair of knitted socks. Did I have a pattern for anything like that? Yes, as it happens. The pattern is a very old one. It is long out of copyright so I was happy to take a photocopy and leave it with a note for the person who wanted it. Job done.
The second thing was much more difficult and the job isn't finished yet. The knitting group I belong to is a "guild". Like most organisations it has a constitution. It has apparently not been updated for twenty years. Things have changed since then. It needed to be reviewed.
Now the sensible thing would have been to ask me to be on the sub-committee which reviewed it. I would have been happy to help. It would not have been a particularly onerous task. I could have contributed something. After all I am, to the best of my knowledge, the only person with any legal knowledge. 
But, they didn't do that. They went ahead. They came up with some "amendments" to put to the AGM. People were given copies. I was, as always, late arriving. (I give the Senior Cat his lunch before I leave. Cats of 94 should not be playing at getting their own and, in winter, they need something hot.) I was aware of the copies because someone showed me their copy.
I glanced at it and agreed with them that there was a problem with what she had pointed out. 
     "You can bring it up though," I told her. She agreed. I didn't bother to read the rest there and then. I'd find someone to give me a copy later.
No such luck. The Secretary pounced. She waved a piece of paper at me. It had my initials in the corner....nobody else (except perhaps the committee) had their initials in the corner. Would I have a look at it?
I sighed inwardly. There are other issues that need to be addressed. There is an issue hanging over from last year that they still have not addressed, despite the fact I told them it must be addressed. 
I felt like saying, "If I do the necessary work will you actually listen to what I have to say?"
I kept my mouth shut except to say I would have a look at it. I asked for a copy of the constitution. 
      "I need to read the amendments in context" I told the Secretary. She looked surprised but gave me her copy. 
So, yesterday I spent some hours working my way through the document. I commented on the amendments and gave reasons. 
It took me most of the day to put the arguments together in a form I think everyone will understand. I have tried to make the language simple. I have tried to be a diplomatic cat.
I will spend a little more time on it today and then email it off. My guess is that my work will be largely wasted.
But, I will have kept a promise. It won't be my fault if they don't listen.