August Newsletter
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AUGUST NEWSLETTER Getting Hitched – Emsworth Style Calling all shipping areas Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Lundy, Fastnet and Irish Sea …. After months of planning and despite several last minute setbacks, the first ever marriage of two EmsValley U3A members finally went ahead on Saturday July 10th, proving that even in our twilight years romance can still blossom As Carol pointed out in her speech/ interview she had been considering moving back up to her native Cumbria two years ago but Emsworth had other ideas for her future and was determined to keep her anchored here. For a start she had far too many wonderful friends here, many of whom she had met through U3A, the Twinning Association and also Village Voices. It was through meeting James however in the Autumn of 2019 that she finally found the most secure of moorings. July 10th dawned wet and miserable but when the time came for that memorable drive to St James’ church in her friend’s suitably bedecked VW camper van the sun was peeking through the clouds and stayed out for the rest of the day. Carol’s son, Jeremy, accompanied her down the aisle where James was waiting expectantly. The service, led so beautifully by Andrew, hit just the right notes of formality and light-hearted humour. After photographs in the church garden the 68-strong wedding party processed along Church Path, over the A259 and down Bridgefoot Path to the Slipper Sailing Club marquee for the reception where Dennis and Lesley Spencer masterminded operations and served an excellent meal. Nautically themed table centre pieces were designed specially by Judi Milburn’s grand-daughter and the delicious wedding cakes baked and iced by Sue and Keith Davies’ grand-daughter. Instead of making the usual speech Carol and James chose to involve a handful of their guests so that it made it into a kind of interview. James’ naval sword was the weapon of choice when it came to the cutting of the cake and when the speeches were over and toasts made the evening was rounded off with music from the Portsdown Reel, a local fourpiece Ceildh band. Editor: And don’t forget that Mother in Law Audrey Mant is also an Ems Valley member. Surely this is a record that will never be broken, Bride, Groom and Audrey all in our u3a! Gardening One visits Diana Driver reports that Gardening One can accept a few more members and that they are visiting Homesteads, a garden at Northney, Hayling Island on 8th August. It may not be possible to add names for this visit because of Covid requirements, but places will be available for the next visit on 14th September. This is to West Dean Gardens at Chichester. If you are interested in joining Gardening One or in the visit to West Dean please contact Diana on 02392 719321. Diana has promised us a report and photos of the Homesteads visit in due course. Homesteads are a member of the National Garden Scheme. She would welcome anyone who has an interest in gardens and would like to visit gardens nearby. In the winter she plans to hold meetings on Zoom. Gardening One, Diana Driver Camera Workshop Outings – Chichester Diana Driver’s Camera Workshop met up at the end of June for a “Black and White” project, or as Diana put it –“to see in Black and White” The interesting results are shown below: Above - Diana Driver Left and Right - Jill Gask Above – David Griffiths Left – William Saywell The Mary Rose On Monday 19th July (so called freedom Day in 2021) the Mary Rose sank off Southsea Castle in full view of Henry VIII . That was in 1545, 476 years ago, and it remained there in the mud on the sea bed until 1982 when it was raised and taken to Portsmouth Dockyard for an extensive “refit”. It is now one of Portsmouth’s prime tourist attraction! Confucius didn’t say: Man who wants pretty nurse must be patient. Lady who goes camping with man must beware of evil intent. Man who runs in front of car gets tired but man who runs behind car gets exhausted. Man who leaps off cliff, jumps to conclusion. Man who eats prunes gets good run for money. Man who drives like hell is bound to get there. Man who stands on toilet is high on pot. Wise man does not keep sledge hammer and computer in same room. War does not determine who is right: it determines who is left. A man is stranded on a desert island all alone for ten years. One day he sees a speck on the horizon. He thinks to himself: “It’s not a ship.” The speck gets a little closer and he thinks: “It’s not a boat.” The speck gets even closer and he thinks: “It’s not a raft.” Then, out of the surf comes this gorgeous blonde woman wearing a wet suit. She comes up to the guy and she says: “How long has it been since you’ve had a cigarette?” “Ten years!” he says. She reaches over, unzips the waterproof pocket on her left sleeve and pulls out a pack of fresh cigarettes. He takes one, lights it, takes a long drag and says: “Man, oh man! Is that good!” Then she asked: “How long has it been since you’ve had a drink of whiskey?” He replies: “Ten years!” She reaches over, unzips her waterproof pocket on the right, pulls out a flask and gives it to him. He takes a long swig and says: “Wow! That’s fantastic!” Then she starts unzipping this long zipper that runs all the way down the front of her wet suit: “Oh, No! Don’t tell me, you’ve got golf clubs in there? GUESS THE CRYPTIC FOOTBALL CLUB Answers at bottom of Newsletter 1 Weight for a long time 2 Male meadow 3 See through Royal residence 4 An animals car 5 Currant bun 6 Detectives need these 7 Its not ….. Dull Off 8 It destroys houses 9 Cowboys boots have them 10 Maybe a famous Jockey 11 Keep the home fires burning 12 Underground 13 Maybe a former President 14 Definitely the complete bacon joint 15 Larger than a duck pond 16 Needed to live 17 Light a candle naked 18 A parents illness is over 19 Car outside Spanish house 20 Prison Clock It’s Caption time folks….. Here we have u3a line dancing supremo, Gary Willard, with his first mate Neil Cowell and before you send your caption in, all references to the man sized steering wheel, the black hooter a blind man couldn’t miss and the chrome roll bar that has been manufactured too small to effectively save the occupants are banned because they will convey a serious lack of nautical knowledge. Competition idea by the Editor, Picture by Richard Swaine More Childhood memories Because many people are having “staycations” this year, there is an ongoing short series on Radio 4’s Today Programme about childhood memories of holidays in England. This stirred my own memories, and perhaps yours too? In the late ’40s our family holiday was taken in North Wales. Although I didn’t know this then, my great-aunt with whom we stayed had been in service at “The Big House” and so lived in a tied cottage. There were no facilities at all: water we had to collect from a nearby spring; the lavatory was a hut with wooden planks to sit on with a hole in the middle and a bucket underneath which had to be emptied regularly – wonderful fuchsia bushes! Lighting was by paraffin lamp. The cottage was perched on the edge of a small bay which we had to ourselves – climbing down the steep cliff path each morning to spend the day on the beach swimming and building sand castles. The beach was used by fishermen who had to pass the cottage with their catch on the way home – so lots of very fresh fish to eat. Our first holiday there started very badly as my great-aunt had ordered the only taxi to meet us at Pwllheli, but unfortunately the train had carried us on to Abersoch and my father was not best pleased to have to walk with two heavy suitcases, my mother and three small children across fields to the cottage. I can’t remember how we all fitted in because I do recall there was only one bedroom plus a large landing at the top of the stairs. I don’t think the whole experience would go down well with today’s families, but I have lovely memories! Ann Sims Best of MATT Anyone for Water? We hardly stop to think today about a precious gift – as we turn on the tap – our water supply! Well I suppose It’s not a gift as we need to pay our water rates! But now turn the clock back to the seventeenth century. If you were well off, you would have a well in the garden. If not, the vast majority of people would make the daily trip to the communal well/ pump which would be in your street if you were lucky. Right up until the nineteenth century, Portsmouth residents obtained fresh water from springs on Portsea Island, either within the town walls or in the adjacent commom fields. While all had access to the common street pumps, some people were either unwilling or unable to collect water themselves. They were supplied by water carters whose price in 1690 were fixed at 2d a half-hogshead.