Newsletter March 2021 Issue 1

Chair’s Chatter Over the years crowds have turned out to time for, so it's "Goodnight" from me. see ships leaving and returning to Barker: And it's "Goodnight" from him. harbour; especially those linked to One fond farewell we will all be looking Portsmouth, Southampton and Plymouth. forward to is on Summer’s day when HMS Invincible, HMS Hermes stem to hopefully all the COVID restrictions will mind as well as Sir Alec Rose’s Lively end and we can get back to our u3a Lady. People were present to cheer on raves� What a joy it will be to re- crews sailing off to or returning from wars commence our groups again and I must or to applaud a human individual feat. start practising with the badminton racket On returning from a walk last Thursday soon; if I remember how to hold it! Along week, I noticed a great number were with our groups, we will be thinking about waving goodbye to the ‘Wave our monthly meetings. The icing on the Walker’ (dubbed Luke by the locals) as it cake in time will be the implementation of commenced its voyage to Newhaven. new groups. Mission accomplished in that stage of So let’s get together on the lawn on 21st rebuilding the sea walls. We realise that June and sing a goodbye to the Luke is a jack-up platform for use in pandemic. How about using Dudley coastal waters that can move on jack-up Moore and Peter Cooke’s lyrics: legs. ‘Goodbye, goodbye, we’re leaving you, The design comes from the companies skiddlydye. Fugro Seacore from Falmouth and Van Goodbye, we wish a fond goodbye, fa-ta- Oord from Gorinchem. What an ta-ta, fa-ta-ta-ta Goodbye, engineering masterpiece as we are we’re leaving you, skiddlydum. aware that by changing the desk Goodbye, we wish superstructure the platform can be used a fond goodbye, la- la-ta-ta-ta flexibly; drilling, dredging and blasting So please start rehearsing before the big work, the laying of submarine cables or day comes!! pipelines as well as other work in the Graham installation and maintenance of offshore structures are possible. Farewells. What a quote from Oscar Wilde ‘Some cause happiness wherever Weekly Zoom Quiz they go; others whenever they go’. Who Weekly quiz continuing each Monday on can forget the Two Ronnies who always zoom at 7pm. Next one, tomorrow 8th opened and closed at the news desk, March at 7.00pm. To join please contact reading spoof news items. This gave rise Graham C to the famous catchphrase at the end of

each show: Corbett: That's all we've got Learning Laughing Living www.u3a.dawlish.info Dear Member Our Next Speaker It is that time of year when your U3A As you are aware, Philippa Davies will be membership renewal for 2021/2022 is speaking to us on Monday 15th at 2pm. now due. However, the meeting will take the form of a question and answer format. Whilst we appreciate this has not been Therefore please get your questions the best of years with many restrictions in ready in advance. place, many of our Groups have by hook or by crook managed to keep in touch. As a bit of background, Philippa was with We do know this has not always been the company that publishes the Sidmouth possible for everyone due to Shielding or Herald, Exmouth Journal and Midweek Self Isolating. Herald for about two and a half years before moving to the Nub News Subscription remains the same at £15 for company. Before that, she worked in full membership, or, if you are a member local radio news for about 20 years, of another u3a, subscription is £10. writing and presenting the news bulletins, so you might have some questions about Hopefully with this as promised to be our that. Philippa also worked for ITV last Lockdown we will be meeting up Westcountry for a year and has also again in our groups, plus, there are plans worked for Teletext - remember that? for an Open Day later in the year. Don’t (Editor’s Note: Zoom links will be sent forget we are also asking for suggestions out in the newsletter the day before) for new groups and there have already been some exciting discussions.

To renew your subscription please go to our website by adding u3a.dawlish.info to your browser, click on “how to join” and the first paragraph advises what you have to do to renew your membership.

For any new members, the instructions are the same as above.

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Our thanks as always for your continual support as without our members we would not be able to continue. Some Funnies A guy tried to sell me a mirror but I knew Hopefully we will be meeting up on the it was a scam, I could see right through it. Lawn by midsummer.

You should always knock on the fridge Learning Laughing Living Best wishes before opening it just in case there's a salad dressing. Kate McCarthy Membership Secretary I'm going to stand outside, so if anyone asks tell them I'm outstanding. www.u3a.dawlish.info 1938, and follows Miss Pettigrew, a Literature Group nondescript middle-aged unmarried It is many months since our lovely lady, through one specific day, which group was able to gather together to completely changes her life. It could discuss our books. However, this has be described as a frothy, humorous not deterred us and each month the and witty romp highlighting life in the Devon Libraries have kindly delivered metropolis, enjoyed by many of the one of our choices to Dawlish in order young upper classes in the ‘30s, that I can collect and distribute them to before the impact of WW2. The writer our members. (Observing the captured the era perfectly, with the lockdown rules). We have, therefore style and verbal repartee totally enjoyed some interesting and very conveyed. One member described it diverse reading, and we have shared as “joyous, delightful and rather our reviews and personal impressions naughty” and another wrote “It was with each other either by phone or very refreshing to have something so emails, which has kept us in touch and upbeat and light and with a positive given us lots of pleasure. message that someone's life can be The last 2 books couldn’t have been transformed by chance and with an more of a contrast, - openness of heart. Miss Pettigrew has in a way nothing to lose but she is Our December Book was “ A willing to go with these new Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled circumstances and for the first time Husseini". The writer is a brilliant embrace life and totally different storyteller and portrays his characters experiences in just 24 hours.” with powerful credibility. It follows the Perhaps this is a very appropriate life of a young girl living in Afghanistan m e s s a g e f o r u s a l l i n t h e s e before and after the Taliban rule and unpredictable times .Our February her trials and tribulations she faced in book is “Trespass – Rose Tremain”. a country facing constant unrest, tragedy and struggles. It is perfectly Margaret Cunningham – Literature summed up on the book's cover as an Group Convenor. “unforgettable portrait of a wounded country and a deeply moving story of family and friendship. It is a beautiful , French Conversation Group heart-wrenching story of an Eight of us met to discuss who we would unforgiving time, an unlikely bond and like to have dinner with and why. The indestructible love.” Our group’s people who were on the invitation list reviews were mixed – half totally included Sir David Attenborough, Sir Alan entranced, and the others found it Titchmarsh, Ben Fogle, Dame Judi disturbing and depressive, but Dench, John Dunne and Mother Teresa perhaps the lockdown had a of Calcutta. One of the group mentioned detrimental influence on their having dinner with her parents and emotions. another with her best friends mother in Normandy. Learning Laughing Living Our January book, - “ Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day – Winifred Watson" . It was a very stimulating conversation This author was previously completely and the next group meeting will be on unknown to our group, but was chosen Thursday 18th March with the theme by one member who heard a being ‘If you could only save one item dramatization of the novel on the radio from a house fire, what would it be?’ read by Maureen Lipton and found it Graham Carey very entertaining. It is set in London in

www.u3a.dawlish.info Answers to Last Weeks Quiz - This week’s Quiz - GARDENING SEVEN UP 1. Which flower's name comes from the 1. Wonders of the ancient world - Ancient Greek word for star? Great pyramid of Giza, Hanging gardens 2. Which plant if touched causes a of Babylon, Temple of Artemis at serious chemical reaction which makes Ephesus, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, skin hypersensitive to ultraviolet light? Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, 3. What is the common name for salix Colossus of Rhodes, Lighthouse of babylonica? Alexandria 4. Which flower is also the goddess of 2. Metals known since antiquity - the rainbow in Greek Mythology? Copper, Gold, Iron, Lead, Mercury, Silver, 5. Most species of eucalyptus are native Tin to which country? 3. - , 6. Who designed the Blue Peter Garden , , Kilimanjaro, Mount in 1974? Elbrus, , Mount Wilhelm 7. The Avenue of the Baobabs is a 4. Harry Potter Books - Philosopher’s group of famous trees in which country? Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of 8. Which Cotswolds garden is notable Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the for its miles of sculptured hedges? Phoenix, Half- Blood Prince, Deathly 9. Were tulips once so valuable in Hallows Holland that the bulbs were worth more 5. Largest cat species - Cheetah, than gold? Cougar, Jaguar, Leopard, Lion, Snow 10. Which king created the Hanging Leopard, Tiger Gardens of Babylon? 6. Countries that end in “Stan” - 11. Who is the patron saint of gardeners Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and florists? Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, 12. Which fruit has main varieties slicing, Uzbekistan burpless, and pickling? 7. European capitals starting with B - 13. What is pomology the study of? Belgrade, Berlin, Bern, Bratislava, 14. What fruit comes in varieties Oro Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest Blanco, Thompson and Pink? 15. Which famous 30 acre sculpture garden is near Dumfries? 16. What is the national fruit of India, Fascinating Fact Pakistan, and the Philippines? A woman in Sweden lost her wedding 17. Apples, pears, plums are members of ring whilst cooking for Christmas in 1995. what family of flowering plants? She looked everywhere for it and even 18. What were brought to Britain from had her kitchen floor pulled up hoping Germany by Sir Charles Isham in 1847? she could find it. However she wouldn't 19. Can daffodil bulbs can be used in see it again until 2012. place of onions in many recipes? 20. Which flowers were once known as While gardening 16 years later, the gillyflowers? woman found the ring around a carrot that was sprouting in the middle of Answers Next Week it. The only explanation was that the ring must have been lost in vegetable peelings that were turned into compost. Another Funny Clearly, composting isn't just good for the I love jokes about eyes, the cornea the environment. better. Learning Laughing Living

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