The sun is shining but it’s still cold, so make sure you have plenty of layers you can take on and off depending on whether you’re lugging mats or cleaning tables etc. in groups of six.  10.00 am – 12.00 pm.  Bring rubber gloves and/or gardening gloves or whatever you need to handle things that have been tucked away in the shed for six months.  Hand sanitiser available, but you might want to bring hand cream.  If you like a mid-morning coffee/tea, please bring a vacuum flask. If you can hang on until midday  Jane will serve drinks to your outside tables, so you’ll need your Membership Card and/or Credit/Debit card for payment.  We will repeat the process on Friday!

Membership Application Forms will be on hand.

I know a few of you who wanted to come are unable for various reasons, so we wish you well.

See some of you later.

Brain fog seems to be happening to lots of people.  It’s a symptom of pregnancy, not that I think that affects any of our members!  It’s a symptom of post Covid,  which I hope isn’t the case for you.  Maybe it’s a symptom of the last weird and not-so-wonderful year with all the lockdowns, restrictions, the stopping, the starting, etc. etc.

Then there’s getting older and we forget where we put our glasses, our keys, the birthday card – carefully chosen then tucked away until the right time – and also where did we park the car at the supermarket?!

Well, we think one of you may have forgotten that you parked at the Club last Sunday and have forgotten.  You may have reported the car stolen (oops) or worse, you may have parked the car and then been taken ill.  We really hope that isn’t the case.

So this little chap is still parked at the club.  It has a Cambridge Park Bowls Club sticker inside the windscreen but it is not on our database.  If it is yours, please could you collect it and let us know so that we can add the registration alongside your membership.

Thanks!

Looking at the photos reminds me that my car needs a wash too!

Good to see the Isleworth contingent getting the daily exercise along the towpath in the cold yesterday!

A few snippets fowarded from Steve G which I hope make you smile on this sunny (and chilly again) Friday!  Thanks, Steve.

Put chocolate at the top of your list today.  That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.

Remember back when we used to eat cake after someone blew all over it?  Man, we were wild!

It was a quiet Monday morning in September 2053 when John awoke with need to go to the bathroom.  To John this wasn’t just any ordinary day.  This was the day he would open the last package of toilet paper his parents bought in the year 2020.

And one to remember when the team put up Cathy’s Cottage ….

We can’t eat inside.  But we can eat outside.  But it’s cold, so we set up outside as inside.  It’s fine because it’s outside inside.

(Sounds a bit like the definition of cricket that has been circulating and appearing on tea towels for years!)

We hope you have a lovely day with a bit of outdoor socialising (as it’s not as cold as the last two days) and that you have a season of your bowls arriving near the jack!

As mentioned, I was stewarding at a vaccination centre yesterday – missed Terry M who was getting jabbed in the morning.  It wasn’t exactly busy.  Some people turned up at about 3 pm looking for any spare so they could be inoculated.  One of the ladies in charge of the centre told them to go away as it was too cold to wait outside and to come back nearer 7 pm when there might be some spare.  (There’s never more than 5 in any day)

Four of them returned at 6 pm.  Having stood there for over 5 hours, I can confirm it was pretty cold inside the building not just outside!  They were allowed to wait inside and there was a lot of action at 7 pm as the staff were getting ready to pack up.  3 vaccines left.  4 waiting.  The lady in charge explained there were only 3 vaccines.

The three men who were first to get there lined up.  The third – a youngish man who reminded me of my eldest son – was waiting near me to register.  I said “That was tough.  Only 3 vaccines for 4 people”  He said “Should I have let the girl have it?”  I just smiled and said “It depends on how chilvarous you feel.”  Without hesitation, he said “She should have it.” and went back before she left the building and told her she could go instead of him.

For someone who had waited so long in the cold, it was a truly selfless act.  The centre promised if there was spare tonight, he would be first in line, so it was great that his action had been recognised.

If the vaccination after effects went the sam way as with many of us, he will feel a lot better this morning than she will!

Another thing, his parents would have been very proud of his selfless action so well done that lad, whoever you are!

… maybe most of you will still be in bed but as you move into consciousness from your sleep, you’ll be thinking about getting ready for joining a working party down at the Club.  At least I think that’s what you will be doing!

It’s bloomin’ cold this morning so I hope it’s a bit better next week.  However, the sun is shining today which is a good tonic, so wrap up warm and get out in the fresh air.  Apart from improving your mental wellbeing, it will help you adjust to re-joining the outside world and seeing people, albeit from a safe distance.  In Richmond yesterday lunchtime, quite a few shops had staff in as they start to get ready for next Monday’s opening.  It must feel so exciting anticipating real live customers in your shops again.  Good luck to all high street retailers and bowls shop owners!

When you go out, are you the one that makes the wide curve to avoid others or do you just be assertive and keep going?  Do you hold your breath when you pass someone coming the other way towards you and for at least 2m after they’ve passed?  I’ve found myself doing that!  People are still smiling at each other and passing the odd “good morning” comment and that’s such a good thing.  The pandemic has brought out some really good human qualities, despite the devastating effects and trauma it has left with thousands of families.

I’m stewarding at the vaccination centre at Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre this afternoon, which is a new venue for me.  My previous sessions have been in Ealing which have been good fun so I hope this is the same.  I have enough clothes to represent a hi-viz Michelin man, in case I’m positioned outdoors!