Author: Dawn Slaughter

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From Sunday 20th December – Tier 4 Restrictions Apply

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement this afternoon (Saturday), we are very disappointed but we now have to close the Club for the next 14 days – this is up to and includes Sunday 3rd January – as we are placed under the Tier 4 restrictions.

For several of you, this means you will unable to spend Christmas with your families after months of waiting to meet up.  This is very sad, but remember we are on the end of a phone if you need to talk to someone and as was said, “Not seeing your family this Christmas will give you a much better chance of seeing your family for many years to come.”

A Christmas Tree without decorations sums up 2020, doesn’t it?!

Send me snippets for the website – news, anecdotes, photos (clean ones of course!), poems – anything that you always enjoy at this time of year.

Gerry had his first dose of the vaccination today and has not had any side effects so far, so that’s good!

Strictly Come Dancing Final now – something good and upbeat to watch!

 

 

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Christmas Closing – Heads Up

Alas, the bar and kitchen will not be open for drinks and substantial meals today as we had hoped, so perhaps we can all raise a glass or a mug over our lunch to wish everyone a happy Christmas — we just have to use our imagination that we are all sitting in the same space!

Isle of Wight Ron B and Hampton Sheila M wish everyone well and are looking forward to seeing their friends at the club in 2021.

Cheers! (Photo from bbc.com – Thank you)

The Club will be shut for bowling on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, 27th and 28th December as well as New Year’s Day.

The electrical periodic testing and other maintenance are being done on 28th so it is a lot easier for this to be carried out throughout the building without lights/heaters etc going on and off all the time.

Has anyone spotted those reindeer?  I hope they’re not overindulging in carrots or, worse, mince pies before the big night!

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Dancer and Prancer Spaced Out

The reindeer are not ‘spaced’ out as on drugs(!), just spacing out on adjacent rinks in accordance with the Tier 3 guidelines even though it makes them a little bit sad not being able to try to outplay each other’s bowls on the same rink, although they could if they’re in a support bubble.  However, clever reindeer that they are, they have set themselves solo challenge games and targets, so one hour on the rink is spent competitively as they not only try to score highly for their own benefit but also try and beat the other one.   If you’re not in a support bubble and struggling to think of something to do on your own besides walk up and down the green, then ask them for ideas!

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As the schools are winding down or have already done so, it reminds us of those school/church Nativity productions of years ago.  My eldest was cast as Joseph one year and my youngest declared he wanted to “be the star”.  I don’t think he was expecting to wear a white crimplene dress and carry a gold star on a broomstick down the aisles as he led each group to Mary and Joseph!  The next year he insisted on wearing his royal blue/yellow dragon costume but neither the shepherds nor the sheep seemed to mind this intruder in their midst.  (Surely a dragon isn’t any worse than an octopus?!)  All that and he’s not even the one performing on the amdram stage these days!

On Sunday morning, Radio 2 were reading out emails re nativity plays.  Here are two that I remember.

  1.  One lady’s granddaughter was so miffed at being a shepherd and not an angel, that on the performance night, she strode onto the stage tight-lipped, hurled the sheep at the manger and sat down grimacing with arms crossed and legs wide apart.  Her grandmother said that at least her granddaughter was wearing clean knickers!  Phew, that was a relief anyway!
  2. One ‘Joseph’ was suffering from stage fright, so ‘Mary’ tucked Baby Jesus under her arm, took the donkey’s reins over her shoulder leading him forward whilst putting her other arm around Joseph telling him “Don’t worry.  It’s going to be alright.”    With a start like that, I am sure she carried on that empathy and kindness as she grew up. A little bit of kindness goes a long way!

Do you have memories or yours, your children or your grandchildren or even great grandchilden in their Nativity productions?

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While you’re thinking about that, it’s good to hear that Gerry is on the list for his first dose of the Covid vaccine this weekend.  Great to know that this side of London is also starting to get the vaccine programme rolling out.

 

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Tuesday and There are Rinks Free in All Slots!

Ok, so it’s Tier 3 from midnight tonight, but that means we will probably have to go back to solos and singles as it was pre-National Lockdown in November.  Today is Tier 2, so if you want to play some pairs then book a rink.

From tomorrow, it’s not a National Lockdown.  The shops are open, the hairdressers are open.  Swimming pools and gyms are open (don’t get me on my soapbox about the latter – aargh!).

On 2nd December, the EIBA advice for Tier 3 was:

“Organised indoor bowls is only permitted for people from the same household/support bubble on a rink as long as they do not interact with people on other rinks”

On 2nd December, Bowls England advised:

“We remind all clubs that items may be adapted as necessary to meet your club’s specific circumstances, so long as your actions remain consistent with the latest Government guidance and that the Government guidance on social distancing is adhered to at all times.”

So the Club will still be open from tonight.  You are welcome to book rinks and if you want to wear a face covering while playing, please do so.  We have a few members who have bowled in masks since September.  Providing your mask is a good fit and not flapping around your nose, you should not find it too awkward.  Just don’t put it on, take it off, put it on, take it off as that’s when germs get wafted around.

If you haven’t noticed them, there are 1m high thin blue pillars by every rink.  These are pedal-operated hand sanitisers.  Press the pedal gently and the required amount of sanitising gel will come out of the nozzle.  You don’t need to touch any part except the foot pedal !

Remember to keep your social distancing wherever you are – club , shops, streets.  That is the key thing.

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Only 8 Days Until We get Longer Daylight Hours – Hooray!

Club looked pretty in the afternoon sky yesterday but not so wonderful in this morning’s rain.  However,

Saturday 12th December pm

Trevor has been his green greenfingers to work and it looks great, doesn’t it?  Thanks, Trevor.

Club Garden – Acer

 

Wet Sunday Morningi

I haven’t heard from Kevin K after Friday night’s draw, but he said a week ago he would pay for the new carpet indoors.  However, he only won £5.90 not £175 million on Euromillions, so the offer was off!  He’s still in profit compared to some of us!

 

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Christmas Jumper Day!

Today, Friday 11th December is Christmas Jumper Day in aid of Save the Children.  Several people across the country are seen in festive attire to have fun whilst raising funds for children who need help in the way of food, clothing, home etc.

Peter & Gill Chapman are also fund-raising for Cancer Research.  A video of their Christmas lights is on our Facebook page.  (I can’t get the file to download on here …. at the moment!)

This has been a hard year mainly due to the pandemic on top of ordinary life.  If you can spare 10p, 50p £1, £5 for these fund raisers or a donation of food at your local shop’s foodbank, someone somewhere will be thankful of your kindness.

There is a great joy in giving whether it be time, a present or a donation, even feeding the birds.  Acts of kindness cannot be underestimated in their value.

Maybe by next year we’ll be able to give each other a hug too and we all know how good that feels!