That is what the song sort of says!

Anyway, Dave W and his wife and grown a lot of tomato plants from seeds ready for the St Georges Day Fair, which, you will appreciate, didn’t happen.

They have around 100 plants for those who would like to grow tomatoes – either Cerise, a cherry tomato,  and the popular Moneymaker (not the best name in the due to the fair being cancelled) variety.  They will go in pots on windowsills if you don’t have any outside space.

Please let me know if you would like some and we’ll work out whether it would be easier to collect from Dave’s front path or for me to deliver.

Thanks to Ange for relieving Joan O’N of some of the rhubarb which was theatening to take over the whole garden!  I believe some will be turned into crumble.  Get the custard in!

On a sadder note, Chris C from Teddington, sent me an email to say that Beryl Bird had passed away on Saturday.  She had been very poorly.  I asked Chrs to pass on our condolences to Beryl’s family and fellow Teddington bowlers.

Dawn

Firstly let me say that I do not class any of you as “old dogs” but we’re all getting on a bit in years!

Sarah H kindly sent me the link to FREE online Open University Courses  and wondered if any of the you might be interested  There are hundreds!!  Some last an hour , some2, 3, 4 or even 25 hours.  Click the link and look down the list and have a go at something.

This week would seen the Indoor Section AGM but obviously it wasn’t possible to have the meeting.

You’ve had Ange’s Competitions Report.  Here is David ‘s League Secretary’s Report.  Well done to all the winners adn runners up!

Cambridge Park League Secretary’s 2020 Report

• Up until the season was cut short by coronavirus, the leagues were doing well and members were having a lot of fun! There was an expansion in the number of teams playing this year and we now played every Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, instead of just alternate ones. The afternoon leagues proved particularly popular with 8 teams in each, so those afternoons had a great atmosphere with all rinks in use

• Only in the Friday league did less teams take part this year, but still 4 teams played.  Next year it would be good to expand Fridays back to 6 teams. The Thursday UNO league did cease to operate in the season, so we will also need to consider how to use that club night next season

• In total 38 teams took part in the leagues, compared to 32 last year, and entry fees raised £520 (£444 last year), aside from any green fees and bar income that they generate.

• In terms of lessons from this year, the expansion in league teams is good and we would want to maintain this and expand Fridays, as well as somehow utilise Thursday evenings as a club night. We still have a lot of club members wanting to take part in leagues, but could do with more team captains, especially as some captains are retiring after this season
• As a reminder, to be a team captain

• • You don’t have to be the best player in the team. You just have to organise who is playing in which games, usually done once at the start of the season (takes a few hours at the beginning to contact the players and organise a rota)
  • Collect the entry fees from your team, to pass to me
  • Get a substitute if someone cannot play a game at the last minute (although I usually ask my team members to organise their own substitutes and only involve me if they cannot – which works well), and reorganise any missed matches
• For those interested in joining a new league team next year, apart from one they are already in, I will put sign-up sheets on the noticeboard or you could email or phone me – (david.hale@blueyonder.co.uk or 07828 184090).

The results

The leagues were adjudicated as at the state of play when the leagues were stopped this year. The winning teams and captains were:

League                                              First (£20 prize)                               Runner up (£10 prize)

Monday Evening                             Rebels (Ian Dale)                             Bush Babies (Ann Dale)

Tuesday Afternoon                         Bobcats (Steve Gibson)                  Tigers (Sheila Mason)

Tuesday Evening                             Chelsea (Norman Chart)                Reading (Peter Judge)

Wednesday Evening                       Allsorts (Richard Salmon)              Vikings (Peter Twells)

Thursday Afternoon                       Sea Urchins (Kevin Keown)           Dolphins (Joan O’Neill)

Friday Evening                                 Greenside (Richard Salmon)         Starlets (Jean Staples)

New Members Coaching – Finally, just a thank you to Ann and Archie Dale, Ann Bamber, Sheila Cowmeadow and Alan Bushell for their support with the new member coaching sessions which ran this season

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It was really disappointing around where I live last night.  Saw someone clapping from their window 100 yards away and a couple 100 yards in the other direction were there and from the block of flats opposite there were about 10 lots out.  Everyone else say their applause evenings are getting stronger, so I’m not sure why ours has gone downwards.  Odd!

Anyway, I hope you fared better where you live.

Richard H has been out on his daily walk with his camera this time – off to Woodlands in Bushy Park – lots of photos on our FB page but here’s one to whet your appetitie.

Aren’t they fantastic?!  I love azaleas.  Thanks, Richard.  If anybody else is out walking and catches some views, please post to our Facebook page or send to me and I will do it.

Had an email from Chris C at Teddington BC yesterday.  All well apart from Beryl who is under the weather and quite poorly, so please send some positive thoughts her way.

Bowls England decided to cancel the ‘celebration’ games so, alas, it means both Strawberry Hill and Masonians miss out on their Centenary matches.  We’re really sorry about that.

Any plans for the weekend?  Keep us updated – phone a friend!

Dawn

I think a little bird was tying nots in the internet connection yesterday as I couldn’t get online on my phone, the laptop or my work destop.  It was really annoying as I had a pile of work to get through and lost over 2 hours. Grrr.

On a similar vein, Nigella Lawson tweeted that she hadn’t left the house since March and found a note on  her doormat  “We tried to deliver your parcel but you were out”.  Doyou think delivery men hide behide round the corner so they know your more than 2m from the door, then try?!  To be fair our delivery men coming to the office have been brilliant.

Anyway, Kevin K has been in touch with all the Hampton crew and all is well.  No more paintings from Steve H this week alas.  It probably means he did his his guitar out and start playing again.

Anyone found a instrument gathering dust which they’ve started playing again?

Strawberry Hill are also all doing well.  If anyone walks past their green in the daytime, can you check that no one is playing football on it please?  Ange was sure two men and two boys were, but there was nowhere to stop the car quickly to check.

Ann M, Ange and I have no-longer wanted sheet/duvet sets so they will heading off to Jill G for her U3A group to make scrubs.  Patterns are good.  They don’t have to be plain.  If you have anything suitable, please let me know and I can collect if that helps.

Ann’s headbands for nurses were very well received indeed.  For those of you who prefer crocheting,

Crotchet pattern is with do yarn, size 4 hook, chain 16-20 stitches depending on size you want, single crotchet first row to end and turn round the corner. Single crotchet the other side and turn round the corner. Increase stitches at the ends to avoid pulling. Do about 5 or 6 rounds depending on SIZE.

Right, must dash.  Need to get my lunch prepared then it’s off to the office with my first duties being disinfecting handles, light swtiches, kettle handles, bathrooms, etc etc for the three of us who are so socially distanced, even a megaphone wouldn’t help – but we do have phones! Never expected to become the office cleaneras well as a PA!

The travel industry has had a bit of a rough press but if your tour operator is ATOL and ABTA protected, then a Refund Credit Note which can be used to book a future holiday or returned for a cash refund a bit later on is a good option.  Just ensure you have had an ATOL certificate from when you made the booking.  That means your money is protected by the CAA and is safe.   Even if the company went bust (heaven forbid that happens to any agency/tour operator), you would still get your money back.  It’s tough out there but we are all working hard to help our customers across the industry.

Don’t forget to keep washing those hands “Happy Birthday ……”, stay safe, stay well and phone a friend!

Dawn

Morning – just.  I hope you’re enjoying coffee/tea in the garden with the odd HobNob or Chocolate Digestive!

Jill Goddard rang.  She is very well and getting out in the garden, going out for a walk and socially distancing coffee on her front path with other neighbours.  It’s a quiet road, so they yell across to each other without any traffic noise!

Jill’s U3A group is sourcing sheets/sheeting for some of their members to make up ‘scrubs’ from the various patterns available online.

If you have any sheets (in reasonable condition for plenty of washes), that have been sitting unloved in your airing cupboard etc., please let me know and I can collect and deliver to Jill for onward transmission to her group.

dawnslaughter60@icloud.com

This evening, I will be collecting Ann D’s 15 (yes FIFTEEN) headbands that she has made for the nurses at Teddington Hospital and will deliver to the contact there.  That is a great effort, Ann.  Well done indeed!

I have updates from Kevin from Hampton (all good) but will save those for tomorrow’s posting.

Ange is making Lancashine Hotpot with Steak on Sunday morning to deliver around lunchtime Sunday.  If you or a careworker you know would appreciate a portion (£1.50), please let Ange or me know.

I have to go back to the grindstone now.  My office pc was struggling so I had to clear the browsing history and fine tune it for better performance.

Dawn

Thanks to Sarah H for sending this.  If you can only get sound, the choice of answers is:  A. Monday,  B. Tuesday.  C 1982 and D. Saturday

You can see, it’s not just all our members in the 4th/5th week of lockdown who have a problem!

Stay safe, stay well, keep handwashing and phone-a-friend!

Dawn

Ron is in lockdown in Ham unable to return to the Idle of Wight because of restrictions. His new neighbours have been delivering various food items to his door from the recently opened Swiss Patisserie. Bad news for the waistline but he said they are absolutely delicious!

1. 
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   The above link should you give you a new twist on a Tom Jones’ Classic.
   I hope you can read this. My laptop charger died so am posting this from my phone. It’s a different way of posting!

Ron’s daughter, Barbara’s son and Chris Nelhams all work in the funeral director business. Essential workers in an even more emotionally environment than usual. Our thoughts are with them.

So by now, we would be sitting down to whatever the ‘kitchen staff ‘ had prepared for lunch,

Barry, Teresa & Tricia may have already played Kevin K, Richard D & Richard H .. or not.!

Club Competitions 2019-20 – Draw Template

You should be able to click on the link to open the draw so you can see who had played who to get as far as the semis or finals of each competition.

Here is Ange’s Competitions Secretary’s Report 

278 entrants took part across 14 competitions. A new open triples competition was created to replace the men’s open triples. The draw took place on Sunday 11^th November with the names being drawn by Shirley Callaghan from Bristol Outdoor Bowls Club.  The entry fee was increased from £2.50 to £3.00 to ensure costs were covered raising an income of £762. This of course will be used for finals weekend and trophies for both finalists.

The competition overall ran smoothly with just one – the mixed drawn pairs not being completed as a result of too few lady entrants. As indicated in my 2018/19 report we decided to run the triples competitions over the weekend. In both cases this was a fun, well supported competition with the drawn triples being initially organised to run on Burns day/night. As a result of the success of the men’s team in the Southern Counties competition (defeating HERGA!!!) we decided to reschedule this for the 15 February but retain a Burns night theme. Our Scottish members took care of the entertainment by educating us on the various formalities that make up a Burns celebration. In all 9 clans were represented but the two highlight’s have to be that a Wallace and Stewart did not ‘do battle’ and Dave Aitchison ‘Address to the Haggis’ followed by a passionate stabbing by his dirk!!!!. Well done to you all!!!, I have been asked if we can run it next year but maybe a highland fling could be added??

I hope that people have enjoyed their games so far – many were extremely close leading to a highly competitive season up until the lockdown. My aim was to provide competition for as many people as possible within the club which and hopefully this has had an influence on our competitive standard in both internal and external competitions! New faces from both the men’s and women’s teams have competed and won, reflecting a healthy club atmosphere. Thanks to everyone who ‘chipped in’ on the mixed triples days and to all of you for keeping on track. In truth no one was on the naughty step!!! We will work on dates for the remaining games and set a finals weekend at the start of next season. We will play these games but clearly, we are in the midst of a strange world!

Stay healthy and safe, look forward to seeing you all in happier times!!!

Results of the Indoor competitions to date are as follows:

CAMBRIDGE PARK INDOOR CLUB FINALS 2019/20

3 WOODS DAYTIME PAIRS

MIKE COOPER + BRIAN NOEL V KEVIN KEOWN + ANN BAMBER (SEMI FINALI) versus

ROY EBINEZAR+ GRAHAM DALE

MIXED DRAWN TRIPLES

JIM BLYTH + DI SALMON +          versus     EILEEN BLYTH + PETER JUDGE +

KEVIN KEOWN                                                GYM BROWN

MIXED OPEN TRIPLES

TERESA FRENCH + TRISH GREEN +          versus        RICHARD DUKE + RICHARD HERITAGE +

BARRY FRENCH                                                              KEOWN KEVIN

MIXED OPEN PAIRS FINAL

SHEILA COWMEADOW + KEVIN KEOWN   OR  AUDREY HAY + PETER TWELLS (SEMI}

 versus   TINA COOPER + MIKE COOPER

MENS OPEN PAIRS FINAL

PETER TWELLS + LAURENCE GATFIELD OR PETER JUDGE + MIKE BROWN (SEMI) versus

RICHARD DUKE + JOHN EVE OR IAN DALE + ARCHIE DALE (SEMI)

MENS DRAWN PAIRS FINAL 

DAVE WILLIS + IAN DALE OR STEVE GIBSON + RON BAVIN (SEMI) versus 

GRAHAM DALE + BARRY FRENCH OR PETER JUDGE + RICHARD DUKE (SEMI)

LADES OPEN PAIRS FINAL

ANN DALE + DI SALMON OR TRISH GREEN + TERESA FRENCH (SEMI) versus

                                                                      DAWN SLAUGHTER + TINA COOPER

LADES DRAWN PAIRS FINAL

AUDREY HAY + ANFE CUMINE OR STELLA SPALDING + TERESA FRENCH (SEMI) versus

ANN BAMBER + DAWN SLAUGHTER OR TINA COOPER + JENNETT STEWART (SEMI)

2 WOODS OPEN SINGLES FINAL

ROY EBINEZAR OR PETER TWELLS (SEMI) versus PETER JUDGE OR LAURENCE GATFIELD (SEMI)                                                                                                                      MARKER: tbc

MENS CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

GRAHAM DALE OR BILL RUSH (SEMI) versus DAVE WILLIS OR RICHARD DUKE (SEMI)          

                                                                                                                                 MARKER: tbc

MENS CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

IAN DALE   versus   PETER JUDGE OR ALURENCE GATFIELD (SEMI]            MARKER: tbc

LAIDES CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

AUDREY HAY    versus    ANN BAMBER OR SARAH HALL {SEMI}                 MARKER: tbc

LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

DI SALMON  versus  DAWN SLAUGHTER   OR   ANGE CUMINE (SEMI)       MARKER: tbc

Draft 1

Ange

30/03/2020

• Firstly, I must congratulate Ann Dale for completion of her first NHS worker’s headband  -nice  and  cheerful  too.  Keep  going!

  

  Instructions are below and I will email them out too.  Thanks, Ann.  We will find a contact at Teddington Hospital for them.

  Cut a piece of cotton fabric 16.5” x 6”

  Sew along the long edge on the wrong side to make a tube. Press flat, then trim the end to make a point leaving 1.5 gap to turn at both ends.  For this I found it was easier to make a template for the end so that you have a ready make pattern for the point for future bands

  . Decide what size you are making, I measured my own head,  therefore if your band needs to be 21.5 “ your fabric is 16.5” so your elastic needs to be 5”. Insert elastic and secure firmly.

  Fold the band in half and on the inside make a small dart at the centre point to shape for the forehead.

  Sew on the buttons about .5” from the elastic.

  Hope that makes sense.

  Good Luck!

• Secondly, on a sadder note.  We lost one of my colleagues overnight to the dreaded virus.  He battled so hard right to the end and never lost his since of humour when replying to texts right up to last Saturday before he had to be moved to sedation and a ventilator.   We were so sure he would make it, but he is no longer struggling and for that we must be thankful.   He leaves a wife and two teenage boys, so please spare a thought for them.  I cannot imagine what are they are going through.
• Strawberry Hill also lost one of their older members – Alan Hillman – and our thoughts go out to his family as well as his team members.  He was playing against us in the ‘recent’ match indoors – February, was it?  Seems such a long time ago.