Good luck to everyone playing today.

As I can’t be there, please could someone or a group of you send me some write ups and photos so I can post on the website.

WhatsApp is good for photos or emails to my gmail account.

Thanks

Dawn

Congratulations to Peter J & Paul A who beat Competition Organiser Peter C & Brian Cr this afternoon in the Club Men’s Pairs.

Updated Finals Schedule below with (hopefully now) the correct players in the Mixed Drawn Pairs on Saturday morning!

As some of you know, Jane had a fall recently.  Several members have been asking after her and she wanted to say thank you for your support and good wishes.  She is recovering, albeit a bit slower than she would like, but is getting there.  She is hoping to get down on Finals Day to watch a couple of the games.

Mike Cooper is again running our teams for the Middlesex Indoor League.  It’s mixed with two teams at home and two away for each match.  He hasn’t all got all the dates yet.

There is a sign up sheet if you would be interested in playing in these games.  Mike has already contacted those who played last year so wants to catch anyone who didn’t play last year but would like to join the squad.

 

There are also sign up sheets for the first few indoor mixed friendlies on the noticeboard, so as you drift indoors in the next few weeks, please sign up!

Indoor fixtures to be published soon.

As many of you know Ann H’s brother Roy – known to many as Budgie – passed away at the end of August after a steady decline in health.
Roy was a long time member of Masonians outdoors and Hounslow Indoors.
He played a lot , won a lot and, like the rest of us, lost a lot of matches.
He joined us for a few years on our Festive  tour to Potters in Norfolk and was one of the winning team with sister Ann, Dave P and Masonians President Terry P in 2019.

On Tuesday, it is a chance to say our farewells. The service is at Mortlake Crematorium at 3:20 pm and afterwards we’ll be back at Cambridge Park to celebrate his life, share memories, anecdotes, tour tales, tears and laughter.
Donations to the British Heart Foundation are welcome.
Flowers from the family only.

 

PS. Ann never called Roy by his nickname of “Budgie” but I’m sure some you tomorrow will let us know how, why and when it came about.

John Eve has lost his grey-tint Ralph Lauren glasses at the club to day which he left on a table outside the club house

Have any of you picked them up in error and now find you have two pairs at home?

Please contact him directly or email through the website.

Thanks

…. Trumpet fanfare …

Richmond claim the Gold in the Friday Night Club Leagues!

The Richmond team share £80 between them and the runners up – Marble Hill – £40. Kneller Gardens you were very nearly on the podium  Pipped by a point!

Well done to both top teams and all the players. It wouldn’t work without you.

A HUGE round is applause to Steve B who has done a brilliant job with the organisation and spreadsheets containing regular updates.
Everyone who thinks he should do it again next year, put your hands up …

Unanimous!

Many thanks, Steve

A very well deserved win for Steve & Peter J this afternoon in the Richmond & Barnes Pairs.

Sign up sheets for next Saturday 7th September for 3 rinks away at Masonians starting at 2:30 (not 3:30 – no farmers’ market on Saturdays) and for 2 triples v Hurlingham Club at home on Tuesday 10th September at 2:30 will be on the noticeboard later today.

Next Sunday, 8th September, is the re-arranged 75 Shot Competition.  Peter C (who won’t be wearing a grass skirt to play) has asked that everyone who wants to take part needs to be at the club for 09:40 LATEST so he can adjust numbers, do the draw and get the first rounds on the green at 10:00.  Sandwich lunch will be available.

Finals day is Saturday 14th September.

… what a great event!

To start with, those busy buzzy painting bees had re-done the outside of the clubhouse making it much smarter and setting off the hanging baskets beautifully.  Thank you.

And talking of hanging baskets, we have been raising funds so Margaret can organise more for next season.  Raffle tickets have been on sale for the last few weeks, months even, and, with Margaret helping out in the kitchen, Beryl was left in charge and she completely sold out!  It only seemed appropriate to draw the raffle after the main course yesterday.  There were plenty of prizes and plenty of winners.

In total, enough funds were raised which is brilliant!  Margaret also raises club funds with her home made jams and marmalades which are excellent and there are repeat purchases from visiting clubs.  At an average price of £2.70 for artisan top quality products, it’s a cinch.

Karen was masterminding BBQ prep in the kitchen assisted by Margaret (ace tomato slicer), Alison (brilliant onion slicer!), Alasdair (showed his knife skills with the spring onions) and Corinne (chopper, slicer, cutter, sweeper) whilst Julian, a visitor(!) and others swished the green which Tony O’B had set up.  Two ladies, whose names I have forgotten – apologies, cleaned all the cutlery  and then more people arrived, who were really getting into the swing of the afternoon …

As more arrived in an assortment of colourful shirts, skirts and dresses the occasion warmed up and Peter C, Gill C with various helpers and kitchen-runners took to THE BBQ.  Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Karen, Margaret and Dawn were taking it in turn to cook the mountain of onions to perfection and others took further supplies out to the hungry hoards.

Brian N, eager to help out the kitchen team, washed up all the knives and forks and collected empty glasses to return to the bar which had been manned over the day by Dawn, Alasdair and Paul S.  Thanks to them.

Everyone had piled into the dining room due to the somewhat inclement, windy, chilly Hawaiian weather, which gave a lull after the main course so Karen became IC Raffle as the dessert team beavered away in the kitchen.  The homemade  Pineapple Tiramisu gave Dawn considerable grief when transferring from a large pot into individual portion containers and  Karen’s  tropical  fruit skewers proved more fiddly than you’d think!  As for the Mango Sorbet (made especially by South Street Ice Cream Shop) provided another challenge until guest Susan showed us her chef’s knack of the scoop and a mug of hot water.  Her effort were much rounder and neater than the rest of us!  The tip was very welcome.

The chatter continued and after Peter, Tony O’B and Karen had given votes of thanks, Beryl took to the floor and announced that Brentford FC had won 3-1 at home v Southampton which received the (almost) biggest cheer of the day!

The kitchen team of Corinne, Susan, Dawn and Karen were up to the eyes and elbows in washing up as gradually the party came to close with just a few stragglers left when Karen and Dawn sat down to enjoy a glass of wine and a wind down after a long day on their feet.

It was so good to see the Southey’s, Gerry, Reg, Bob & Frances, the Bushells alongside other indoor members re-familiarising themselves with the environment as the next season rushes towards us. The new lighting was admired.  Bob has put a few sign up sheets for the early indoor matches.  More sheets will go up for evening/weekend roll ups in October.

If anyone has additional photos, please email them via the website and I will upload.

Thanks again to everyone who helped, with apologies to anyone missed by name, and came along to have fun and support the club.  A real club occasions with bowls, fun, laughter, chatter and good companionship.

More social events to come – check the tables between the dining room and the indoor green and sign up!  Skittles, Race Night, Bingo – and a quiz would be good for anyone wishing to take that under their wing.

Thanks to Julian for these photos