An Occasional Report
August Bank Holiday, and Gill Russell and Rita Marlow organised their first Club Event, (I hope this is right, girls) and a very successful one it was too.
Napoleon Bonaparte used to say, “Give me lucky generals” and the same principal applies to Club Event organisers as well. Gill and Rita must have made the right sacrifices and burnt the correct chicken feathers and, accordingly, were rewarded with that rarest of creatures, a dry and sunny Bank Holiday afternoon. Fifty seven members enjoyed the sunshine and a fast running green, playing 3 matches of 6 ends each. The theory was that everyone should wear something red and, with but a few exceptions, most people did so, although I have to say there was red and red, everything from pink to scarlet via carmine and crimson. For example, our Ladies Captain (one VB), sported, to my eyes anyway, a purplish effort, (didn’t she own a dress shop?)
I didn’t get round the whole Club but made a note of members of particular interest.
Cynthia Minty and a red feather boa took me right back to those evenings at the Follies, (You will appreciate I was merely observing and not actually enjoying myself.)
Tom Edwards in a fez looked like a cross between King Farouk and Tommy Cooper.
His better half (much better) Margaret, added a touch of whimsy with two red antennae. I asked many people what these were actually called and, after discarding a number of interesting suggestions (demented insect, really) drew a blank.
Jack Linden was wearing a red sweater plastered with St George Crosses and “In England we trust”. As his rink included Isobel Stewart I must assume he inspired her trust in some other fashion.
Clearly Graham Coleman frequents a better class of charity shop than the rest of us. London School of Osteopathy, be still my aching back.
Mike Bradford’s red bow tie added a much-needed touch of class to the occasion. Before next year perhaps he’ll practise tying it so he arrives before Rita starts panicking.
Arthur Wadsworth’s See you Jimmie, ginger fright wig just about qualified, so thanks, Arthur, for giving us a laugh.
Rita Hales started the afternoon with both a red winter sweater and scarf. As the temperature was well into the 70’s this was true commitment to the cause. I might try this as a slimming exercise myself.
Ellen Freestone (well done on the spider by the way), looked like a fair dinkum Aussie in that hat. A few corks dangling down might have added some realism.
Gypsy Zoe, a word of advice. When you offer to read palms, keep the cost down. Most of us are OAP’s and can’t afford a pound a go.
Barbara Marriott went along the Margaret Edwards line with two red devil’s horns. Bearing in mind the number of times the Marriotts have removed me and my partners from competitions over many years, I must say I thought the horns quite appropriate.
Jane Hiley was wearing a rather splendid red satiny top. The material looked a bit like the curtains in my local church but I am sure that is just a coincidence.
It was good to see our President and his lady back from their tour of S.Wales (Tenby) with the Surrey President’s party. Paul tells me that it did stop raining once or twice, usually overnight, and that they had picked up the odd raffle prize. Good to know, eh, folks?
Rita and Gill had organised an interesting format with no less than FIVE woods counting and had sacrificed their shower curtain to provide much-needed help with the scoring. These girls really are organisers par excellence. I am not going to speculate on the shower as presently set up.
Tea was provided after 2 sets of 6 (liked the penguin bars, on special offer at Tesco and Lidl. Advt.) Thanks are due to Barbara and Alan Bonfield for volunteering for this duty. Also to John Lofthouse on bar duty.
At the end Rita, Gill and Zoe established that Jack Linden’s rink, Isobel, Davids May and Conway, plus Jack (how much did Jack pay you Rita?) had won by a street with Irene Moody’s crew second. (As Irene had five players, she really should have done better.)
The meeting closed with thanks to all concerned followed by commercials for various Club activities over the next few months.
This was an excellent afternoon and, if this was the first such attempt, then I can’t wait for the next one.
JGR 31.8.09