1TheNewsletter Pagehttp://u3asites.org.uk/carlton-gedling/home

Newsletter

Issue No. 96 May2020Lockdown Special Edition 2

ONLINE

Please be aware that many of our groups are still functioning thanks tothe wonders of I.T. As this lockdown goes on, and your house andgarden have reached perfection level, consider taking part in yourfavourite groups again.

BIRDWATCHING GROUP keeps in touch with emails, amusing videoclips and quizzes.

BOOK GROUP and our new FILM STUDY GROUP are emailing andmeeting using Zoom for meetings.

FRENCH CONVERSATION GROUP has a weekly Zoom - tres bon!

BONSAI and WINE LOVERS 2 have WhatsApp groups, sharinginformation and video clips.

SEWING GROUP has been sent emails with links to sites includingsewing for the NHS.

GROUCHY GIRLS are keeping in touch by email.

GRUMPY OLD MEN have a monthly Zoom meeting.

So many thanks to the convenors and visit our superwebsite to keep up to date with new developments.

Maggie Martinez (group co-ordinator)

Learning on lineMany of you will havehad the experience offollowing a course online. I’ve done about 10FutureLearn courses(https://www.futurelearn.com/), and I have justdiscovered two furtherpotential sources of online courses. The OpenUniversity offers a verywide range of coursesacross differentsubjects. I presumethey are reusing andreformatting materialsthey generated for theirworld renowned highereducation courses. Thelink is:

Continued over..

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https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogueAnother source of courses isCoursera developed by aconsortium of Universitiesacross the world. Their freeshort course offer seems to be aloss leader for their paid-forcourses. They are also moreoriented towards people whowant to develop their careers.Probably for that reason, theyoffer a different sort of courseand range of subjects. They alsoseem pretty slick – perhapsbecause they want to attract aprofessional learner. The link is:https://www.coursera.org/courses?query=freeNew OpportunitiesI prefer to learn with a group ofpeople, exchanging ideas andexperiences as we learntogether. Some of the coursesparticularly FutureLearn inviteparticipants to share commentswith all the other participants. Idon’t find that all that satisfying,however, because the contact isall via text and there’s no realcommunity of learners – you’rescattered all over the world.

We could, however turn thepresent lockdown into anopportunity. It would be easy fora group of us to sign up for thesame course and form our ownstudy group to exchange ideasand discuss via email,WhatsApp or Zoom. The coursedeveloped by somebody elsecould in effect form the basis fora whole new study group, whichwould be able to meet in theflesh when the lockdown haseased or ended.This approach achieves fourthings at the same time. It:

· widens the scope andrange of interest groupsand enriches our interestgroup offer

· gets over the problem oflacking sufficientexpertise to start a group

· takes the burden orpreparation off the groupconvenor

· potentially attracts to thenewly and recentlyretired.

To expand on the last point, theU3A nationally recentlycommissioned a survey of 500over 55 year olds, only a

handful of whom were U3Amembers. The good news is thataround half of the respondentssaid they were interested inlearning new subjects and skillswhen they retired and had moretime. The bad news is that mostof them said they would belooking for opportunities on line– where U3As have nothistorically had a strongpresence. The worst news isthat hardly anyone had heard ofU3A!New Interest GroupsDoes the idea of forming a newinterest group to look at one ormore of these on line coursesappeal to you? If it does, pleasecontact Maggie MartinezMaggie.martinez@hotmail.co.ukwho can help you to advertiseyour group to our wholemembership. If you’d like to chatabout the hows, whys andwhens of starting an onlinestudy group, please contact me:pkmartinez14@gmail.com. I lookforward to hearing from you.

Paul Martinez

Cont…

NoticesSome of you might be interested in exploring the Ashmolean’s YoungRembrandt exhibition from home.Go to https://www.ashmolean.org/youngrembrandt. Ann Glynn

Trips & Visits - Members who have paid for trips which have been cancelled due to the currentsituation will be refunded. Lesley Mosley - Convenor

New Interest Group Join the Film StudyGroupWhat, a new interest group

during lockdown? Why not? Nearly all of us have computers and many of uslove films and there a many significant films available for free on YouTubeand on BBC iPlayer. We can study a film and then……discuss and shareour thoughts about it.

The group will function like this. I will select a film available onYouTube/iPlayer. I will send you a link to the film and to at least one articleabout the film. We watch the film and then meet over the internet usingZoom. To be able to join the Zoom discussion you will need acomputer/phone/tablet with a camera and microphonecapability. If you don’t want to, or can’t, join the Zoom Continued over…

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During these verydifficult times when we are unable to meet and visitgardens I have been looking at the National GardenScheme – website – Virtual Gardens. Perhaps othermembers have been too. I have found differentgardens to view each day, this is a good way to seebeautiful gardens. I have seen different gardenseach day. (Enjoyed with a coffee and biscuit).

On Sunday 3rd May it was ‘National Meditationday’, to celebrate this 3 video’s were available towatch, listen or relax to in a bluebell woodlandsetting with birdsong. Worth searching for on theNGS website.

On Monday 1st June we were due to visit theBurton Road garden.

During lockdown I have been doing my ownplant/flower of the day diary. I have taken photo’s ofplants/flowers in my garden and submitted one each day.

My garden is small over planted and under designed.I have sown seeds that I have acquired from

Greenfingers group meetings, some donated by othermembers or from those sold at the meetings. Some arelooking good and some not so! I will have to look afterthese as I hear we are due some cold wintry weather.

I look forward to hearing what other GreenfingersMembers have been occupied with in the garden duringlockdown.

Val Disney

Please NoteThe Fruit Bowl fruit and vegetable shop on MapperleyTop is currently selling vegetable plants and hopes tohave stocks of bedding plants mid to end of May. Theyhave their own local nursery.

Nicola Dandie

Greenfingers

meeting, you can email me yourthoughts and ideas and I willcirculate them before the Zoommeeting. We can decide howoften we want to meet as part ofour first discussion.

f you are interested injoining this Film Study Group,email me(pkmartinez14@gmail.com). Ifyou would like to be a co-convenor or assistant convenor,please let me know.

Cont…

Paul Martinez

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This article is afollow up to thetalk given at theLocal History

Group in February……….With sport in 2020 prematurely ended or in

some case not even begun, it is perhaps good tolook forward to 2021 and an amazing year of sportthat awaits us. Carried over from this year: theOlympics, The Euros, and The Ryder Cup- addedto everything else 2021 has to offer. For a sportlover, a veritable feast-for a rugby fan, a veritablefeast plus the ultimate -the British and Irish LionsTour. In 2017 we had the rather strange image ofcaptains Sam Warburton(Lions) and RitchieMcCaw (New Zealand) awkwardly holding aloft theSeries Trophy after a dramatic drawn game in thefinal match of the tour.

The British and Irish Lions, the fifth biggestsporting franchise in the world ( bettered only bythe Olympics, Football World Cup, N.F.L, andEnglish Premiership),pits the ‘cream’ of British andIrish rugby players against the best of the SouthernHemisphere-New Zealand, South Africa andAustralia in a four year cycle. In 2021 the Lions willtour South Africa. But where does the story begin?Twickenham? Murrayfield? Cardiff? The publicschools? One of London’s Elite Gentleman’sClubs? For the answer we need to look a littlecloser to home.

Alfred Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury were bothNottingham men-Shrewsbury from Lenton but livingmuch of his adult life in the Queen’s Hotel onArkwright Street near Nottingham Station (the stilldistinctive building is one of very few buildings thatremain of the once vibrant and thriving Arkwright

Street).Shawwas born inBurton Joycebut spent hislatter yearswhen notplayingcricket at thehouse nowappropriatelynamed ‘TheWillows’ atthe top ofStoke Lane,Gedling.When notplayingcricket forNotts and

England-Shrewsbury was along with W.G.GraceEngland’sgreatestbatsman. Shaw,a slow bowlerand the manwho bowled thefirst ball in testcricket. Theywere sportingentrepreneursorganisingregular crickettours to theSouthernHemisphereand the U.S.A.,they also owneda sports shopon CarringtonStreet and afactory onWaterwayStreet.On the 2017tour the Lionsbadge whichfeatures thecrests of thefour homecountries had ‘Since 1888’ inscribed below. In 1888a rugby team left these shores to play a mixture ofrugby and Australian Rules Football against teamsin Australia and New Zealand. The tour wasorganised and managed by Alfred Shaw and ArthurShrewsbury. There were 20 players in the touringparty, mainly English but including three Scots andone Welshman. The clubs the players representedare clubs that now fall within the Rugby League‘umbrella’ though it was many years before theseclubs broke away to form a professional leagueand eventually become a different sport from union.Clubs such as: Batley, Swinton, Salford, RochdaleHornets, Bramley, Halifax and Dewsbury sentplayers Down Under.Sailing from Gravesendaboard the S.S. Kaikoura on March 8th 1888landing on April 24th,and playing their first game (avictory over Otago) on April 28th.In total theyplayed 53 matches over a 6 month period including19 games of Aussie Rules football, winning 27matches and though playing no test matchesplayed all the major provincial and academic sides.They also won six of their 19 Aussie Rules games!By contrast in 2017 Warren Gatland’s team played10 games in New Zealand, there were 41 in the

Local History

Alfred Shaw

Arthur ShrewsburyContinued over…

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Enemy of the People

How many times have we all saidthese words “I’ll Do It When IHave Time - many I expect. Wellwe all have time now if not theinclination. We have time to DOand time to Day Dream.

I suspect we all started offwith good intentions - clearing outcupboards and the like but whatabout the exciting and pleasantthings in life.

Well we all like to day dream,especially us oldies, wishing we’ddone this and that and been hereand there but even for us it’s notover yet. We can still go to thoseplaces and do those things evenif, for some of us it is only in ourimaginations. I’ve been verylucky I had a long and happymarriage until I lost my husbandfour years ago. I’ve been tomost places in the world I wantedto go but I still have a bucket listand feel very proud of myself fortravelling with one of my girl

friends to Australia and Fiji. Inow find myself in a happierplace again but it could be better.But I say to you don’t bemiserable. When you’re reallydown there’s only one way to goand that is UP and so count yourblessings. You will find you havevery many.

Do things you like to do - reada novel - play cds - watch tv - gofor a walk if you’re allowed - facetime your family - you can stillplay games with yourgrandchildren that way - plantyour garden or your garden pots(you can sit down to do this) - knitif you’ve got the patience andenjoy it - bake a cake. Helpyour neighbours and above alltake care of yourselves andpamper yourselves. I always findthat’s a good bit of therapy.Remember at our ages we havelots more years behind us than infront of us so live in the momentand enjoy every moment too. Sitin your garden or in the balcony ifyou don’t have a garden anddream of all the things you wishfor. As they say if you neverhave a dream you never have adream come true. I have a

dream which I know is almost butnot quite impossible but younever know sometimes dream docome true so carry on dreamingthe seemingly impossible dream.

In other words fill your timeand have goals to achieve everyday. Learn new skills such aspainting, gardening, becomingmore computer literate (anythingthat takes your fancy) and letscome out of lock down lookingand feeling better than when wewent in. I’m sure it’s possible.

I’m beginning to sound like anAgony Aunt (I think I’ll start acolumn - Ask Aileen) but reallyI’m reiterating the self taughttherapy I have learned sincebecoming a widow. One musthelp ones self. It’s very true“laugh and the world laughs withyou- cry and you cry alone”.Find your happy place and try notto worry - it doesn’t do any good.

Make the most of everything,Enjoy every moment.Stay safe and well.Be kind to yourself.Best wishesAileen x

initial squad and a back up team of 25people. Any players injured particularly early in thetour were replaced whereas on Shaw andShrewsbury’s tour the captain RL.Seddon wasdrowned in a sculling accident in Maitland on theHunter River and was not replaced. On the Lionstour of Australia in 2013,Lions captain, SamWarburton and England’s Manu Tuilagi laid awreath on Seddon’s grave.So, in 1888 and rather inauspiciously, began agreat rugby and sporting tradition-no first classflights, no kit and formal wear sponsored, no TVrights, no sponsorship deals, payment of a kind,though no lauding speeches from rugby aristocracyor books and films made about them. Nevertheless,a sporting dynasty was born.

Shaw and Shrewsbury returned to Nottinghamwhere they continued to represent their county andcountry with some distinction. Shrewsbury spent thelast year of his life on Shearing Hill Gedling, dying atragic death in 1903,Shaw died in 1908. They areburied almost forgotten in Gedling Churchyard.At a time when much is being said about the re-opening of Gedling Station as a Visitor Centre, aTolkien link to the village is an understandableattraction, it would be apt if consideration was givento two local men who have left a sporting legacybeyond measure.

Cont…

Neil Kendrick

The Newsletter is published by The Carlton, Gedling & District U3A.(Reg. Charity No. 1157211)

Views expressed are not necessarily those of the U3A or Editor

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Hello Ladies,Jeanette and I hope this message find you all well, and enjoyingthis weather.

I have received a very nice letter from the QMC neo-natal unit, thanking us for the 50 baby hats we sent (I have not heard from the City hospital yet), and they hope we will continue to knit for them. I will bring theletter to the next meeting, whenever that might be. If you are fed up with doing hats, then they also wantbonding squares in pairs. Approx size about 5 inches, which is between 25-30 stitches depending ontension, it can be in any colour and any pattern, so you could be creative. DK wool, size 8 or 4mm needles.

I will find some mitten patterns for the next news letter, if you have patterns they need Newborn andpremature size mittens. So plenty to keep you busy.

I am personally enjoying having all this time to do crafting! I have even made my Christmas cards, andsewn some Christmas gifts. Let’s hope we are free by then to give them out.

Jeanette is enjoying doing her garden in this lovely weather. She has also taken up doing some‘Blackwork’ as well as knitting and sewing too.

If anyone is in need of a chat, then please feel free to contact us:-Jackie 07971973129. Jackieb4263@hotmail.co.ukJeanette 07758285352 Jeanette.buzza48@gmail.com.

Bye for now Ladies. Stay in, stay safe and stay well.Jackie and Jeanette

Knit and Stitch

Dear all CraftersDid any of you watch the new Series at 5pm with Kirsty Allsopp, Keep"Crafting & Carry On"? Now into it's second week, much of it appears to be

repeats from previous craft programmes she's done and much of it is aimed at children, I feel my group areway and above toilet roll creations these days.. still there are pockets of interest.

If any of you are attempting to do a particular project and are getting short of the items you need tocomplete it, let me know and I'll send out a general request, as I know lots of you have drawers andcupboards bulging with craft items.

It's also very rewarding to 'finish' previous project that have been languishing in those same drawersand cupboards, so Ladies this is your chance to finish you handywork, maybe when we meet again wecould have a show & tell of each others achievements, so please don't forget to take pics. (this is only asuggestion of course)!

Stay safeSally Bailey

Hello all Tai Chi Members(You're still all on my register until our business with Joy isconcluded).

How are you doing? How many times per week are you practicing? I hopeworking with the DVD is helping to keep you supple and relaxed. Is anyonehaving difficulty with their DVD as one member had volume problems? Please let meknow if this is the case.We still don't have a date for our 'finale', it may be the autumn now? Has anyone anyspecial ideas? Maybe nearer the date, when we have one, I will hire a space at TheRichard Herrod centre in the bar so we can have coffee and nibbles?

Take careSally Bailey

Tai Chi

Craft Group

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VE Day celebrationsThanks to Tabby for this picture, taken at

Colwick. The mass of people in thebackground were at the prisoner-of-warcamp, all pressing up to the perimeterfence.

The Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod stands at the confluence of the Oka and Volga rivers, 250 miles eastof Moscow and 500 miles north of Volgograd, formerly Stalingrad. It has a population of about one and aquarter of a million. Dating back to the 13th century, it remains a regional capital. For much of the 20thcentury it was named Gorky in recognition of the writer, who was born there. It became an importantcentre of armaments research and manufacture and was closed to foreigners until 1990.In World War 2 Gorky was the site of key military production. It was heavily bombed on 43 occasionsbetween November 1941 and June 1943. On a single night in June 1943 over 150 aircraft raided the cityand 170 tons of bombs fell on the tank factory alone.Standing in a commanding position above the river sits the city’s kremlin. In Russian the word kremlin isnot specific to the Kremlin in Moscow; it means citadel or fortress. Nizhny Novgorod’s fortress was built inthe early 16th century.

Along the thick wall of the fortress are a group ofmilitary vehicles from the second world war as well as afighter aircraft and the conning tower of a submarine. Inthe arches of the wall are three scenes from the war thaton closer inspection are montages of photos of peoplewho were involved. The scenes appear triumphalist butthe use of the photographs to compose them adds apoignancyBehind each of such photographs is a story. Like many

in othertheatres ofthe warmany ofthosefighting onthe eastern front desperately wanted to get back home whenthe war ended and forget the horrors they had known. Theworld moved on but years later interest in their experiencesgrew. Svetlana Alexievich is a journalist in Minsk whobecame fascinated by the experiences of women in theRussian military in World War 2 after reading a short article ina local paper about the retirement party of Maria Morozova,the senior accountant at the Udarnik car factory in Minsk. Thearticle went on to say that during the war she was a sniper

credited with 75 kills. Svetlana was so intrigued by the contrast between Maria’s peacetime job and herwartime role that she sought her out and interviewed her. This was the first of many interviews sheconducted with women like Maria and published in ‘The Unwomanly Face of War’ in 1985. (This article isalso published with a full set of illustrations the Lockdown page of our website.) John Buglear

Follow this link to see a this picture of aVE Day street party in Dunstan St.,Netherfield from the Guardian Newspaperon 8th May 2020.https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2020/may/08/dancing-in-the-streets-ve-day-celebrations-in-1945-in-pictures

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CaptainTom MooreDuring the lockdown, it has been uplifting to watch the extraordinarystory surrounding 'Captain' Tom Moore and I for one have followed itwith great interest, particularly as my Father, also born in 1920 andalso a Captain in the British Army during WW2 and a true Gentlemanlike Tom, would also have have been 100yrs old during this significant75th Anniversary of VE Day, both having been awarded the Freedomof the City of Keighley (and also London) & Nottingham respectively(History Group)

It is still incredibly to me that from a Family joke about him walking100 laps of his garden (Gardening Group) to raise money for the NHShe went on to raise over £32,796,260 by the end of his Birthday.As if this was astonishing enough and winning him a place in theGuinness Book of Records both for his fund raising, most moneyraised by an individual for a charity walk and being the oldest personto have a No.1 hit with "You'll Never Walk Alone" (Singing Group)

He will be receiving a Daily Mail Pride of Britain award later on in the year from Carol Vorderman.He was appointed with The title of Honorary Colonel of The Army Foundation College and given The

Yorkshire Regiment Medal. Having had a life long passion for cricket he was also made an HonoraryMember of the England Cricket Team.

On his magnificent 100th Birthday, I hope I'm as sharp as him if I make that (Memory Course), hehad not one: but two fly pasts and several vehicles including a GWR train engine named after him(Railway Group)Having received 150,000 cards by 30th April, many beautiful handmade (Craft Group),plus he has had amural and several portrait paintings done of him (Art), plus an adorable teddy complete with medals(Sewing Group)

There is now a call for him to be Knighted (Discussion Group) and for a very modest man it must bequite overwhelming, however he seems to have thoroughly enjoyed it all as much as we have watchinghis achievement .....so it just remains to say that let's face it, we are never to old to achieve our dreamsand aspirations so GO FOR IT!

Sally Bailey

Here are some photos of the Evening post from the 8th May 1945 , V E Day . This was an originalnewspaper saved by a now deceased aunt of mine of which I am the current custodian. With thecelebrations planned ( although somewhat muted ) for this Friday I thought that it may be of some interestfor other members .There was a 50th anniversary edition printed in 1995 by the Evening post ,of which I have a copy too.

(All four pages are viewable at high resolution on the “VE Day memories” section of our Lockdownwebpage. Ed.)

David and Ruth Rudd

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French ConversationHOW POLES REVIVED MY FRENCH

Bonjour.

From the age of eleven until I was sixteen I had Frenchlessons every day at my school in south London. Themethod of teaching the language then was totallydifferent to today, when we recited verbs aloud in parrotfashion and wrote in phonetics for the first year to get thepronunciation correct. It became one of my favouritesubjects and I passed it in my GCE exams. Whenschooling and French were over, from a choice of jobs, Ibegan work at a printing company in Clerkenwell.

Fast forward twenty years and I`d moved toNottingham, was married to Brenda and we had twogirls. We decided to try camping and with another familywent to the Birmingham camping exhibition and eachbought identical, large, heavy canvas, metal framed,family tents. I think ours may still be on a shelf at theback of the garage somewhere gathering dust.

After a trial weekend in Derbyshire when it rainedcontinually, we decided to go on holiday, not to Cornwall,not to Devon like normal people, but to northern Spain.This was the 1970`s and we were venturing abroad forthe very first time, armed only with a simple map andprinted itinerary bought from the AA on Derby Road, todrive on their long straight roads. There were noautoroutes then. We must have been mental to think ofgoing all that way, but we were young and carefree andthis would be an adventure.

For our two overnight stops on the journey wedevised a super fast scheme to avoid disturbing bothcars too much. Using their tent poles, our canvas, themen erected one tent only, the girls cooked the meal,while the five kids aged four to seven inflated lilos andmade beds, and hey presto in no time at all we weresitting down enjoying a glass of wine after dinner. Thewine was about three francs per litre bottle (what`s that3/-) which had a wired stopper, and you got a refundwhen you took the empty back. All five kids slept in thebedroom while we adults divided the living area in twowith a large curtain.

We had a super holiday on a modern site rightbeside the sea near the town of Mataro close toBarcelona. The following year we wanted to go again,and so we did.

On this departure day news on the radio said therecould be a French docker`s strike (things don`t changemuch in 50 years !) and ferry travellers were advised toarrive in good time. Leaving work early we packed ourcars in haste and off we went. No ferry problem after all.Our first stop was Abbeville about 70 miles south ofCalais. Following our proven procedure we were settledin no time at all.

Toulouse was the next stop before crossing intoSpain at Perpignan the following day. Same drill and wewere soon relaxing. For some reason I had to check theboot of our car, then staring in horrified silence toostunned to speak, I discovered that our tent poles werenot there.

What could we do, forget the holiday, go back home,

840 miles ? Carry on in one tent for two weeks ?What sort of holiday would that be ? We`ll buy somepoles. We`ll get another tent. Everything rushedthrough our heads but I persuaded Brenda that we

should continue and solve the problem on our arrival atTarragona. There our campsite had every modern facilityone could want, again right beside the sea, with campersfrom Germany, Spain, France and Britain amongstothers.

After the usual overnight setup the two of us set forthto Tarragona. We searched every type of sports shop,store and outfit but found nothing. It was a very hot andexhausting morning so we stopped for a break at a smallcafe where they were roasting chickens on a spit. Theylooked and smelled delicious and we`d never seenanything like this at home. Over lunch we discussedmany ideas, then had a brilliant light bulb moment, we`dmake some wooden poles and use the other tent as aguide. After all when needs must, nothing venturednothing gained.

Right ! Where was their B &Q or Homebase ?Nowhere, but a nearby hardware store had everythingneeded but not lengths of 2 x 1 wood. However, pointingout the route on a map, the owner guided us to a localtimber merchant where we tried to explain our needswithout too much success. The difficulty was that hespoke no English and I no Spanish, but between us wewere able to converse in French, as he came from nearthe border and mine came flooding back (or was itcreeping) from 20 years earlier.

We knew our requirements and he produced thetimber, but it was in planks not in cut sizes and he saidhe couldn`t cut it down, but he knew a man who could.Pointed in a new direction off we went again out into thehot sunshine. Just picture the scene as I set forth withlong lengths of timber bouncing precariously up anddown on my shoulder, while Brenda protected passersby from decapitation and injury due to the antics of thistall strange performing circus clown.

When the timber was cut it was back to thathardware store for a saw, hammer and nails. We werenow in business with it tied securely on the car roof rack,off we went.After an exhausting day we enjoyed a relaxing eveningcontemplating tomorrow.

Constructing the frame was relatively easy, and wordsoon spread around the site that some idiots werebuilding a tent, and countless onlookers gazed at us inastonishment as we performed our carpentry handiwork.The Germans offered help and were amazed at ouringenious folly, as they had travelled down in their largeMercedes saloon cars bringing every luxury with them,including TV`s and fridges.

From the outside the tent looked quite normal, butthe site was awash with insatiable curiosity. During theevenings families detoured by, straining and bending topeer inside at the undertaking of these mad English,while we sat back with Cheshire cat grins of selfsatisfaction. Sadly on departure day we were really sorryto say goodbye and leave behind the skeletal remains ofour affectionate construction. We had gone on to enjoythe holiday without a care in the world, and looking backnow those traumatic events seem hilarious, and welaugh about them, but our nerves and emotions were

Continued over…

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Railway Appreciation Group

strained somewhat at the time.On our arrival home a neighbour brought our poles

which we had left beside the garage. In the weeksfollowing, Brenda said that I`d done well with my Frenchso I should take it up again, and I did with extremeenthusiasm. I enrolled at Clarendon College and went forfive years. I sat linguists exams in written and oral, andjoined a French society. Recently when our U3A beganFrench Conversation I went along straight away.

We`ve had countless holidays in most parts of theirlarge and beautiful country, and stayed in Morillon, a

small Alpine village, in both summer and winter, butprobably not this year unfortunately. French has neverbeen difficult for me, and when I decided to revive it allthose years ago, you can now see that I owe a true debtof gratitude to those poles.

A bientot – Brian

Welcome to my miniature world.For the last few weeks, my wife

Margaret, my son David and I have isolated ourselves, especially I have a past history of asthma, but thetime has enabled me to concentrate on my model railway, which has been set up in our garage. The twotrain tables together cover an area 16ft by 4 ft., stretching the whole length of the garage. There are twobuilt-up areas, which are adjacent to each other, a village, Hitchen Scratchett, and a town, Lindenby -in-Fernleigh. Both places were conceived while we lived in Linden Place, off Mapperley Plains, so I thought Iwould call the town, Lindenby (Settlement with Lime Trees), then we moved to our present home inFernleigh Avenue, hence the name. Hitchen Scratchett is just a play on words. I have almost finished thelayout of the conurbation’s, and am now in the process of electrifying the tracks, points and signals. Thephotographs show the Village and Town has they stand at present, but a few more details will be added.The buildings were bought as laser-cut kits, although there are some items which were scratch-built, that isthe most enjoyable part. Mike Johnson

Cont…

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Book Reviews: April LockdownWhilst some of us met on Zoom to share our views on Deborah Moggach’s“Tulip Fever” other members of the club gave sent in reviews of their reading. I

hope that these snippets give you a flavour of the wide reading interests of the group, but also that amongthe list there may be a recommendation that opens up a new author or genre for you as well.

Andy enjoyed reading Kate Atkinson’s “Big Sky”, the first of her Jackson Brodie novels. Herecommends this gripping novel and intends to read more in the series. We look forward to hearing howhe gets on.Jean has read “The Return of Captain John Emmett” by Elizabeth Speller. On the return of LaurenceBartram after WWI he is asked, as an amateur, to investigate the suspect suicide of his old friend, JohnEmmett. The investigation takes twists and turns through some horrific and unjust aspects of the war.Jean found the book harrowing in parts but was still compelled to read through to the conclusion – nospoilers!

Basia has read copiously in lockdown, but highly recommends “The Trick to Time” by Kit De Waal. It isa beautifully written and exquisitely crafted story of love, grief and the quiet courage to survive great loss.The childhood joy of playing on a Wexford beach; the move to Birmingham with a new job; meeting thelove of her life and a sudden tragic loss. Decades later Mona seeks happiness before it is too late……This is a love story to take on the classics.

Keith has put us all to shame and apart from ploughing religiously through Simenon’s short and sweetMaigret novels(all 75 novels have been reissued by Penguin) alongside the entertaining Camilleridetective stories (35 stories) he has also read The Jupiter Myth by Lyndsey Davis. It is set around 70 ADand follow the exploits of a fictitious detective but influenced by real characters of the time. This series has20 books.

Heimat is a graphical novel by Nora Kung of her search for her family’s history in Hesse and alsoGerman communities in the USA. It is deeply moving and should not be dismissed as childish because itis graphic format. The illustrations are excellent and support a substantial text. Phew Keith! When do youeat?

Unusually for her, Carolyn has read a biography, “Step by Step, The Life in my Journeys” by SimonReeve. He is known for his empathy and open-minded attitudes, which seem to have been born from amixed-up and miserable childhood and come across clearly in the second half of the book, whichdescribes his early travels.

I hope I leave you on the edge of your seat and have inspired some of you to pick up one of the booksreviewed. My name is already on a waiting list! Keep your reviews coming.

Book Club

Coleen Bee

Book Group MayA number of us participated in a Zoom discussion, ably led by Coleen, of the novel “Tulip Fever” by DeborahMoggach. It is set in 17th century Amsterdam when the city is flourishing in the prosperity of the DutchGolden Age, a time well documented in paintings by Dutch Masters such as Vermeer and Rembrandt.Tulipomania has also gripped the traders, who are keen to exploit the rocketing prices of rare bulbs beingcultivated to create exotic varieties of the flower. This is a fascinating period in Dutch history and has provedto be a fruitful focus for a number of writers in books such as “The Girl with the Pearl Earring” and “TheMiniaturist”.In Moggach’s work, a prosperous middle aged businessman, Cornelis, hires the services of a local artist,Jan, to produce a portrait of himself and his beautiful, but much younger wife, Sophia. (The writing is on thewall).In our discussion, some felt that the writer evokes the atmosphere of Amsterdam and the lifestyle of thetimes extremely well. Status and wealth defined a person and women sought the protection of men tosurvive and prosper in life. One reader, however, felt it could have been set anywhere and lacked a sense oftime and place.The narrative is based on the dangerous love affair of the young Sophia and the painter and their verydaring, (far fetched?} plan to create a life together. Most of the group felt that the development of their affairwas too swift, but for a believer in love at first sight in the group, it was perfectly plausible.The characterisation lacked depth, although some in the discussion felt that the minor characters were moreinteresting and convincing and the foreshadowing of their mishaps created tension and humour.To some extent, this was a good lockdown read, as everyone wanted to finish reading it and all had anopinion. The use of the present tense added immediacy to the events and the very short chapters, focusingon the perspective of one character created a pacey narrative. Continued over…

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It was great to catch sight of other group members again and to be reminded that, whatever thecircumstances, there will always be a healthy divergence of opinion.

In a change to the published schedule, next month’s meeting will focus on Readers’ Choices, again viaZoom or based on emailed responses.

tilts cardhop octave ribtent elegynode

ribno finkhiserg noher kidcrablb hailinggent

impage smartdinan sharkpowraw lawnpig treacherycost

pokerwecod orangesdo cutnthha stenchoat defilefar

Birdwatching Group Here are some anagrams of common birds’ names, see ifyou can work them all out. Answers on page 16.

Nuala Leyden

A Wop Bop A Loo Bop A Wop Bam Boom!

I've written this on Saturday 9th May,picking up the news from TV. A personalview of Little Richard who has died at theage of 87.

I was quite young when Little Richardwas in his pomp and really I'm more of aBeatles and Stones generation, but therewas never anything better than thosedistinctive piano thumping introductions(“Tutti Frutti”, “Good Golly Miss Molly”,“Rip It Up”, “Lucille”, “Long Tall Sally”, andmy favourite “The Girl Can't Help It”. Likemost of us, I have lived through the greatrange of rock / pop / soul music throughthe 60s, 70s and beyond but it all seemedto come back to that awakening to “the music” in my Primary School days.

Of course Elvis was important (can't argue with his early music) but by the time I was gettinginterested he had been “controlled” by the music industry. We had lost Chuck Berry to prison and JerryLee Lewis went country (again both had great Rock n' Roll back catalogues).Little Richard didn't record all that many records with his label (Specialty Records) so when he classicallygave it all up to be a preacher, what we were left with was his undiluted stomping Rock n' Roll from aband including 4 saxophones, 2 guitarists and that piano playing and wild vocals out front. There wasn'tthe lesser later material in his career (he re-recorded his hits over with other labels) so for me going intosecondary school (pre-Beatles) my first (saved up pocket money) LP was a Little Richard Greatest Hits(still got it).

Born poor in Macon, Georgia (5th Dec, 1935, one of 12 children) he stared singing and playingGospel Music but infused with New Orleans Jump and Rhythm & Blues styles.

He had started his recording career in 1951 but had to go through several labels anddemos before success in 1955 with Specialty. I have a compilation box set of his Specialty

Music Appreciation

Cont…

Maggie Doherty

Continued over…

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recordings which includes out-takes and adverts for radio. On some tracks you can hear theproducers trying to get Richard to slow it down – without success. In 1957, at the peak of his

fame, he quit to go to bible school (so no new Rock n' Roll from him). He returned to rock from about1964, seeing the success of the Beatles and others based on his original material – but too late – anddegenerated into 'show bis'.So, we lost Chuck Berry last year, Little Richard today – that leaves only Jerry Lee Lewis. Poorold Rock n' Roll. Eric Rennie

What goes around comes around …….

When I was a little lad I practised my scales on the piano and listened to music on a wind-upgramophone. The volume control on the gramophone was the two little doors which opened and closedat the front.

In those days things were mechanical and you could mend them. Have you watched ‘The RepairShop’ on T.V.? It’s a feel-good programme which is on ‘Catchup’ if you want to give it a try. But Idigress……

The wind-up gramophone also had a lever which allowed you to slow or speed up the record on theturntable. This is not an option on a record player, Hi-fi, Stereo, Tape or C.D. player but it got methinking.

Just recently, in addition to the new sheet music arrangements I’ve been sending the members ofMaking Music for Fun group, I’ve been providing links to Youtube recordings of original songs andbacking tracks to help them master and play the new tunes.

The latest Making Music for Fun arrangement is ‘Surfin’ USA by the Beachboys but the originalrecordings and the backing tracks on Youtube are far too fast for us.

However, I have discovered that with the right computer software I can take a digital recording froma C.D., or even from Youtube, and slow it down without the sound becoming deeper and deeper as inthe past. I can keep the tune at the same pitch and in the same key as the original but played muchmore slowly. I can then re-record it in a form that I can send out by email and which can be played on amobile phone.

Now, how many people can say that they have the Beachboys as their backing group?

Making Music for Fun

Charles Cracknell

Misheard song LyricsThanks to Janet Baker for these from a book “ ‘Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy and Other MisheardLyrics” by Gavin Edwards

1. There’s a feeling I get when I look at my waistLed Zeppelin “Stairway to HeavenThere’s a feeling I get when I look to the west

2. But I get no offers/ Just a come-on from a horse on Seventh AvenueSimon & Garfunkel “The Boxer”....the whores on Seventh Avenue

3. And the papers want to know who shot you whereDavid Bowie - “Space Oddity”And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear

4. Gotta leave it all behind and take a cruiseQueen - Bohemian RhapsodyGotta leave it all behind and face the truth

Continued over..

Cont…

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And a couple from me

5. She’s a muscular boyHerman’s HermitsShe’s a must to avoid

6. The girl with colitis goes byBeatlesThe girl with kaleidoscope eyes

Do you have any favourites of yourown?Send them to me for the next edition

Nick

Name the shops from the clues. Some of these may haveceased trading, but you’ll remember the names.Answers on page 16

1. Footwear for a cat (5)2. Father neglect? Just the opposite! (10)3. Space traveller (5)4. Tries to get favours with copper on this planet? (6, 2, 5)5. Motor? Call the store (8, 9)6. Pebbles in the stream (11)7. Hang around with a flower (8)8. High moral standards. Or scientific rules (10)9. Fail to hit target? Me? On the Long Mynde? (4, 9)10. Something to mind when getting off the train (3)11. William and Henry’s horse-shooing business (1, 1, 5)12. Underground in America (6)13. Beatle meets Alice’s creator (4, 5)14. Bill and Hillary’s Kings and Queens (7, 5)15. Good street shopping in France (3, 6)16. Strange method of storage (7)17. Chiswick Eyot (5, 6)18. Sterling getting good exchange rate (14)19. Celestial dollars (9)20. Keeps papers together (7)21. You should find the CEO here (4)22. Where Dutchman lives with firearm manufacturer (7, 3, 7)23. Dial wrongly (4)24. Budgie seeds (7)25. Princess Royal seasons (4, 7)26. Hey hombre. How mucha is thatta drink? (5, 6)27. English dance boys (9)28. French Cotes transposed 5)29. Henry crosses stream (8)30. Check your camera setting or the picture will be blurred (5)31. Values of sheeps’ fleeces (10)32. Middle of candles, with energy (6)33. Automobile and domestic animal on the starboard side (11)34. Dill or something different (4)35. Communist and philosopher. Nearly (5, 3, 7)36. Young lady comes out with headless chicken and pork joints(9)37. House at military site (8)38. Europe’s most sparsely populated country (7)39. Rugby, cricket, hockey, football. No deviation (6, 6)40. Wood on the property (10)41. Podgy visage (7)42. Torrential downpour (7)43. Fresh appearance (3.4)44. Fantastic pill (9)45. Queen doesn’t reveal anything (9, 6)46. Miss Phillips here when she’s not out riding (4)47. Not many bottoms on sale here (7)48. A box of tricks? (7)49. Seashore hill (4)50. A place to buy a cadaver (4, 4)

Thanks to Graeme Bunting

Cont…

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Celebratory Food

Filled Filo PastriesFor Eid,Festival of breaking the fast.Jewish Braided Bread,Blessing the Sabbath meal,Manna from Heaven.Mathai Indian Sweetmeats,Diwali Delights.Vegetarian Moon foodFor the birth ofThe Buddha to be.Breaking of Bread,The body of Christ‘Do this in remembrance of me’ .

‘Let then eat cake’Christmas and Christening,Pippa Pig party bagged,A slice spiked with sparkler,From a serenading waiter.Celebratory Symbols,Which nourish the soul.Soul food,To share and remember.

Ann Glynn

Poetry CornerThe Pond

Perimeter of pebblesFringed by fernsSits a sunkenWildlife water worldShaded by a Sycamore.Where tapioca tadpole spawnClump like cosmic jellyAnd busy Water boatmenBreak the surfaceBlowing bubbles .

Snails slide and spiral onOxygenating strandsEncased in homes ofShimmering shallLike pearls .Where in the shallow stillFrogs are free to procreateBathed in Summer sun.As if in prayer I ponderWhen time stands stillBeside the pond .

Ann Glynn

Skylark

Suddenly above the fields you’re pouringPure joy in a shower of bubbles,Lacing the spring with the blue thread ofsummer.You’re the warmth of the sun in a song.

You’re light spun to a fine filament;Sun on a spider-thread -That delicate.

You’re the lift and balance the soul feels,The terrible, tremulous, uncertain thrill of it –You’re all the music the heart needs,Full of its sudden fall, silent fields.

By Katrina PorteousFrom Ten Poems about Birds

Thanks to Nuala Leyden

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Rumours of GGs talking to themselves are sadly true. Without ourletting off steam session, we now wander around chuntering happily.Paul wishes I was virtual so that he could press the mute button!In reality we are busy souls, dong all manner of crafts, gardening,jigsaws etc. Lesley was so proud of the double bed cover she madebut not so happy when the vacuum cleaner sucked it up and ripped it.Some of us have fallen by the wayside from manic cleaning sessionsbut how we love our new hobby- washing the shopping! The last Iheard, Shirley is STILL gazing at the ceiling from her bed, as dustsettles on her, feather duster in one hand and bottle of Baileys in theother. She SAYS she is still waiting for that spider to leave the webso she can dust the ceiling.

Don’t laugh when you see Bridget with her clothes held togetherwith safety pins and string. She has nobly cut off her buttons and donated them to her daughter to makebutton headbands for NHS staff. Or was that her old clothes?GGs lucky enough to have grandchildren are missing them but grateful for virtual contact. Two GGs havenew grandbabies they have yet to meet. Hats off to those GGs caring for frail parents.Online feedback of our 3 topics of the month:-

As older ladies do we feel patronised by younger folk? The general consensus was that we are toofeisty to let that happen, but dislike being called dear (ay up duck preferable) and when people say ‘Bless’it is always patronising. Deidre, who uses elbow-crutches, says she is sent to the front in queues now,so, as ever, most people are thoughtful.

Are you planning a holiday after lockdown? Travelling by plane a serious concern asair is circulated, and will countries be happy to have us visit? TV travel programmes mayreplace visits abroad but Eurotunnel and ferries a possibility. One GG would be happyjust to visit Clumber Park.

Do we wear matching undies? Does anyone still wear stockings and suspenders? Only one GGsays she always wears matching sets, but in the full knowledge that doctors don’tgive a hoot, we wear our best set to appointments! The only use for suspenders iskeeping fitted sheets in place. In old films women peel off stockings in sexy manner,but we just remember suspenders cutting off our blood supply.

Grouchy Girls in lockdown

Maggie Martinez

stilt pochard avocet bittern goldeneye

robin kingfisher heron blackbird nightingale

magpie sandmartin sparrowhawk lapwing oystercatcher

woodpecker goosander nuthatch stonechat fieldfare

Bird anagram answers

1 Boots2 MotherCare3 Comet4 Currys PC World5 CarphoneWarehouse6 WaterStones7 Waitrose8 Principals9 Miss Selfridge10 Gap11 W.H.Smith

12 Subway13 John Lewis14 Clintons Cards15 Bon Marche16 Oddbins17 River Island18 PoundStretchers19 Starbucks20 Staples21 Boss22 Holland and Barrett

23 Aldi24 Millets25 Anne Summers26 Costa Coffee27 Morrison’s28 Coast29 Halfords30 Focus31 Woolworths32 Wickes33 Carpet Right

34 Lidl35 Marks and Spencer36 Debenhams37 Homebase38 Iceland39 Sports Direct40 Timberland41 FatFace42 Monsoon43 New Look44 SuperDrug

45 Victoria’sSecret46 Zara47 Top Shop48 Pandora49 Dune50 Body Shop

Shops quiz answers

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FOR THE LOVEOF SCRUBSI am sureeveryone has

seen on the National and East Midlands news programmes reports of the home sewingcommunities which are sewing for the NHS. Theyare doing amazing work sewing scrubs, caps,scrubs bags and headbands and ear savers forface masks.

I recently emailed members of our U3A sewinggroup with details of how we could help thiscampaign. Just over 5 weeks ago a Facebookgroup named “Nottingham-For the Love of Scrubs-the NHS Needs You” was created by somededicated sewers who have done a fantastic job incoordinating this group.

It has grown to over 1700 members inapproximately 4 weeks. The Facebook page hashad to be added to daily to create a framework andinfrastructure to run the group. Theadministratorsare constantly adding new members,giving pattern details, creating problem solvinginformation, giving advice on delivering finisheditems and creating an army of hub leaders who canorganise groups for each area, together witharranging for the collection of donated materialsand dealing with infection control.

Within our local area there is a lady inMapperley who takes delivery of finished items forNG3/4/5 and then takes them to a central point fordistribution. Other local groups are springing up allover the country with local engineering works andtextiles companies also helping in supplying andcutting fabric for scrubs.

Within the Carlton and Gedling U3A I know oftwo members of the sewing group (there may beothers) plus one experienced U3A member who isnot in the group, who have joined the NottinghamFacebook group. We have made scrubs bags andbutton headbands, some of which have beendelivered directly to the QMC.

The making of scrubs, which everyone musthave seen on the television, is now one of the main

sewing project requests. This has taken a while todevelop within the Facebook group as scrubs haveto be made of specified fabric which can bewashed at 60 degrees, ready cut out kits have tobe delivered and the maker needs an overlocker tofinish the seams to prevent fraying Not everyonehas an overlocker, but there is still a dedicatedteam carrying out this work. Scrubs bags, whichalso have to be washed at 60 degrees, have to bemade to withstand this constant washing andwithout an overlocker French seams have to besewn.

Home sewers have been working at a prolificrate. The lady who coordinates our local area lastweek took delivery of 216 scrubs hats, 188headbands, 39 ear savers and 131 scrubs bags.Information of where the finished items have beendelivered is posted weekly. Week ending 2nd Mayshows that the makes have been delivered to localcare homes, Lings Bar Hospital, teams and wardsat QMC and City Hospitals, community supportteams and charities for Bassetlaw Hospital.The NHS needs this community effort and therehave been numerous posts of thanks on theFacebook page

Sewing Group

40 laundry bags made by Susan Bunting

Pam Batrtram

Maggie Martinez has beenmaking (and modelling) facemasks, asking for donation forNetherfield food bank, either cash orshopping. So far £85 raised and foodbank volunteers say much is needednow.Please contact Maggie if you areinterested in one..