Retford U3A Newsletter NOVEM ER / DE EM ER 2020

Retford U3A Newsletter - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020

Retford U3A

Membership No. 822/801/10

www.retford-u3a.org.uk

CHAIRMANS THOUGHTS - Granny and Granddad – What did you do during the Great Shutdown?

Hi there, I know my question was inspired by

this old Great War propaganda poster, but in

a couple of years time when someone asks

you, what will you say you achieved during

this so strange year.

I remember last

Christmas our then Chairman Chris Clifford

wished us all a very Merry Christmas and a

Happy New Year. In the Evans household,

Kate a week before Christmas had gone

down with Scarlet Fever but once the correct

medicine was prescribed she recovered very

quickly, only for us, after a months

recuperation to enter the shutdown.

Looking on the positives of the shutdown how

many of you have received a rebate from

your car insurance company. I filled Kate’s

car up last November and we’ve driven

about 300 miles in it since then. I put £40 in

mine in early March and have just this last

week filled it up again. Checking the mileage

I’ve driven an average of 14 miles each week

for the last eight months.

I get the feeling that because of our range of

ages we are seen as a bit of a soft touch to

the bad guys. Just be aware. This last week

someone, using my name, has been sending

out emails asking you to send me five £100

Amazon vouchers. This is a scam and

whatever you do ignore it. Mike Garrett who is

one of our members is also Chairman of

Gringley on the Hill History Society, and they

have been attacked with this scam as well.

Other members have told me how they have

had phone calls purporting to have come

from the police saying if the unpaid fine of

£500 is not paid within the hour (just push

button one on your phone for further

information etc etc.) you will be arrested.

Yet another said he had been awarded a

bank loan of £22,500 and would he send £500

a month in repayment. (Again push button

one on your phone for details).

We can all fall for a plausible scam, just check

further if anyone asks on the phone or by

email for further details. Kate received an

email last weekend saying there was a

problem with her Midland bank account, and

would she just send them an email with her

account details for them to confIrm it was her

before going any further. Kate doesn’t have

an account with the Midland, so on Monday

she phoned them up only to be told it was

one of the latest scams going around, and

one of their bank colleagues had fallen for it

and had lost the money in their bank

account. So please be aware.

I go back to the beginning of this piece, what

will you say when asked what you did during

the great shutdown. I have a reputation

amongst the committee, of having a very

tight wallet. So you will not be too surprised

when I tell you that Kate has been cutting my

hair for years and a jolly good job she does

with it too !!

THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 2

She was complaining in early October about

her hair getting too long to manage. You

know what’s coming here don’t you, yes I

offered to cut it for her. After much thought,

she said alright but don’t cut too much off. I

just said well don’t worry it will always grow

again. It strikes me a funny that when a

woman says that to a man it’s acceptable,

but when a bloke says that to a women, you

get the ‘huff’ treatment. Anyway eventually I

did cut her hair and my two daughters

thought I had done a really good job, so hot

dinners resumed.

We are all trying to do our bit and make the

best of what we’ve got during this very odd

time.

CHAIRMANS THOUGHTS - continued

NEWS FROM INTEREST GROUPS

FUN WITH FLOWERS

This is what I was planning to do with the fun with

flowers group in December.

1. Using a globe/fishbowl glass vase drip melted

candle wax randomly round.

2. Using artificial snow or cotton wool balls create a

snowy base.

3. Add your choice of festive bits...here a silver fir tree

and polar bear Christmas tree decorations

4. Add a thin string of bottle lights.

5. Optionally you can add a small dish and of

seasonal foliage and flowers

6. Foliage given a dusting of snow spray

The festive snow globe ready to light up Christmas.

Sally Barker

1 2 3 4

5 6 7

The Committee look positively cheerful with Bryan Gladstone, me, Sue Ross, Sue Paul, Geoff

Marsh, Brenda Wilson and Pippa Ramsey and we all wish you a calmer year for 2021. Let’s face

it we’ve made it this far since the middle of March, lets try to stick around a bit longer.

Roy Evans

WINE APPRECIATION GROUP



The Wine Appreciation Group continues to

meet every other Friday by Zoom to enjoy a

glass of wine and a chat. Sometimes we even

talk about wine! Thinking of things to do via

Zoom continues to challenge us but in the

past we have had a murder mystery and a

quiz and currently we are trying to do

something more like a proper wine tasting.

For each meeting a wine is chosen by a

different member who manages to ensure

that everyone is supplied in advance with a

bottle of his or her choosing. We then open

the bottles before the meeting starts, ensuring

that it has chance to breath (necessary if it’s a

good one) and to ensure we are not all

disappearing to look for the bottle opener just

as we settle down. We then all taste together

and there are strict rules about not having a

quick slurp beforehand! Comments are made

on the depth of colour, the “nose”, the

“bouquet” and the “finish”. As you can no

doubt tell from this, we have learned

something over the past 6 years or so.

However the old adage is true that the best

wine in the world is the one you like best.

Pauline Crawshaw

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD GROUP

Anytime now our small group of cryptic crossword

enthusiasts should be celebrating out first

anniversary. We met for the first time about a year

ago with a tutorial book written by a U3A advisor

and very little knowledge about where to start.

We managed to get through 3 meetings and

about 2.5 chapters of the book when lockdown

struck. We got the idea about how to solve

anagram and hidden word clues before we tried

to master the chapter on split clues and that was

that. We all think we are enjoying it but not sure

how much progress we have actually made. We

have been left to our own devices until now when

gardens, decorating, walking etc occupied us ,

but now when we are looking for alternative

amusements we are finally having a monthly

crossword distributed and plan to meet up via

Zoom to discuss how we have got on. We are a

bunch of novices but have a couple of spaces if

anyone wishes to join us. an expert would be most

welcome!!!

Copyright issues prevent me including an actual

puzzle but you can have a go at the clues below

and find the answers elsewhere in the newsletter.

1. Station making rulers annoyed (5,5)

2. Cabinet maker crossing North Sea (8)

3. Inexorable seller sent out (10)

4. Free – and terribly secure! (6)

5. Left wing eloquence in scientists workplace

(10)

6. Part of a Chinese meal perhaps, one sold out

(7)

7. Top seducer may be taken to court (10)

8. A composer we rang about (6)

GROUPS

Groups sadly, continue to remain closed apart from those that are being run on Zoom. A huge

thankyou to all those Group Leaders who are trying, successfully, to operate Zoom for your

group, and to those for whom it is not practical, but who nevertheless, keep in touch with your

group members. This is so important, especially for those members who live alone, or who may

not have access to Email. The Committee recently rang round those members not on the net

and found that for the most part, our contact was welcome. If people cannot see the monthly

newsletter, or do not receive Retford Life, our ability to communicate with members is very

limited.

So, in wishing you all a peaceful and reflective Christmas time, my thanks to you all.

Brenda Wilson. Groups Co-Ordinator

PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP

MUSIC GROUP



Since March members of the group have

continued to take photos based on the

monthly themes and shared them by email,

with comments. In September four of us met,

socially distanced of course, in Kings Park and

drew up a list of themes for the next twelve

months. The subjects chosen took into

account the limitations placed on us by Covid

restrictions, with some being able to be

photographed at home. October saw a trial

Zoom meeting being held, with a presentation

of images previously shared by email. Sadly

not all members were able to attend, but

those present voted it a success and wished

to continue Zooming. A regular monthly slot

has been booked on the U3A account with

the first meeting being on Thursday,19th

November.

Two images from our November meeting

We just managed to hold our March meeting before lockdown started. For the rest of our

session to July, members who had agreed to present programmes published them. These were

emailed to the others with the hope that they would be able to listen to some of the chosen

music. From the start of our new session in September, copies of the September and October

programmes from previous years were circulated. for the 4th November meeting a programme

to suit the events of the time was offered. which was -

For the USA Election Fanfare for the Common Man - Aaron Copland

For Guy Fawkes Day Music for the Royal Fireworks - Handel

For the lovely autumn colours Autumn from the Four Seasons - Vivaldi

For Remembrance Benedictus from The Armed Man - Karl Jenkins

Hymn to the Fallen - John Williams from Saving Private Ryan

For Lockdown - Three piano pieces from Debbie Wiseman;s album Piano Stories

1) Isolation - theme from The Hide -a film about a bird

watcher on the Suffolk mudflats whose solace is interrupted

by a convict

2) Fields of Hope - theme from TV series The Land Girls - the

hope for future success by producing food in wartime

3) Ray of Sunshine - theme from TV series - Children’s

Hospital - the hope and rays of sunshine given to sick

children and their parents by caring medical staff

For Inspiration Pomp and Circumstance Marches No ’s. 1 & 4 - Edward

Elgar

A few members are interested in trying a zoom and this is being looked into. Can we share and

enjoy music in this way ? We will find out!


CANASTA GROUP

"To all of the Retford Canasta Group, I would like to wish you all a

Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year and I hope to see you

all in the new year. Stay safe"

Best wishes Edwin"


Several groups are successfully utilising Zoom as a way of

continuing their group function and as a way of keeping in touch

with members. However, with guidance and support from our

member Brian Gladstone, yet more may be achieved if desired.

Are there any groups who would consider using Zoom, perhaps in

an innovative way, Singing perhaps, or anyone who would like to

start up a new group, enabled by this method. We may not be

meeting in person for the next few months, but a few new ideas

would be welcome to start the new Year.

I am happy to help where practical, Brian Gladstone is the key player in the ‘how to’

department, and Roy Evans, our chairperson, has the slots on Zoom at his fingertips.

Email me with your thoughts - [email protected]

or telephone for a chat 01427848852

EXPANDING ZOOM - KEEPING IN TOUCH

FRENCH CONVERSATION GROUP

The French Conversation Group is also using Zoom, we are

meeting fortnightly on Tuesday afternoons, the next meetings

to be announced as the last one was 1st December, before

the Idle Times was published. If anyone would like to join us,

please contact me on 01777 709835 or email

[email protected].

The national website is now much improved

and it should be easier to find what you are

looking for - ideas, help and advice. Click on

the banner saying- ‘How to run your u3a:

Covid and beyond.’ If you scroll down below

the current Covid guidance, you will find

boxes with all sorts of helpful articles on such

things as Hybrid groups (face to face &

virtual), setting up Facebook and Zoom or

telephone conferences etc. There is also a

network Link page now, under ‘Support for

U3As’.

Under ‘Events’, you will find there are online

talks and courses, by various institutions and

U3A members.

New learning certainly continues to happen.

Many of us, including me, are learning new

tech skills. I know that some of our members

may be nervous but with help and support

can be enabled to join in! Members may be

tired of only meeting virtually but it is much

better than nothing.

Look at the u3a YouTube channel, which has

all sorts of videos on it including the ‘Life in

Lockdown’, which is worth a watch!

https://www.u3a.org.uk/

or

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheU3a/featured

U3A NATIONAL WEBSITE

mailto:[email protected]


POET’S CORNER

SOLUTION OR REVALUTION

We are sitting in our parlour, it simply is no joke,

We should be in the sitting room but the fire’s begun to smoke.

The chimney sweep has rung to say providing no one’s ill

He’ll come around on Friday, I truly hope he will.

A roaring fire, on colder nights is simply what we crave,

So hope the sweep can sort us out and the log burner behave.

We’ve cut down the long border, not a plant in sight,

The old brick wall that shelters it looks good in Autumn light.

The greenhouse has been cleared of plants, nowhere any weeds,

It looks a bit forlorn just now without it’s flush of seeds.

But Autumn is a softer time when jobs and things get done,

The leaves are stored, the lawns are raked, tools hung up – it’s done.

But what about this lockdown, the country’s on a slope

Unless someone intervenes, the nation will be broke.

Keep shutting down our normal lives is no kind of solution.

I‘m waiting here with baited breath for wholescale revolution.

The queues have started up again, people looking glum

I think in all reality, we all knew it would come.

But Winter’s here this time around, with nothing left to spare

Our tolerance has faded fast replaced by blank despair.

My Christmas cake’s been made awhile, I bought the cards today,

A few small gifts are gathered here, well, what else can I say.

Should I order capon, we won’t have a full house

Instead we’ll have a quiet time, with just us and a mouse.

And so I hope for common sense, a sudden recognition

That one way out of all this mess might be a coalition.

Less of charts and gloomy news to greet us on TV,

Instead some talk we understand and just sheer constancy.

No more U turns, leaks or drama, threats we’ll all be dying

No more waffle, fudge or dodge and certainly, no more lying.

So, gaze out on the Autumn gold, enjoy it’s final glory

And try to see that fairly soon, will come the Christmas story.

No matter how fed up we feel, no matter how downhearted,

Remember this, there’ll come a day when no one will be parted

From loved ones, friends r happiness and gone the wilful strain

For as the Queen said recently, “We will all meet again”

Brenda Wilson November 2020.


POET’S CORNER

Why are we thinking more about loss?

For us it was another night of wading

through the hard waters of grief.

I suggested we take steps to move on.

I said my mind would often stray

into the world beyond, witness remotely

a far greater loss: the weather’s incoherence,

places where fire and water were fighting

back. I would listen to people on the streets

pounding out rhythms to stop the madness,

or screaming about some biblical payback

for years of self-defeating wars with nature.

But then, I would pull back, perhaps open

my notebook to find words to listen out

for nature’s version.

‘We are part of the earth and the earth

is part of us’ said Chief Seattle in

his letter to the President in Washington.

‘Every part of the earth: the shining water

that moves in the streams, every meadow,

every mist that moves in the dark woods,

every humming insect, the perfumed flowers,

and man, all belong to the same family.

What befalls the earth, befalls the sons

and daughters of the earth, for all things

are connected. The earth does not belong

to man. Man belongs to the earth.

Whatever man does, he does to himself.’

These words were written in 1852.

The Government responded by turning

their guns on the native tribes, and taking

away their land. And we were left with stories

about how the West was won.

I pondered on what this all meant, what had

been lost: the cost of whitewashing the truth,

of pushing the earth for more and more,

of stripping out its soul to appease a lightless

world.

But I could go no further.

Though I do remember, the following morning,

moving towards the door, before the darkness

lifted, then looking out to catch an exquisite

crescent moon, pointing to a stately Venus

rising from the east; the two set in a stunning

cobalt canvas, communing like twins, alone,

still holding on to the nascent morning sky.

Nothing else was left. All words, all loss,

and time itself, had gently passed away.

Loss

Andrew Bell.


More - POET’S CORNER

The wonderful Pam Ayres...now 73 years old and

penned her latest ode ~ to coronavirus...

I'm normally a social girl

I love to meet my mates

But lately with the virus here

We can't go out the gates

You see, we are the 'oldies' now

We need to stay inside

If they haven't seen us for a while

They'll think we've upped and died

They'll never know the things we did

Before we got this old

There wasn't any Facebook

So not everything was told

We may seem sweet old ladies

Who would never be uncouth

But we grew up in the 60s -

If you only knew the truth!

There was sex and drugs and rock 'n roll

The pill and miniskirts

We smoked, we drank, we partied

And were quite outrageous flirts

Then we settled down, got married

And turned into someone's mum,

Somebody's wife, then nana,

Who on earth did we become?

We didn't mind the change of pace

Because our lives were full

But to bury us before we're dead

Is like a red rag to a bull!

So here you find me stuck inside

For four weeks, maybe more

I finally found myself again

Then I had to close the door!

It didn’t really bother me

I'd while away the hour

I'd bake for all the family

But I've got no flaming flour!

Now Netflix is just wonderful

I like a gutsy thriller

I'm swooning over Idris

Or some random sexy killer

At least I've got a stash of booze

For when I'm being idle

There's wine and whiskey, even gin

If I'm feeling suicidal!

So let's all drink to lockdown

To recovery and health

And hope this awful virus

Doesn't decimate our wealth

We'll all get through the crisis

And be back to join our mates

Just hoping I'm not far too wide

To fit through the flaming gates!

MARMALADE SPICE CAKE

Ingredients

• 175g/ 6oz butter

• 150g/ 5oz caster sugar

• 2 tbsp golden syrup

• 2 large eggs

• 10 tbsp marmalade (9 to mix in/1 for topping/

decoration)

• 350g/ 12 oz self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• 150ml/ 5fl oz semi-skimmed milk plus 2 tbsp for

icing

• 100g/ 4oz icing sugar

Method

Pre-heat oven to180C/ 350F/ Gas 4. Grease and

line a 900g/ 2lb loaf tin.

Cream butter and sugar together using an electric

whisk until pale and fluffy.

Using the whisk, beat in the eggs, one at a time

and syrup.

Gently mix in 7 tbsp marmalade.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and

nutmeg. Gradually fold into wet

mix, adding milk alternately to make a soft batter.

Place into the prepared tin and bake in the oven

for 55 – 65 minutes.

While cake is cooking, prepare the topping. Slightly

warm remaining 3 tbsp

marmalade to make runny. Mix 2 tbsp milk with

icing sugar to make a smooth

icing.

When the cake is well risen and golden brown and

a skewer comes out clean,

remove from oven to a wire rack.

Drizzle the top with alternate lines of marmalade

and icing. Leave in the tin to

cool for 15 minutes then remove and allow to

completely cool.

Answers

1 Kings Cross

2 Sheraton

3 Relentless

4 Rescue

5 Laboratory

6 Noodles

7 Prosecuted

8 Wagner

Design, Production & Printing - Christine Cook

Contact:- [email protected]

For the foreseeable future I will still be publishing a

monthly or bi monthly newsletter and will

appreciate any articles etc.

Contact me on 01777 870583. Items for inclusion in

the next edition can be sent in any time until things

return to normal!!

Keep safe Christine

NEWSLETTER CONTACT


COMMITTEE NEWS CONTRIBUTIONS

December already !!

As a committee we decided last month to

have a break in December basically as most

of us have been working our socks off this year

trying to make meetings work electronically to

keep in touch with everyone. We now have

about ten groups who meet on a regular basis,

and even those (like me) who are semi

computer literate have managed to get

something out of these meetings.

With the news about vaccines and the glorious

uplands ahead, we as a committee still lean

on the side of caution. We are concerned that

not everybody will take up the option of

having the vaccine, which is your choice of

course. However how will those members who

have had the double vaccine, welcome

meeting up with those of a different opinion in

an enclosed space.

I know a number of now be champing at the

bit to meet upyou will for a walk or cup of tea

etc., but we've waited this long, and the

general feeling is we can wait a bit longer yet.

For those of you wanting to go for a walk with

friends or go for a bike ride, there is absolutely

nothing stopping you, it just wouldn't be a U3A

event. This means that you would be not be

covered by our U3A insurance policy if there

was a third party accident.

Contrary to the National trend, our

membership has stayed at a figure more or less

what we expected it to be. As of this morning

we have 491 members, so well done and

thank you all for staying with us and supporting

our efforts.

As I write this it is snowing, wet snow I'll admit,

but still snow, very festive. Look we've had a

dreadful year, but do try to have a good

Christmas and try to keep a smile on our faces.

I look forward to meeting you in person

sometime next year. Cheers for now, Roy

Earlier in the month a member was checking

their driving licence and realised that it had

expired (Item 4b on front of plastic licence),

and wondered why I had not had a renewal

notice from DVLA. On checking with DVLA I

found that they are applying an 11 month

extension to all licences that have or are due

to expire between March 2020 and Dec 2020.

Useful for members to know.

DWELL ON THESE

It’s weird being the same age as old

people.

When I was a child I wanted to be older…

this is not what I expected.

It’s probably my age that tricks people

into thinking I’m an adult.

Don’t ever sing in the shower! Singing

leads to dancing, dancing leads to

slipping, and slipping leads to paramedics

seeing you naked.

During the middle ages they celebrated

the end of the plague with wine and

orgies. Does anyone know if there is

anything planned when this one ends?

I see people about my age mountain

climbing; I feel good getting my leg

through my underwear without losing my

balance.

We can all agree that in 2015 not a single

person got the answer correct to, ‘Where

do you see yourself 5 years from now?’

I’m at a place in my life where errands

are starting to count as going out.

I don’t always go the extra mile, but when

I do it’s because I missed my exit.

You don’t realize how old you are until

you sit on the floor and then try to get

back up.

Documents

Retford U3A Newsletter NOVEM ER / DE EM ER 2020