Salisbury and District U3A  
NEWSLETTER

Newsletter No. 48 December 2003
From the Chairman
I am aware of only one occasion on which I have had a personal contact with genius. I was seeking to inspire my students with examples of exceptional designs of structures and had come across an unusual high level footbridge over the River Wear in Durham. To my surprise it turned out to be a favourite of its designer Ove Arup and I was invited to meet him. I was able to ask my first simple question which was answered rapidly, easily and comprehensively. By the time I had taken it in, Ove had moved on through two more topics, and I sat back and listened in awe to his thinking aloud for the next 30 minutes. As I left in something of a daze, I felt that I had experienced the stimulus of a great mind and realised how important in the art of communication are enthusiasm and the choice of topic.
These two qualities are perhaps the essentials for a speaker and any teacher who has faced the 2 o'clock class on a wet Friday afternoon would have little difficulty in agreeing. I remember giving a talk to a local society on a technical topic and I was approached afterwards by one of the audience. She said, with some emphasis, 'Thank you for your talk, it could have been very boring'. I felt that perhaps I had passed on enthusiasm but failed utterly on choice of topic.
We are very fortunate that we welcome many Speakers who possess both qualities, and give us excellent talks on a wide variety of well-chosen topics. They put much thought and effort into what they do and give us a great deal of their valuable time. I am very glad to take this opportunity of expressing our gratitude to them.
A few of our recent Speakers came from our own membership, and their presentations were especially welcome. I am sure that there are many others amongst us who have particular interests or experiences that could be shared with us at one of our Monthly Meetings. I should be most pleased to hear of offers from members themselves or from friends of members who are prepared to shop them to me!
-----John Illston-----


From the Secretary
Legal Notice of AGM plus AGM Agenda - please see below.
Languages on the web site - please see Information on the Notice Board .
Christmas Dinner 17 December 2003. Book with Cyril Gordon
Advance Notice of U3A Summer Schools 2004 at Cheltenham. Tuesday 20th to Friday 23rd July 2004 and Tuesday 27th to Friday 30th July 2004 Full details available in November.

Of interest? - For older adults, it really is better to give than to receive. A study finds that older people who are helpful to others reduce their risk of dying by nearly 60% compared to peers who provide neither practical help nor emotional support. (Secretary's note - We still die of course).
Technical Support - beware the Swen virus, a computer worm which is turning out to be a bigger problem than expected. Swen uses a cleverly executed e-mail message that masquerades as an important e-mail from Microsoft, graphics and all, offering the latest version of a security update. Microsoft never send e-mails to anybody about anything, unless asked, and unsolicited messages which appear to come from the company should always be deleted immediately. See http://slinkcom.com/slink?211991 for more. Note - http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/tools.list.html is a repository of Symantec virus removal tools you can download. Happy hunting!

Committee matters
Members' attention is drawn to the following important matters concerning the future composition of your Committee.
At the Annual General Meeting in March we need to elect two new members to replace Hylda James and Dorette Sloan who are standing down after their term of office and under the constitution are not eligible for nomination.
In addition, our Treasurer Dennis Callaway has tendered his resignation Therefore, if you know anybody who will offer themselves for this key role, then please inform the Chairman or the Secretary as soon as possible.

We are looking for a Vice-Chairman (new post) who ideally will become Chairman in the year 2005 when John Illston completes his term of office. So please consider carefully someone for this very responsible position and let the Chairman or Secretary know his/her name.
In the same vein we are looking for a new person as Group Co-ordinator to work alongside Mary Smith next year, 2004, to take over from Mary when she completes her term of office in the year 2005.
Formal nominations for the posts of Treasurer, and Vice-Chairman, and for Members of the Committee must be made in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days before the date of the AGM which will be held on March 3rd, 2004.

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2004
Notice is hereby given that the AGM of the Salisbury and District U3A will take place in the Methodist Church Hall, St Edmunds Church Street, Salisbury on 3 March 2004 at 10.30am
Signed: Neville Jennings, Secretary.

Agenda
1.        Apologies
2.        Minutes of the AGM held on 5 March 2003
3.        Matters Arising
4.         Treasurer's Report
5.        Annual Report
6.        Election of Officers and Members of the Committee
7.        Appointment of Independent Examiner.
8.        Any Other Business


From Valerie Ekins
I would like to introduce myself as the incoming Membership Secretary. I thank Hylda James for her kindness and help while I was introduced to the task. I have been surprised to receive many enquiries concerning membership - our membership of 500 is full - therefore prospective members join a waiting list until January.
It is gratifying to learn how U3A has expanded, there being two other U3As in the Salisbury area. I feel privileged to belong and enjoy a very active organisation.
I hope I am able to help with anyone's membership enquiries in the future.


Speakers for Monthly Meetings
Monthly meetings are normally held on the first Wednesday of the month in the Methodist Church Hall, St Edmunds Church Street, Salisbury. Coffee is served from 10.0am, business starts at 10.30 and the Guest Speaker is introduced at about 10.45.
December 3rd Rachel Seager-Smith Recent Local Discoveries, including bronze-age finds from Amesbury.

January 7th Jeffery Ashenden The Houses of the Close.
February 4th Alan Corkhill Beyond the Footlights.
March 3rd Chris Dixon My enjoyable Time at the Centre of U3A (following the AGM)
April 7th Roy Dixon St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
May 5th

Group Leaders' Presentation of Activities Old and New.
June 2nd Geoff Layton
       
       .

U3A Information File
This is to remind members that a file containing information about U3A is to be found in the Salisbury Reference Library shelved with Prospectuses of Higher Education under the heading '370 EDUCATION'. The file has a copy of the current Newsletter and programme and the latest Third Age News. It also contains recent issues of Sources, sections on Spire and Sarum U3As, together with a copy of the Salisbury U3A New Constitution. If you want to place information in this file or have any questions about it, please contact Joan New (336848). Salisbury U3A's website is www.salisburyu3a.org.uk





Planned Outings
December Wednesday 10th
London. 		The last outing in 2003 will be to the Hayward Gallery for the exhibition 'Saved' - treasures bought by the National Art Collections Fund over the last 100 years or a day in London as you choose. Coach will leave London at 4.30pm. Coach 8.15am Tesco's Southampton Rd. 8.30am Coach Station Castle St. Cost £8.50 coach only + £6 for the exhibition. A few seats still available.
January Wednesday 14th Milestones. To start the year a nostalgic look back at 'Milestones' Hampshire's Living History Museum at Basingstoke, this is also home to major transport collections - Taskers, Thorneycroft and the AA. Refreshments are available, leave Basingstoke at 3.30pm. Coach 10am. Tesco's Southampton Rd. 10.15am. Coach Station Castle St. Cost £10 Booking now open.
February Wednesday 11th Salisbury Playhouse
An opportunity to see behind the scenes at Salisbury Playhouse with AIan Corkill following his talk at the February General Meeting 10.30am. Salisbury Playhouse for coffee and biscuits, followed by the tour. Cost £2.50. Booking now open.
February Thursday 26th Watermill Newbury Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim at the Watermill Newbury. Directed by John Doyle, a spectacular actor/musician version. Coach 12.30pm. Tesco's Southampton Rd. 12.40pm Coach Station Castle St. Cost £17. Booking now open.
March Tuesday 30th Mayflower Southampton Madam Butterfly. Welsh National Opera's production at the Mayflower Southampton. Coach 5.50pm. Coach Station Castle St. 6.00pm. Tesco's Southampton Rd. Cost £23.50. Booking from January General Meeting.
Dates to note

April Thursday 29th Legal London Tour. Booking from February.
May Tuesday 11th Cardiff for the National Museum & Gallery, a free day in Cardiff or the Museum of Welsh Life at St. Fagans. Booking from March.
June Tuesday 8th. Mayflower Southampton La Traviata at the Mayflower. Booking from April.


Please make all cheques payable to Salisbury U3A Outings Group.
-----Rosemary Nicholls -----

Walking Group
Welcome to the Spring Walks.
January 8th Mockbegger-South Gorley GR 150095, Old Beams car park. Park at the church end. Lunch at pub if required. Meet 9.15 start 9.45. 6 miles fairly easy going. Leader Joan
January 22nd Berwick St James Stapleford Druids Head. Park at Boot Inn Berwick. GR 072393. Please can some people eat at pub. Walk 6 miles, shorter if bad weather. Meet 9.15 start 9.45 Leader Maggie.
February 12 Old Wardour-New Wardour castles. Snowdrop walk  GR 938264 (Old Wardour) Walk 4 miles. Meet 9.15 Start 10.00 Leader Kay.
February 26 West Down, Chilbolton Common, Wherwell From Salisbury Stockbridge Andover Rd. - over rail bridge then 10 yds to car park. Pub available, possibly the Mayfly overlooking the Test. GR 393930. Meet 9.15 start 10.00 Walk 5 miles Leader Alan.
March 11 Pentridge and Bockerley Ditch GR 033178. Park on the green by Pentridge church. 5 miles. Meet 9.15 start 9.45 Leader Graham.
March 25 Spring walk Dinton-Compton Chamberlayne Park at the Wyndham Arms Dinton. GR 014316 Meet 9.15 start 9.45 End of term lunch. Leader Rex.


All walks meet at Dorset Road unless you are going to the start.
Dates of Summer Walks. April 29, May 13, May 27, June 10, June 24 and July 8. -----Anne Bull-----

Mini Walks
Third Thursdays
December 18th Stoford-Wilton Bus walk. Park at Wilton Shopping Village. Bus no.2 at 9.26am to Stoford (walk back).
January 15th Old Wardour Castle. Park at Castle car park GR 938265
February 19th Martin Down Nature Reserve car park off A354 GR 037201
March 18th Berwick St James Park near Guide Hut B3083 GR 071389
All walks start at 10.00am and are between 3 and 4 miles. Stout shoes or boots are necessary and please bring a drink.
-----Sheila and Peter Brown-----

Family History Group
The Family History Group will continue to meet on alternate Fridays in the New Year. The Meetings will begin at 10.15am and will be held at 8 Shakespeare Road, Stratford-sub-Castle. Every third meeting will be 'Informal' which means that anyone interested in Family History is welcome to come and discuss their problems and consult my collection of reference books over a cup of coffee.
December 5th   Informal
December 19th The IGI - a useful source of information    
January 9th   The Family Records Centre - what can be found there
January 23rd   Informal
February 6th   County Record Offices - storehouses of local history
February 20th
Recording, Family Trees - ways of storing information
March 5th
Informal
March 19th   Wills - where to find them, and what they tell us
April 2nd   The National Archive/Public Record Office - the Nation's history
The Family Record Centre
I have arranged a visit to the Family Record Centre, Myddleton Street, London EC1, on Thursday, February 12th, to leave Castle Street Coach Station, Salisbury at 7.45am and to return about 5.30pm, (arriving back after 7.30pm). There will be space on the coach for anyone who would like to spend the day in London. A visit to the FRC will enable you to obtain Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates and to consult the 1841-1901 Censuses. Please let me know if you would like to go as soon as possible.
Play Reading (not Shakespeare)
The Play reading Group will continue to meet on alternate Wednesday mornings (not the first in the month) at 8 Shakespeare Road, Stratford-sub-Castle, at 10.15am. Dates after Christmas will be as follows: January 14th, 28th, February 11th, 25th, March 10th, 24th, April 14th.
-----Chris Dickson-----

Combined U3A Christmas Dinner
On Wednesday 17th December the Combined U3A Christmas Dinner will be held at the Salisbury Golf Club 7.30 for 8.00pm.
-----Cyril Gordon-----

Sunday Lunches
The popularity of Sunday lunches is steadily growing. The lunches are held on the first Sunday after the Wednesday General Meeting (the Coffee Morning to some). A list is on the notice board at the General Meeting with details or telephone me.
------Sheila Tupping-------

From the Treasurer
I would like to remind members that annual subscriptions become due on 1st January 2004. The subscription rate is £9 per person as last year.
Please complete and return the Membership Renewal Form enclosed with this Newsletter and send it with your cheque for £9.00 to me, Dennis J. Callaway at 27 Berkshire Road, Harnham, Salisbury SP2 8NY. Cheques should be made payable to Salisbury & District U3A. Would you please send your renewal form as soon after 1st January 2004 as possible. Please also enclose a stamped addressed envelope for the return of your new Membership Card and receipt. Subscriptions received without a stamped addressed envelope will not be posted, they will be available to collect at a Monthly General Meeting. Please remember to give your Christian Name or Forename. Provision has been made on the form for two names, where two members live at the same address.
New membership cards will be issued starting shortly after 1st January and cheques will not be banked until after that date.
Would current members please note that as there are a number of people on the waiting list to join Salisbury & District U3A, subscriptions should reach me by 7th February 2004 at the latest. After this date it will be assumed that you no longer wish to be a member and those on the waiting list will be offered the opportunity to fill any vacancies which may arise. Please remember that for administrative reasons our numbers are limited to 500.

Group Co-ordinator's Report
Many thanks to all members, and especially to Tutors, for helping to make the 2003-2004 allocations to courses run much more smoothly. Asking the tutors to deal with any changes in their groups has taken a big load from us; we only had six phone calls, and several of those were from people who thought they had been put on the wrong course. They had checked their allocations against last year's timetable.
About half the courses were full or oversubscribed, which meant that more members were disappointed than last year. We are sorry about that, but we cannot create more places; several Tutors have very kindly offered to run extra courses for those on their waiting lists, which is much appreciated.
The list of vacant places is available in the City Library and on the notice board. Anyone who finds they have some free time to take up another interest may find something that they hadn't thought about before.
Before long we shall be contacting all tutors past, present, and potential future, about next year's programme. This would be a good time for anyone interested in taking over the Course Organiser's job in 2005 to start 'shadowing' us. It is our last year in the job, so the matter is now becoming urgent if Salisbury U3A is to continue from 2006 onwards. Please phone or write to us if you are interested. We promise not to twist any arms!
Throughout this piece I have referred to 'Course Organiser', 'Tutors' and 'Courses'. These terms are now considered politically incorrect, and henceforth will be replaced by Group Co-ordinator, Group Leaders and Groups. I will try to remember.
Happy Christmas to you all, and to those who are starting or continuing their special interests in the New Year, happy learning.
-----Mary Smith-----

U3A Handbell Ringers
On Saturday 18th. October, Salisbury became the centre for the SouthWest Region of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain (HRGB) Society. Salisbury U3A is a registered team and offered to host an event popular with the society called Ringing Round The Region. This involves inviting teams from the SW to come for an afternoon's massed ringing from musical scores provided by the SW headquarters, interspersed with solos from each team. The host team arranges a suitable hall and provides tea/coffee and biscuits at appropriate times during the event with something more substantial toward the end of the day.
For the 18th October we hired the St Michea1's Church hall at Bemerton Heath - a good sized hall with ample free parking for the visitors' cars and trailers (bells, tables with 4 or 5 inches of foam covering, music stands and all the other paraphernalia bellringers require). Sixteen teams arrived with a total of 95 ringers with an estimated 400 bells, 25 bellplates and 25 bellchimes, some from as far away as Okehampton and Minehead and, closer to home, Mere, Dorchester, Great Bedwin, Urchfont, and Sherfield English, to name just a few and, of course, The Bell(e)tones from the Methodist Church. They were all greeted with tea and coffee provided by our ladies whilst the teams were setting up their tables.
The ringing commenced at 2.0pm, directed by Robert Willis, a visiting HRGB conductor, and continued until 4.45pm with a short break midway for tea and biscuits. Pre-ordered fish and chips were then delivered by the Yorkshire Fisheries (many people had a long way to go home!) and, after another hour of ringing, farewells were said at 6.30pm..
Our team worked very hard, and played very well to make this a successful and enjoyable day and the visitors dispersed with new tunes ringing in their ears and a determination to play even better at their next outing.
-----Tom Coombes-----

U3A Summer School at Cheltenham
We were greeted without delay by staff in the car park, guided to Reception, shown to our rooms and bidden to welcome drinks beside the modern statues and paintings. Welcome is the keynote to this; such very pleasant people, many of them severely disabled, all clearly labelled with name and course. This simplifies conversation at meals immediately. The meals, I may say, were most generous with considerable choice. O, the bliss of no planning, cooking or washing up! Is it possible that only the most agreeable members of an organization go on courses or does new company improve us? Whichever it is, the effect is wonderfully cheering.
In adult classes how sorry we should feel for those brave tutors who find their group contains an extrovert student bent on setting the rest straight, or others who nervously suspect their innocent-seeming flock of concealing a Doc.Phil. modestly disguising her expertise. For example, in the Modern Literature group would a retiring Lithuanian be an obvious choice for an authority on James Joyce? At coffee time the group had a battered look suitable to those just driven over by Finnegans Wake.
Because the inside of a week is not long, and Time Wasted is not to be thought of, my calligraphy group was dealt a schedule to make one blench. However our instructor was patience personified. Even when Ron managed to throw his foolproof unspillable waterproof black inkpot over himself, his table, the floor and several sheets of paper, there was a brief silence before she said in measured tones 'You go and wash yourself, Ron, and I will clear it up' An admirable woman - (an infant teacher, perhaps?).
Meanwhile the opera group played Wagner, the embroiderers made little jewelled squares suggesting the sea, the architects visited Bath, the historians went to Gloucester Cathedral, while the gardeners admired the superb displays of shrubs and flowers round Cheltenham. Other delights were talked about. Genetics with Phyll Babb was one. If only we could. experience them all. But there was more in store. That evening a string quartet played Haydn, Bartok and an enlivening medley. In the bar on the following night was an uproariously enthusiastic jazz band of U3A vintage. At first their trumpets and saxophones were received with complete English calm until the strains of rock and roll proved too much and great aunts and grandfathers took the floor where they wiggled and gyrated and spun giddily. It was such infectious enjoyment that the chairbound waved and waggled and clapped. It is not possible to praise too highly the organization of this summer school. Such care and hard work and attention to detail is rarely met commercially. Even in torrential rain on the last day, kindly young students with golf umbrellas fetched our luggage, loaded it into vehicles, and came back soaked to do the same for the passengers. If it is possible I recommend it heartily for next year. Let us all go!
-----Elizabeth Tindall-----

Theatre Discussion Group
This Group had its first meeting on 3 October to discuss the then current production at the Playhouse of 'The Hired Man' by Melvyn Bragg and Howard Goodall.
There was a healthy variety of opinion about the merits of the plot, the script, the music and the staging, which augured well for future meetings.
The majority had enjoyed it very much, though there was criticism of various aspects. Several actors played two parts, and the acting was generally good, though there was unanimous condemnation of the over-acting of the part of the 'silly ass' young officer.
Some found the music very moving, particularly in the emotional scenes in the trenches and in the mine. The singing was very well rehearsed and much praised. It was thought that a touch more lightness would have improved things and made more contrast, though there were one or two small but effective moments. One U3A member who had failed in the ballot for a place in the group sent in a comprehensive and pertinent criticism based on notes she had taken at a performance and at Melvyn Bragg's talk. This made us all realize that we would have to concentrate harder next time to remember each character, and to back up our reactions with examples and, when possible, to study the work of professional critics.
Quartermaine's Terms in November.
-----Christina Maude-----

Editor: If you have started up a new group recently why not send me a short report.

Caring and Sharing
An elderly couple walk hand-in-hand into a fast food restaurant one cold winter evening.
They look out of place amid the young families and young couples eating there that night. Some of the customers look admiringly at them. 'There's a couple who have been through a lot together, probably for 70 years or more!', one of the onlookers comments to his friends.
Meanwhile the little old man walks up to the cash register, places his order with no hesitation and pays for their meal.
The couple take a table near the back wall and start taking food off of the tray. There is one hamburger, one order of chips and one drink. The little old man unwraps the plain hamburger and carefully cuts it in half, placing one half in front of his wife. Then he carefully counts out the chips, divides them in two piles and neatly places one pile in front of his wife.
He then takes a sip of the drink and his wife does likewise, setting the cup down between them.
As the man begins to eat his few bites of hamburger the crowd of youngsters begin to feel sorry for the couple. 'That poor old couple. All they can afford is one meal for the two of them,' one of them remarks.
Finally, as the man tucks into his pile of chips, one young man from the group approaches the old couple's table and politely offers to buy them another meal.
'We're just fine', replies the old man. 'We're used to sharing everything.'
Satisfied, the young man returns to his table but when one of his friends remarks: 'But look, the old lady hasn't even taken a bite. She's just sat there watching her husband eat and occasionally taking turns sipping the drink.'
So once more the young man goes over and this time he begs them to let him buy them something to eat.
'No, we're fine, honestly. We're used to sharing everything,' says the old lady as the little old man finishes eating and she wipes his face neatly with a serviette.
The young man can stand it no longer and after being politely refused again he finally plucks up the courage to confront the old lady.
'Excuse me madam, but why aren't you eating? You said that you share everything, but you haven't touched any of your food? What is it, that you are waiting for?'
She answered... 'The teeth.'
-----Sent in by Brenda Denby-----

Water in Idiom
A flawed plan will hold no water; a plan that is exposed might be dead in the water, or risks being blown out of the water; whereas a plan that will stand close scrutiny is watertight - unless someone pours cold water over it. (And even if they do, it might just be water off a duck's back). To carry water to the river is like taking coals to Newcastle, and while you can lead a horse to water, you can't make it drink. If you have muddied the water you might seek to pour oil over troubled waters; a true friend will seek always to be a bridge over troubled water. If you fail to keep your head above water, you may find yourself in hot water or deep water (not forgetting, of course, that still waters run deep). You may not take to a backwater like a duck to water - indeed you may feel like a fish out of water. However, since much water will have flowed under the bridge it is advisable simply to tread water and avoid the temptation to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Remember always that blood is thicker than water, come hell or high water.
from Scott's Food and Drink Miscellany by Ben Schott - an extract printed in the Daily Telegraph.

From Ann Harries
Our Editor has asked for 'unusual menus'. I cannot help in that respect but suggest that the following 'diet' might prove of interest.
My Great-great-great-Uncle, George Back, was a young naval officer who accompanied Sir John Franklin on three of his Arctic expeditions and, later, led two of his own. The second Franklin expedition set out in 1819, journeyed through Canada by canoe or on foot to the Arctic Ocean, turned East in an attempt to find the North West Passage but facing starvation turned South in August 1821 to over-winter at their Fort near Yellowknife in central Canada.
At first they had some dried caribou meat and when that ran out, a small amount of pemmican (described as 'a mixture of fat and meat dried and pounded, with melted grease poured upon it; nourishing but unpalatable and in summer often mouldy or rancid').
When this was finished by mid-September they searched for the rotting carcases of wild animals, cooking the bones and eating the skin. For vegetarian food they scraped 'tripe de roche' off the rocks (a lichen which tastes like a mixture of old spinach and gelatinous sea-weed combined with grit - I know, I followed their route last year and tried some! !).
Many days passed with no sustenance at all; Franklin ate his old moccasins and Back his leggings. As members of the party fell by the wayside and froze to death it was realised that one Canadian guide was still in sufficiently good health to hunt. Once or twice he brought in meat he described as 'wolf'. But suspicions and observations proved that he has kept himself alive on the corpses of his dead companions, perhaps even killing some of them himself.
He then murdered one of the officers and was in his turn shot. Only the intervention of friendly Indians saved the lives of the remaining party, who may, unwittingly have eaten human flesh.
On his return to England Back was invited to the Palace: King William IV introduced him to Queen Adelaide - 'My dear, this is the man who had to eat his trousers!'
Ed. Thanks to Mrs Ann Harries (she of the elderly pre-war car).

Christmas Comes...........
On Christmas Eve our house was still, prepared and shining bright,
The decorated tree stood proudly, every bulb alight.
And parcels, wrapped and labelled, all around the tub were spread
The kids, expecting Santa Claus, had early gone to bed.
Hark the herald angels sing
Tomorrow Christmas Day will bring.
Morning dawned so very early and the noise was shocking
As trumpets, whistles, pipes and drums were found in every stocking.
They played them all around the house and up and down the stair.
So I got up to join the fun and in their pleasure share.
While shepherds watched their flocks by night Why are children such a blight?
The table groaned with festive fare, I'd spent a morning cooking.
A turkey steamed, the pudding blazed, mince pies were tasty looking
But they'd all spent the morning eating sweets and chocolate
They nibbled, pouted, pushed aside each overloaded plate.
Once in Royal David's city
Sue's been sick, oh what a pity.
We started opening presents then and joy was swiftly muted,
The gifts were not what they desired, not one of them was suited
And Sally's carefully chosen doll across the room did hurtle
She wanted, yes you've guessed it - a mutant Ninja turtle.
O come, O come Emmanuel
Why is Christmas Day such hell?
'Let's play some table games' I said 'Ludo? Tiddley winks?'
But Peter's look said clearly 'You know the idea stinks'.
So I replaced the boxes among the presents mêlée
While they lay down upon the floor and closely watched the telly
Angels from the realms of glory
Every year the same old story.
They had some tea, then brightened up, and soon were all a-prancing
round the kitchen, hallway, lounge, shouting, singing, dancing.
'It's nearly time for bed' I called 'Let's have a bit of quiet'
Then Adam pulled young Sally's hair and promptly caused a riot.
It came upon a midnight clear
Ten o'clock and they're still here.
At last I got them off to bed, our Sally still loud crying
Adam sulking, Peter surly, all I said defying
and Sue was very sick again in bowl that I'd put handy
I said 'goodnight', went down, reached out and started on the brandy.
Good King Wencelaus looked out
Is this what Christmas is about?
-----Margaret Wilson-----
Still going strong!
The following joined Salisbury and District U3A at, or very near, its beginning in 1987 and are still members today!
Winifred Atkins, Diana Barlow, Fred Barlow, Rosemary Blackstocks, Pat Chivers, Muriel Crisp, Kathleen Dent, Alison Francis, Nora Hill, Naomi Munday, Mary Pye-Smith, Christine Richardson, Dot Todd, Rebecca Trustram, Unity Waring, Joy Warman and Tom Warman.

Request
Joan New has a friend who is building a wall from 1 litre Copella fruit juice bottles (it's true!). She needs a lot. If you have any empties which you could save for her Joan would be happy to collect them at a monthly meeting

Thank you
A note from Bob Pearce, our member who kindly organises the distribution of the Newsletter:
'I would like to express a big Thank You and a Merry Christmas to all the members who help towards the distributing of the Newsletters through the year'.

From the Editor
Some of you may have read in my last Newsletter (also my first) about the clever chef who made a banquet out of very limited materials.
It is food again but here's a new one for you to try out at Christmas - I'm sure that, like the Prince Regent in 1815, you will enjoy eating it. It was devised by the 'first celebrity chef' Antonin Careme. He was born in 1783 and eventually cooked for Napoleon and many royal houses. This particular recipe is called Nesselrode Pudding after a Russian minister who was visiting Paris.
'Take 40 chestnuts and blanch in boiling water. Pound them, add a few spoonfuls of syrup and then press through a sieve. Mix with a pint of syrup made from one pound of sugar clarified with a stick of vanilla and place in a bowl with a pint of thick cream and twelve fresh eggs. Set this over a gentle heat and stirring constantly, take off just before it boils. Pass through a sieve again. Once cold add a glass of maraschino brandy and let it set overnight over ice. The next day add an ounce of candied lemon peel and two ounces of currants that have all been soaked overnight in maraschino brandy. Then, mix and add another plateful of whipped cream. Add three egg whites stiffly beaten. Set in a mould and place on ice.'
Sounds pretty straightforward to me (if you do have nervous breakdown in the middle I suggest you have a glass of that maraschino brandy).
I trust, if you make this pudding, you will send a helping to the Editor.
If you have a cough, apparently - according to Careme himself - the following soup is a remarkable cure.
'Take 12 snails and 4 dozen frogs thighs. Sweat them over a low fire. Pound them and reboil them with two pints of water, adding the whites of 4 leeks, six small turnips cut into pieces, and 2 spoonfuls of pearl barley. Skim the broth and reduce by one third. Pass through sieve and serve hot'
Let me know if it works.
Recipes taken from a new book by Ian Kelly 'Cooking for Kings' a biography with some recipes.

Editor's Policy
I should like to continue with the 'Ivan Policy' that is, to encourage members to contribute to the Newsletter. We have a few contributions this time but I would like to see more please.
As I am sure you appreciate I need to have them in good time, about a month before the Newsletter comes out. Poems, serious comments, light hearted or whatever. If you would like to attend a course about a subject you are interested in, but is not on the current list, do let me know because we can then explore to find out whether other members would like something similar.
So all contributions to me, James Mogford.