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Spring 2006 Newsletter Editors: Janet Brown & Martin Shirley Chairman’s Chunterings In my last autumn message I promised to continue the story of the wild rabbit that had taken up residence in the garden. He often allowed us to walk right up to him while he happily chewed away, good rabbit that he was, he restricted his diet to mainly grass. We agreed to continue our permit to let him stay provided he didn’t go courting or dig holes. Well, for the next few months he kept to his promise and appeared occasionally to greet us from the depths of a large escallonia bush. In early December trouble appeared when we had regular sightings of a large dog fox patrolling the field opposite. I am sorry to tell you that since that time Roger the rabbit has not been seen. Perhaps this story is sadly closed. For me also, another story closes. March 2006 marks the end of 3 years as your chairman; or put another way; I have served as chairman for 5 of the last 6 years. When I happily took up this post again in 2003 I had intended to serve for only 2 years, but like others on the committee, I agreed to stay another year to plan and deliver our 10-year celebrations in May last year. I have greatly enjoyed serving in this post, due largely to the support of a quite wonderful committee. I think we are now in a position to claim that the numerous difficulties which faced our U3A during its 10-year development phase are now firmly behind us. At last we can look forward to a period of calm and steady growth. We are financially sound, have a permanent home, and boast 30 healthy groups. Additionally, we have simplified the administration chores and shared responsibilities around the committee - all this makes for an easier life. Throughout our 10 years history, for countless reasons, we have been regularly faced with the need to change committee members - nothing new in that. Since our U3A only survives because members take up the baton as a Committee Member or Group Leader, I earnestly ask you now to consider putting your name forward for the committee for one year only - if we all take a small part in running our U3A we can have every confidence of its long term secure future. It means 8 or 9 meetings in the year and sharing some of the small tasks. Added to which, as you will find, is the fun of contributing and looking behind the scenes. Come on - give it a try! Good luck and best wishes to you all Brian Harper
A SLICE OF AUSSIE CULTUREIn Spring 2005 we went to visit our relatives in Mindarie, north of Perth, Western Australia. Just after we arrived we were informed that the next day we were going on a coach outing to the outback to ‘experience a slice of real Aussie culture’. This turned out to be a festival or gathering called ‘Dog in a Ute’. Not knowing what this could possibly be it was gently explained to us that this was a unique Australian event at which many hundreds of ‘utes’, i.e. utility trucks, would gather together, each with a dog in the back representing true ‘Aussieness’. The aim was to break the record for as many utes and dogs as possible to be gathered in one place, the place being a town called Corrigin, population 1200, 225 kilometres south east of Perth. The object was to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the local community, as well as attracting visitors and raising awareness of the area. We set off from Perth bus station at 8am with a coach full of good-humoured Aussies all ready for a day out. On the way to Corrigin we stopped at York, an old town which had buildings as they were a hundred years ago, in the old Australian style with wide verandahs, including a courthouse and jail. We were glad of the stop because distances in Western Australia are vast and towns few and far between. We then drove through Quairang, a town with a population of only 150 people, some of whom came out to wave at our bus as it passed through. After about 3 and-a-half hours we reached the outskirts of Corrigin and the coach stopped so that we could take photos of the most amazing sight. A large dusty paddock was the assembly area where the utes gathered and the dogs had their final walk and drink before the parade. This was packed with hundreds and hundreds of utes, all shapes, colours and sizes, all lined up, with hordes of people, and dogs some of whom were on leads and most of them barking at each other – the dogs that is! We then drove into Corrigin into the sports field where the parade of utes, complete with a dog in the back, would finish. Our coach driver unloaded chairs and tables and we were served a sit-down picnic lunch as we waited for the parade to start. At about 12.30 the utes started driving into the sports field. In they came, large and small, some flying flags, some were brand spanking new, while others looked as if they were on their last drive. Each had a dog in the back, some mongrels standing up proudly as if they’d done it all before, while others were pedigree animals who looked as amazed as we were by the whole event, and some cheated with toy stuffed dogs. All were counted in. Apparently the record held by Corrigin stood at 1500 plus in 2002, but this had since been challenged by the states of Queensland and Victoria. The festival had first been held in Corrigin in 1998 with 699 entrants, but the event had grown each year, and it was now hoped Corrigin would break its previous record. We were among the first arrivals and although there didn’t seem to be too many spectators, eventually people drifted in and a fairground atmosphere developed with rides and stalls and food stands provided for the participants and spectators. Some of the entrants had driven hundreds of miles so it was fortunate that the weather wasn’t too hot for the canine participants. The utes kept on rolling in all afternoon and were still arriving at 4pm when we had to leave Corrigin to return to Perth, so we didn’t then know whether the record had been broken. However we learnt later that although the total had reached 1325 the record hadn’t been broken, but nevertheless over $60,000 had been raised for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the local community. On the way out of Corrigin our coach stopped at the Dog Cemetery which had little head stones for lost companions. Some of these were quite elaborate, and one was a memorial to two dogs which had died of snakebite. This was a reminder that this really was the outback and dogs play an important part in life out there as working dogs or as companions. Sandra Kibble-White
ANY… EVERY… NO… SOME…
When you read the following remember that without “….body” nothing gets done and offer to be on the committee so that CID will continue to keep us on the ball.“All organisations contain four classes of people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.”
(from the Yeovil U3A newsletter) ETYMOLOGY"Etymology, what’s that?", you might ask. It’s so often confused with entomology, which, I’m sure, is an equally interesting subject - but etymology is the study of the origin of the meaning of words and phrases. For instance, do you know where the
word guvnor comes from? Most of us don’t know the answers to these questions. And that’s why etymology is such a fascinating, enthralling subject. There are so many interesting and riveting facts to learn about the development of our language. With dedicated research into dialect words, clichés, confusables, surnames and much more, we are all kept entertained with gripping examples for each topic. We never cease to be amazed.
If you want more information, contact Don
Macdonald on 01460 64687
BELATED RESOLUTIONS?“Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will some day be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking that I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all – but thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details… give me the wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on aches and pains. They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others’ pains, but help me to endure them with patience. I dare not ask for improved memory, but for growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet; I do want to be a saint… but not one who is hard to live with… for a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people and give me the grace to tell them so.”
(This text generally circulates under the title ‘Prayer of a Sixteenth Century
Nun‘) The next newsletter will be due in June, so may we ask for any contributions (interesting and/or entertaining) to reach either of the Editors by mid May; please contact Martin on 01460 62608 or Janet on 01460 66462. Comments and suggestions for improving the newsletter will be welcome at any time
Well, I’ve done five years on the committee and that is more than enough. I did try to get out in June 2005 but Brian wouldn’t let me. What a change there has been over these six years (2 committee, 1 freedom, 3 committee). My first encounter was with a committee of strangers, having just joined U3A (all Terry Williamson’s fault). It was like landing in something from Alice in Wonderland, wondering what I had got myself in to. It was the first time I had worked with good people who, on the whole, were not from a modern management background. There was a time when I thought the U3A was turning into yet another old age pensioner club, especially when, at Crowshute monthly morning meetings, half the members fell asleep. But good fortune prevailed. We turned the U3A around, put great effort into getting a strong dedicated committee, changed the name to lure more active, stimulating members in and put emphasis on the reason for U3A – keeping those little grey cells working. It is a fact that the more we use our brains the longer we will be able to be self supporting. Having never wanted to be part of U3A if it meant going to social chats I have tried a number of groups that I thought would give me the stimulation and study I so needed. Some of the groups I lasted a few years, giving up to go on to pastures new and making way for newcomers. Others I lasted a few months. There were some I lasted a few sessions, bored to tears, because people had not read the books or done any research or just sat gossiping. Over the six years I have belonged to 10 different groups and now belong to just two. Being national Coordinator for Calligraphy has been hard work, especially running sessions for summer school. But it is worth it as the people I meet are so full of enthusiasm. The summer schools are brilliant for those who really want to try something new or delve into subjects they never dreamed they could tackle. Well worth the price. Shall I miss being so involved in CID? No, I am a great believer in putting energy into the future rather than wallowing in the past. But, I have enjoyed meeting so many lovely people and having such wonderful friends through U3A. Iris Leake
SUMMER SCHOOLS JULY 2006Have you ever thought of going to a U3A Summer School? If not, then perhaps you should read through the list of topics and take the plunge; for further details please contact Iris Leake on 01460 221678. Chester : 11 – 14 July, at University College.Architecture, Calligraphy, Cinema History, Craft, France, Heraldry, Local History Oral History, Philosophy Science, Storytelling, and Writing. Cheltenham : 18 – 21 July, at University of GloucesterArchitecture, Art History, Botany, Heritage, History, Literature, Medicine in Ancient Times, Opera, Philosophy, Russia, and Writing.
DATES FOR MONTHLY MEETINGS, 2006 (at 2pm, Guildhall, Chard)
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