Trees in Alexandra Park from Anna Orlowska
The Timetable
You can see a reduced version of the timetable, the latest update and a description of the classes on our website, to see it click here.
Monday Morning Talk
The Monday morning talk this week is ‘Jordan: The Desert Highway’ by Jan Parsons. Jan is the Chairman of Guildford Travel Club, and is an experienced speaker to travel clubs and other groups about her experiences. Recently she travelled to the Middle East, to Palestine and Jordan. On her journeys she seeks out ancient and remote sites away from the tourist trail to discover their history, culture and archaeology.
Next week, Susanne Kord talks about Napoleon Bonaparte in ’The Emperor’s Clothes: Napoleon as a film icon’ Susanne is a Professor at The School of European Languages, Culture and Society at UCL. She has written 11 books and has received six major awards for her writing.
From Naomi
Our second virtual A.G.M. is upon us. It is on Monday, 28 June at 12, noon, on Zoom.
To take part, click on this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84716006446?pwd=aVc3Tyt3RHBnYytqaFlTVTNiY1FXQT09 Meeting ID: 847 1600 6446 Passcode: 043131
If you want to know what actions we are planning, attend our A.G.M. and be involved with what is happening. Please give us about one hour of your time and speak if you feel the need to do so.
I would sincerely like to thank the 114 members who have entrusted me with their proxy votes.
I am looking forward to welcoming you on Monday.
Best wishes from Naomi.
Class News
Optimistically, we are planning a return to the Town Hall this September. If it doesn’t happen, our plans will have to be shelved, but plan we must! I have written to all our coordinators and their replies are so positive. Most of them are looking forward to returning, with varying conditions, ranging from hybrid versions to Zoom or not to Zoom. The choice is theirs! One or two, for personal reasons have decided that they cannot continue to take a class and we already have had some volunteers to take over. However, we are still looking for people willing to take the Mah Jong class on Wednesdays and the Theatre Discussion Group on Mondays. Please let me know if you would be willing to volunteer for either of these.
For the Fans of Wally Howard
His talks this week are- a reflection, the conclusion of the Zingara Case in the miscarriages of justice series and a short introduction to a cause célèbre which was also a miscarriage of justice. The links are in the timetable.
And from Wally himself:
Ann Stewart died on June 6th. She was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of our film classes and was always very solicitous if any member was having health problems or had suffered a bereavement. You will remember her visiting the office frequently to try to get agreement for more comfortable chairs. I thought you might like to mention her in the weekly newsletter. I propose to hold a special film day in her memory when we get back to the Town Hall. She will truly be missed.
Kind Regards, Wally.
From Susan Woodford
I am the coordinator of Writing Creatively and have put a collection of my stories written in 2020 on Amazon Kindle under the title of Squeaky Clean and Other Stories (price £2.99)
From Maggie Wain
Our U3A in London writing group, Write Your Memoirs, has gone international! The weekly meetings on Zoom have offered a semblance of normality to its twelve members during the pandemic. Ellen Morgan was inspired to join the group in 2011 after attending a similar group in New York to which her sister, Nancy Eder belongs. The exchange and sharing of writings between members of the two groups had sparked an inaugural Zoom meeting, “Writing Across the Pond” in October 2020, which proved such a success that it was repeated last week.
For two and a half hours, Zoom brought together twenty four people. Quite a feat for participants ranging in age from their sixties to 97! Six volunteers from each group read pieces as diverse as: Poetry on Ageing; Reflections on life during the Pandemic; Arriving as a seven year old on the Kindertransport; Racism and Civil Rights in post-War America; and Seven Year Snapshots of Life, à la the famous Seven-Up UK television series.
The oldest participant in the New York group, 97-year old Rebecca Rikleen, summed up the experience:
“For me this was as stimulating as a trip to England: personalities, voices, attitudes, styles, stories and perspectives. It was thrilling. I can see a future of international clubs, study groups, shared associations, broader platforms, greater friendships.I am glad I have lived long enough to experience this. Noble prize! Distinct from Nobel.”
More Masterpieces from Maureen Betts and the Thursday Art Group
From Shirley, Rosa and Manny
To make you smile
The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words, and the winners are:
- Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.
- Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
- Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.
- Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.
- Lymph, v To walk with a lisp.
- Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavoured mouthwash.
- Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.
- Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.
- Testicle, n. A humorous question on an exam.
- Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddish remarks.
- Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
12. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.
From Maurice Silverman
‘PHILGLAS & SWIGGOT’
I have this morning seen the above name on the side of a white van and thought it very odd for a business. I then noticed in smaller letters below: ‘wine merchants’. Perhaps our members will find this as amusing as I do. I have now checked. They have a shop in New Quebec Street!!
Best Wishes from the Team
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Naomi
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Gilli
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Herbie
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Amalia
