Chers Amis
What a year it has been so far; and things don’t look like
getting much better very quickly. We have an energetic and imaginative
committee full of ideas for new projects for 2020 but the Covid 19 restrictions
have prevented us from enjoying even our usual activities of watching movies,
enjoying restauranting and tasting French wines. A major casualty this year
will be our annual Bastille Day celebrations and depending on how things are
progressing in September, we may even have to postpone our AGM. The only bright
spots on the calendar have been our well patronised pétanque games which have
been fully subscribed and have even had waiting lists. If you need a fix of
Alliance Francaise camaraderie contact Mike Warren and put your name down for a
game; there won’t be a BBQ but there will still be a socially-distanced morning
tea.
As always, it’s an ill wind which blows no good and one
great benefit of the Covid lockdown to me and other cycling enthusiasts in our
region has been a significant reduction in the number of cars on the road who
are trying to murder me every time I go out for a ride. Oh to live in France or
the Netherlands where motorists are more thoughtful about sharing the road with
other road users!
Last month I spoke about people, including myself, who had
travel plans this year. I’m happy to let you know that the airline I booked
with has provided me with a cost-free option to re-book any time until the end
of calendar year 2021, as has the cruise company which was going to take us for
a trip around the Baltic Sea. As an extra bonus, my travel insurer has
contacted me and asked if I wanted a refund of my premiums. I hope that all of
you who were planning to travel overseas have had similarly happy outcomes.
Meilleurs voeux
Rob McCombie
