Chers Amis
We were all
sad to have had our visit to the gardens at Shirley postponed until 27
November but the threat of heavy rain, soggy grounds and cold temperatures
in late October were enough for the Committee to make a good and timely
decision. The event is now fully subscribed and there is even a waiting list in
case of cancellations, so we would like to send a special thanks to our hosts
Sally-Anne and John for offering this rare opportunity for our members to enjoy
a day of picnic and pétanque in one of the most outstanding gardens of this
region.
Before I
leave the topic of upcoming events I should remind you that we are having our
first post-Covid (?) French Film Night at Club Sapphire on Tuesday, 17
November. Details and a short synopsis of the film appear later in this
edition.
Also in this
edition is the first of a series of Camino articles written by Wal and Sylvie
about their own experiences of the trail. These should whet the appetite of
those of us rugged enough to manage weeks (or even months) of trudging through
bucolic European landscapes searching for enlightenment, or just enjoying a
good walk. I look forward to sharing their reminiscences.
Finally, I
would like to send a big thanks to Sylvie for her French conversation group. We
are now in a regular rhythm of attending Wednesday meetings at her home and
enjoying a late morning coffee and cakes. Somehow or other Sylvie invariably
selects topics which provoke lively discussion and stretch our knowledge of
French vocab, grammar and syntax. Every now and then we lapse into a type of
franglais to get us through the hard bits (or until Sylvie comes to the rescue)
but it’s always entertaining and a valuable learning process for us all.
Meilleurs
voeux,
Rob McCombie
