Not so Grumpy Old Men

Treize vieux grincheux jouent à la pétanque.

So we assembled with not a beret or Gauloise between us, (well Tony had a Woodbine!) in the early morning mist at Ravenshead Petanque Club ready to learn the finer points of the game we’ve probably all played on the beach.

On the specially prepared gravel terrain were marked out several pistes or lanes. We played in pairs, each player having three boules. The starting player stands in a small cercle, laid on the ground, feet close together. Indeed this is where the game gets its name from pieds tanqués, “feet planted” (on the ground), a name that eventually evolved into the game’s current name, pétanque. The jack or cochonnet is thrown between four and six metres and the thrower then throws their boule attempting to nestle close by. The opposition then have a turn and if they fail to get closer continue to throw their boules until they are nearest. Then the turn changes. When all twelve boules have been thrown the score is agreed and added to the team score. Mènes, or ends continue until one team has scored thirteen points. Time allowed for all of us to play several completed games. Indeed, the success of the visit could be judged by the fact that the last four had to be dragged from the piste, before they went into overtime.

Thanks need to be accorded to the good folks at Ravenshead Petanque Club for making us so welcome and to our organiser and coach Monsieur Christophe le Garnier.

Bob McEwen

Garden Group

The February meeting was a trip to Easton Walled Gardens on a grey, rainy day. Fortunately, the rain stopped as we arrived so we were able to enjoy the lovely grounds in the relative dry.

There was so much colour in the gardens, cerise cyclamen, blue iris, yellow aconites, daffodils, pink and white daphne as well as the multitudes of snowdrops. It was a very fragrant tour as we enjoyed the spring scented blooms. It is a garden well worth a second visit and has extensive grounds to accommodate all visitors as well as two tea rooms! In true u3a fashion.

The March meeting is a talk at the JGC on Pots of Perennials, and we will be taking monies for April’s trip to Lamport Hall at that meeting.

Anne

Litter Picking

January has been rather a soggy month so credit must go to those members of the group who have braved the wet weather and collected a total of 14 bags of rubbish within our area. Not only do the litter pickers get wet but so does the litter which makes it even heavier to carry. Last year 190 bags of rubbish were collected in total by the group.

If anyone has any concerns about litter in a particular area please let us know and we will make every endeavour to deal with it.

Val (Gant)