Can it be that this is the first Newsletter since our awards Meeting and AGM last May? I fear it is and for that apologies. I don't like people making excuses so I will not burden members with mine! I'll just get on with this letter to beat the Christmas post.

49 members gathered to enjoy delightful food, games and the raffle and, of course the presentations. Our thanks to those who worked so hard to make the occasion the success that it always is. We could have done with more members to share our enjoyment.

The awards were:

Purley; Christopher Henke.

Gick: Kate Whiffing and Andrew Longland.

Otters: Jean Gilder.

Atkinson: Monica Edwards and Bob Rendall.

Life membership: Margaret Creed.

A new award was kindly donated by Gordon Quennell in memory of his wife, Joy, and presented by him to Monica Edwards for her services to the Club over many years.

Congratulations to all of them but even more, thanks for what they bring to our Saturday swim.

(Monica has since toppled - not tippled - over and broken her ankle. We miss her presence at the Desk very much and hope she will soon be back among us).

The Garden Party was held at the home of our late president Admiral Gick at the kind invitation of his son, Alan, our new president, on 11^th August. The afternoon turned out to be wet, but the rain didn't come until the boat had made two trips round the harbour for those who had been looking forward to a sail. We were very pleased to be allowed to use rooms on the ground floor of the house with Alan's help. I had previously met the tenants and assured them that no orgies or binge drinking would take place! The next day Alan phoned me to say that they returned after a day out to find the place 'immaculate'! Thank you to everyone who helped to ensure that it was 'even tidier and cleaner than when we arrived', to quote them.

The weather did not spoil the day overmuch but it was disappointing that attendance was small, especially as smallholders and the tea persons had done so much work.

Our next event is the Christmas Party on 14^th December at Fordwater School beginning at 6.30 PM., after swimming. Please make a very special effort to be there and to bring relatives and friends. Tickets will be available from the Desk with lists inviting you to say what refreshments you can provide. Your help is requested - but even more we want you to be there!

My gratitude, as always, to Bob, for editing the copy for printing and for producing it.

Chichester Community Transport will start its service around the middle of November. What is Chichester Community Transport? I hear you say!

It is a door - to - door Dial a Ride service for people with temporary or permanent disabilities. This includes sensory impairment, learning difficulties and mental health problems.

Where does it go? Anywhere in Chichester and the twelve surrounding parishes of Appledram, Boxgrove, Fishbourne, Funtington, Hunston, Lavant, North Mundham, Oving, Tangmere, and Westhampnett. The two minibuses are wheel chair accessible and driven by fully trained staff.

The service will run from 9.30 am - 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday. The fare will be £1.00 per journey. The service will work in conjunction with Chichester and Havant Shopmobility allowing passengers easy access to facilities in Chichester City Centre.

If you are interested to find out more about the service and how it works, ring Margrith Hose on 01243 527204.

(Our committee thanks Margrith for acting on our behalf in this matter).

On the western reach of the Rother.

The sluggish river crawled through the shadows

Cast through lazy trees.

A sudden breeze

And through the dappled sunlight

A golden flash of lilies

Dancing the frogseat pads shining bright

Tiny fish nibbled the waving weed

Bowing to the current in happy deed.

Yellow flash of a wagtail dart, tail swishing in delight,

Perched upon a twig to hide from sight.

Little concern for us that we could see

She was free

To fly the river banks, to feed on wing, on gnats in ranks;

A dash - a fly - to go beneath the bridge's arch below

A summer song, a gentle time to know.

On our way until another day

Perhaps the thought of a river's play

And other folk who might just pass this way.

And still the sluggish river flowed

All unhurried below the dusty road.

Gaze the distant valley.

Blue shadows drift the leafy trees

The spinney dips and sways in the gentle summer breeze

Sun beats warm and high,

Line of distant Down cuts long, green,

Into the summer sky

A drowsy, sleepy time.

Pigeon crakes aflight from tree to tree

Going nowhere, just to be ....

Dream on, tomorrow is another day.

Perhaps, just perhaps, summer is come to stay.

Walk the park, the view to take,

Over the lake.

Songs unsung, dark blue of distant hills, a run

To attract the eyes.

What is the heavy pole used in the Highland Games?

What musical term means 'loud'?

What is the surname of the English authors Kingsley and Martin?

Who is the Greek god of love?

What is the capital of Bangladesh?

What is a wild rose bush or other prickly shrub called?

What is the centre of a wheel called?

Who is colloquially called a 'twitcher'?

In which country did the Incas live?

What is the largest living bird?

What is a simple counting frame called?

Who is Hale's comic partner?

Lufthansa is an airline of which country?

Who wrote the book Gulliver's Travels?

Answers are given on the last page.

Our granddaughter, Kaitlin, at a party said, 'My grannies and granddad are over from England'.

Her friend Mary said; 'What do they look like?'

Kaitlin replied; 'My granny has grey hair, and my granddad has hair too - but you can see his head'.

Our granddaughter whom some of you met swimming, was talking about her visit to England and said that I was not fair! Her mother questioned her anxiously. She replied that one morning she came downstairs with me and then said she would go and ask my wife, Gwynneth, if she might watch TV while eating her breakfast. Hoping to let her sleep a little longer I told Rhiannon that there was no need to bother anyone else. I was in charge. 'He isn't', she said indignantly, 'we all know that Gwynneth is'! And Rhiannon had only been with us for a few days!

Beware Fairy godmothers when they are bearing gifts1

One asked a sixty year old couple who had been married forty years what they would like as a special gift. The wife said she would like a round the world cruise with her husband. He said, 'I'd like to wake up next to a woman thirty years younger than I am. When he woke up in the morning his wife was lying at his side, but he was ninety years old!

Anon. (From the internet.)

In March Shirley and I were invited out to the Grand Cayman Island in the West Indies. We were very lucky as a friend of Shirley went over there to work, she being a midwife and her husband a psychiatric nursing officer.

We left Gatwick and had a nine hour flight to Miami, we then had a four hour wait for a local flight to Grand Cayman.

Our friends had a lovely house at a place called Spotts Bay on the southern side of the Island approx. three miles from Georgetown the capital. Looking out of their patio windows the sea was about fifteen meters away, as was a swimming pool to the side of house. (Needless to say we swam at least once a day in each).

We visited a lot of places including Georgetown where the large Cruise Liners came in every day, mainly filled with Americans who wore huge great T shirts and shorts.

We wondered why the T-shirts were so large until we saw the customers. The town itself was very interesting being the banking Island for that part of the world, we have never seen so many banks.

The highlight of the ten days we were there, was to go snorkeling and swimming with Stingrays, it's the only place this can be done in the world. You go out in a boat about three miles off shore, the water there is about four feet deep, you can then walk around and Stingrays start to nudge you, and want to play with you. If you tickle them underneath they love it and will stay around you, they are also looking for food which all boats have on board. It was a marvelous experience and we would love to do it again one day.

Another day we borrowed our friends cycles and rode around the shore having a swim whenever we felt like it. There are some very picturesque bays all round the Island, (twenty-two miles long and seven wide), we have a lot of photos of these bays and really we had only seen these on the T V and postcards before.

We visited a place called Hell, this was a small hamlet right in the center of the island, it was a real tourist place and the shop assistants had devils costumes on. Outside it was all volcanic rock and they had put effigies of the devil on some rocks for entertainment. We should have bought T shirts saying, "We have been to Hell and back".

Another evening we went to our friends sons school to see "Fiddler on the Roof". This was an excellent production and enjoyed by all.

Most of the time we were there, either Marion or Phil were not on shift so they took us all over the place to see all the sites that, if you went over on your own, you would not see or even know they were there, the house of the first settler, and the original Cayman houses.

On our last full day there, Phil took us to Rum Point a very upmarket place where it costs £4 for a third of a liter of beer , this was mainly rich Americans with exotic boats tied up on a small pier. On going around you can really see how the rich live, and Parrots fly around like pigeons do over here. At this place you can wade out in warm water in a straight line about 3/4 of a mile with colourful fish around your legs.

Grand Cayman is not all that expensive (we don't know about accommodation). In general I would say that it is a bit more expensive than at home, but if you look around and use street cafes etc and avoid Hotels, even the beer is not to bad if you use ordinary pubs.

In conclusion we would say it was a holiday of a lifetime thanks to Marion & Phil and hopefully we will be able to repay them when they come over here on holiday.

• Beds will be placed in the aisles for people who say "Sunday is my only day to have a long lie-in"
• Eye lotion will be provided for those who watched TV too late on Saturday night.
• We will have "Hard Hats" for those who say "the roof will cave in if ever I come to Church".
• Electric blankets will be provided for those who say "the church is too cold" and small portable fans for those who think it's too hot.
• Hearing aids will be supplied to those who find "the Vicar speaks too softly and cotton wool for those who say his voice is too loud.
• Score cards will be provided for those who wish to list all the hypocrites present.
• TV dinners will be given away free in the foyer for those who cannot cook and worship on the same day.
• One aisle will be filled with trees and grass for those who like to see God in the world around them.
• Special pews will be provided with alternate videos to be played during the sermon for those "who can't stand the vicar"
• No collections will be taken at these services for those who argue that the "Church only wants your money" and finally,
• the church will be decked out with Christmas decorations and Easter lilies for those who have never seen the church without them.

Above taken from a "Cotswold "area Church Magazine.

Caber; forte; Canada; Amis; Eros; Dacca; dog rose or briar; hub; bird watcher; Peru; ostrich; abacus; Pace; Germany; Jonathan Swift.