Haddenham & District Rotary Club

District 1090    R.I.B.I. Club No. 1654

It's not that often that the editor of this page gets to write the Blog, but I do this week and I am delighted to report that in the Archery Competition held at the Whiteleaf Bowman ground near Naphill on Monday evening, I finished second to another Rotarian, Alan Dichler I think his name was, who received personal coaching throughout the evening from a Whiteleaf Bowman member.  I didn't. Still, I'm not bitter.  As Keith Smith reminded me in the pub restaurant after the 'shoot' - "We're all losers in this Club Brian, so don't feel left out!"
In fact the whole evening was very enjoyable, save for a slight north easterly which meant most of the outer coats remained on throughout.  It was good to see Pam Pitcher there, having been told by her ever reliable husband that it was a partners evening.  But payback time was never far away and when Pam showed most others there, (me and that Dichler person excepted), how to shoot an arrow from her bow and hit the centre of the target, not once but three times, her husband and all of his chums became most contrite.
Ken Elphick organised another successful jaunt and when we retired to The Rose and Crown for a supper and libation, he chose a wonderful rabbit stew and an excellent 'clear' beer, whilst I chose the toad in the hole which kept me awake most of the night and a pint of cloudy beer with bits in it.  Still, I'm not bitter!
Thank you to the members of the Whiteleaf Bowmen Archery Club, they were very helpful and charming hosts.
The image below is of one of MY arrows in the centre of the target.  The other image is of a delighted Pam Pitcher, that's Pam Pitcher - the wife of Mike Pitcher, remember him?

Rotarian Brian Holt

Change was the theme of my first blog.  Guess what?  Change is the theme of my second blog. No change there then!

Now, if Alan Ayckbourn can write in the past, present and future, all at the same time, as well as going backwards and forwards in time, so can I.  Confused? So was I on Saturday.  But more of that in the future.

So let’s start at the end of Monday evening.  Alan Dichler presented the Grumpling Trophy to Brian Holt, alias Gerry Stratton, for reminding us that live entertainment still existed.  Alan, where have you been these past 943 Monday nights?  (Gerry Stratton? For those who missed Saturday night at the theatre, all was revealed at the beginning of the evening but I’ll leave that to the end.)  Blog writer's  prerogative!

The guest speaker was Marilyn Yurdan. An author and historian on all matters Oxfordshire.  And guess what?  Her subject was change!  The changing face of Thame.  It’s also the name of one of her many books on past and present Oxfordshire.  Her talk was full of detail and fascination to those who know and love Thame, especially its characters.  Thame, for a small English Market town, has much to blog about.  The widest market street in England.  The largest one day agricultural show in England.  The largest number of pubs per head of population in England.  A new town built nearly a thousand years before MK was even thought about.  I’d happily listen to Marilyn again, next time with photos, please. I got geographically lost somewhere in Priestend.

Marilyn Yurdan, one of    Thame's greatest historians

And now at the end it is time for the beginning.  The members of our Club are multi-talented and multi-skilled but I would never have listed “theatre critics” in the list.  However, after an enjoyable evening at the theatre on Saturday night the plaudits rang out loud for a masterful performance by Brian Holt, playing himself – sorry, Gerry Stratton, in Alan Ayckbourn’s “Time of my life”. The play was written for Brian, but as always Ayckbourn had the last laugh. The ending was a “short speech” for Mr Stratton. What frustration for Brian, what relief for the audience. Well done, Thame Players. 
Oh, and well done, Brian.