November 2015 Newsletter The Committee: President: Denise

November 2015 Newsletter
The Committee:
President:
Vice President:
Secretary:
Ex Officio:
Ex Officio:
Denise Bolton-Botterman
Christine Whitelock
Treasurer:
Mike Blower
Ex Officio:
Peter Jackson
Ex Officio:
Len Roper
Ex Officio:
Roger Fell
Gordon Clifford
Margaret Kelly
Lorna Wright
A Message from the President:
Congratulations! Our membership has now reached 703.
It was truly wonderful to see so many of you at the November meeting. The Costa
Blanca Male Voice Choir did a magnificent job, and I can confirm that we have
approached them with a couple of dates in mind for 2016.
This is our first year with the bank machine, and we did invite members to make
good use of it, so we must admit to not having foreseen the queues that would
ensue when so many of you turn up to pay subscriptions at one time. Your
committee have already begun to discuss ways in which to accommodate everyone
more comfortably in the future. Although most of you already know, the
subscription for 2016 is to remain at 6€. Interestingly, a member related how he
recommended friends in UK to join their local U3A, and was astonished to find the
annual subscriptions of two local branches were £47 and £45 per year, with far
fewer activities than Denia.
Our Tenth Anniversary Open Day is to be held on Sunday 24 April 2016. Apart
from Group Activities, we plan to also have Quizzes, Line Dancing, Flamenco, and
Rock and Roll. All Group Leaders are requested to show their support, either in
person or by delegating to Group members, to be rightly proud of what they do.
Some Groups can take an active part, others by a display stand. If you have any
good ideas as to what you would like to see on the Open Day, please let the
committee know. Further details of this fun day will be revealed by the Anniversary
Team in due course. Make a note in your 2016 diaries now. By popular demand,
we will be arranging an Anniversary Ball, probably at the end of September.
Thanks to Ken and Anne Mitchell for offering to restart the Computer Interest
Group. They would also appreciate help from anyone who considers they may have
some expertise. Meetings are on Wednesday mornings from 11 am until 1pm at
Restaurant Ludo, just past the Hotel Port Denia on the Las Rotas Road. Please
email in advance with your particular query to [email protected].
What do you think of the Travel Team Plus flyer? Your Travel Team continues to
work hard to provide quality fun trips, and has a full twelve month of day trips and
away breaks in the pot. Already very busy, the Team is looking for a person or
persons who would enjoy planning theatre and culture visits. Please contact Len on
[email protected] or myself on [email protected]
Thank you for your generous Pink Bucket donations for the kiddies in the Children’s
Home. The November meeting raised 212.30 €. Extiende Tu Mano, also known as
the Soup Kitchen, again received a generous quantity of goods kindly donated by
members, for which they are truly grateful.
With Love, Truth and Joy
Denise Bolton-Bottermann,
President, U3A Denia
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News from the Groups:
Alternative Thinking:
Alternative Thinking has changed venue as our regular venue Paradis is closing for
the winter. The new venue is Ponderosa Restaurant Carrer Rap las Marinas km 2.
The road where Cafe Soles is - other end. Before attending the group meeting
please check venue and time, especially around Christmas and New Year, with
Christine either by email [email protected] or by telephone 626201636
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Art Group:
The Art Group has moved to a new venue, the restaurant El Rincon de Albaranes,
situated just off Las Marinas near to Hotel Oasis. The restaurant has recently been
refurbished and is a lovely light and airy place. Its position close to the beach will
also give us the opportunity for working outside as needed. We are very happy
with our new home, and welcome any new members who would like to join us.
For further information or to join the group please contact Angela
[email protected]
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Fishing Group:
The fishing group continue to enjoy their fishing outings each week. We normally
fish Thursdays ,leaving Pedreguer area at 8.00am. Some of our members meet up
at the bar near the fishing venue about 9.00am for breakfast (English) and discuss
tactics before we get down to the serious business of fishing. The fish we catch are
mainly carp of several varieties. Several methods are used to catch these and we
are always experimenting with different baits etc.
Any members of Dénia U3A are welcome to join us on this lovely day out. Either to
fish or as spectators if they would like to try it. The atmosphere is very casual and
the members in the fishing group are pleased to help new members get started
Regards Derek [email protected]
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Pétanque Group:
All our Pétanque members have been thankful that the weather has improved these
last few weeks enabling them to meet up and play some enjoyable games against
each other in Basettes Park in Dénia.
Each week we have seen some worthy winners pushed to the limits by the
competition of other players in the play offs.
Our congratulations go to them all!
December looks like being a busy month with lots of activities taking place on and
off the pistes and we are all looking forward to getting together for our Christmas
Dinner on December 11th.
Meanwhile there will be more fun and games in the park next
Tuesday at 10.30am and each Tuesday leading up to Christmas.
Ann
Group leader – [email protected]
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Quiz Group:
The quiz masters for the October quiz are 'Gordon’s Gin’.
Menu:
1st Course: EITHER Cream of Potato soup OR Valencian Salad OR Entremeses
Main Course EITHER Roast Lamb OR Scorpion Fish OR Cheese omelette
Postre, Coffee, Bread and Aliolli and 1/2 bottle wine per person
13 Euros per person including quiz prizes
Please let me know your 1st and main course choices by 22nd November latest
To reserve a place or book a team please contact Pam [email protected] as soon
as possible.
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Racketball Group:
It is that time of year again and we head towards the Fourth Annual Dinner and
AGM for RB players and partners. Of course, we will be anticipating the red carpet,
and the usual Celebs vying for the Ticket of the Year in Denia. Probably, they may
or not turn up. (We all remember the time that Angelina Jolie had to babysit their
kids at the last minute). But we will see.
Our Ladies are going for George Clooney this year and we know that he is currently
in Europe, and may be able to stay the extra week to come over. The Gents are
checking `Strictly` every Saturday to hope that Jamelia does not go further than
Blackpool, and will be feeling so down that Denia becomes an appealing option.
As for the venue, we are checking out Quiqui Dacosta, either the Chef or the
Restaurant. We have information that he may be back from his Autumn break with
the Young Saga Group in a Parador in his native Extramadura. If so, he will be
commissioned to cook for us and deliver the victuals and fine wines to our lesscomely Steak House not too far from his prestigious premises.
Disappointingly, the Speeches will be limited in quantity and duration as they could
not keep up last year´s quality, verbosity and basic piffle. As one example, El
Presidente asked of his deputy:
“Ken. Your glass is empty. Would you like another one?”
To which he replied:
“Why would I be needing two glasses?”
But, of course, there will still be the Award of our own “Player of the Year” Trophy,
sponsored by U3A Denia`s “Donate a Trophy Administration and Wonga
Commission”. No expense has been spared to make sure it looks like last year´s
trophy, possibly with a new name on it.
Looking back on the year, we have had a few members that were concerned that
their health and fitness was not up to the gentle rigours of Racketball. One has
confirmed that he went to see the Doctor saying something like:
“I hope the Doctor finds something wrong with me because I´d hate to feel like this
if I was well!”
So they have gone away to find another, less-arduous sport called Padel. (See U3A
Newsletter Diary for dates and times)
So we have half a dozen or so of us playing regularly at the Tenis Club de Denia, on
their one court. This means we play as we wish, gently if necessary, over two shifts
on a Tuesday. Anyone else wanting to have a look and/or a go needs to contact me
and come down. All welcome! Rackets available.
Finally, the Group wish all other members of U3A a Merry Christmas, and a fun New
Year. Life is the only one we have so enjoy it to the full.
Neil Parkin
Group Leader – Racketball
[email protected]
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Rummikub Group:
Twenty five members joined us for our fortnightly Rummikub session at the Peking
Chinese Restaurant in Denia on Tuesday 10 November.
Rummikub is a game made up of coloured and numbered tiles from which you have
to initially make a "meld" of at least three adding up to 30. Once you have
achieved this (and believe me its not always that easy) you can add to other
peoples tiles already on the table with the aim of getting rid of all your tiles. Each
game lasts approximately an hour and the person with the least score is the
winner. Its good fun and very easy to learn (the box tells us its for children aged
7+).
Once we have finished playing we enjoy a very reasonable Chinese meal.
Approximately €7 or less for three courses and half a bottle of wine or a beer.
Sophia, the restaurant owner, and her family always make us very welcome and
they finish our meal off with a free drink.
We meet on the second and fourth Tuesday at 6.30pm, eat around 8 o´clock and
are generally ready to head home by 9.30-10pm. Its great fun and a very good
way to make new friends so if you are interested please either join us on Tuesday
24th November at 6.30pm or email me [email protected]
Travel Group:
"Thanks to all the Travel team" the recent very enjoyable happy U3a away trip
including tickets to the Benidorm Palace dinner show.
Staying at the quality Hotel Deloix which, was situated just a short walk north of
the Palace.
Benidorm was a reasonable walk, but there was a good bus service just outside the
hotel for access to the beach promenade and the old town.
Blessed with good weather. We enjoyed the indoor pool and jacuzzi, but even in
November we did see a bikini clad lady in the outdoor pool!
Always near to hand in Benidorm was a mobility scooter hire shop! great for me at
only €10 per 24hour hire with a breakdown service!
From us all "Well done"
Anne Mitchell
U3A Denia at the Palace
The trip to Benidorm Palace was a great success. A packed coach of happy
travellers left Denia on Thursday morning and arrived at the four star hotel by
lunch time. Having booked into our spacious rooms, we departed individually for
various local establishments for a bite to eat. A shop, a swim or a snooze passed
the time until we donned our dinner outfits for a short walk to the Benidorm
Palace, a gala dinner and show. What a show! A variety of acts with various
themes kept the dancers on their toes changing costumes. Returning to our hotel
in the early hours, we all agreed to having had a great evening with great
company. Friday was free to continue shopping or sightseeing after an exhaustive
buffet breakfast. The sun shone warmly throughout adding to the joy of the trip.
--oo0oo—
Asturias and Cantabria – October 2015:
IOctober 55 U3A Dénia members enjoyed a trip to Cantabria/Asturias. They stayed
in the beautiful old village of Santillanas Del Mar from where they had trips to the
beautiful Picos mountains where they took the cable car to the top and experienced
the wonderful views and completed this by enjoying lunch in the village of Pontes.
The next trip was to the shrine at Covandonga where many of them took a trip to
the inland lakes on the top of the mountain.
One of the main highlights of the trip was to one of the acknowledged most
beautiful natural parks in Europe – Carbarcenon – where animals are kept in the
most natural environment possible and in wonderful surroundings.
The group enjoyed many other trips including Santander and Oviando where most
of the Spanish cider comes from.
All in all a good time was enjoyed by everyone and an experience which they would
like to repeat.
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Tuesday Kitchen recipe:
PINA MALIBU
(SERVES TWO GENEROUSLY)
1 Ripe pineapple, peeled and cut into thick rings, centre core removed. Or use
Mercadona’s ready-prepared pineapple.
10-15g butter
2 tsp soft brown sugar
Zest and juice of a lime (or to taste)
4-5 tbsp Malibu
½ level tsp cornflour to thicken
To serve:
Sprig of mint
Ice cream or Greek yoghurt
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Melt the butter and sugar together in a small pan and add four
tablespoons of Malibu
Bring to the boil (it will thicken slightly) and add the zest and half the lime
juice
Mix the cornflour with a little of the remaining lime juice, stir and allow to
thicken. Taste and add more lime juice and Malibu if required.
Cook the pineapple rings on a high heat in a none stick pan until brown
both sides.
Pour over the sauce and serve with vanilla ice cream or Greek yoghurt.
Heather McDermott
November 2015
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For Sale/Wanted:
4 bar stools. High quality suitable for outdoor use all year. Grey frame black seat.
Large blanket chest full of fabric suiting and dressmaking lengths.
Call Margaret Rivers on 636558373 to arrange to view.
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One STRACTO- FAGOR capsule based coffee machine. This is in excellent working
order and is in a nearly new condition. The machine, comes complete with a set of
4 "Stracto" branded cups and saucers.
Price 30€
Telephone Linda or Graham Powell on 96 642 5500
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For Information:
Culture & Events
Anyone who would enjoy organising theatre trips and trips to cultural exhibitions is
invited to take on this position. Please contact Len Roper
on [email protected] or Denise on [email protected] Thank You.
Trip to Aladdin at Careline Theatre, Alcalali on Sunday 17 January 2016. 20€
Coach pick up points: 6:30 pm Denia Marina Car Park;6:45 pm McDonalds; 7
pm Mas y Mas Ondara.
Please email [email protected] with names of travellers, membership numbers,
telephone numbers (mobile + emergency number), preferred pick up point.
What's On - Charity Events
Christmas Fayre, Hotel Marriott, Saturday 28, Sunday 29 November, 11:00 - 18:00
Christingle, Las Rotas, Friday December 11, 5:30 pm
Montgo Chorale, Christmas Carols, Loreto Church, Javea, PortSunday 13 December
5 pm.
APAD:
APAD the animal shelter in Dénia needs volunteers to walk dogs & help with
puppies. Any amount of time would be valuable tp them. Contact Maggie McNally at
[email protected]
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