Despite threatening clouds 6 members appeared on the pitch this morning rarin’ to go.  Though it stayed cloudy there were several warm sunny periods to enjoy. 

Dividing into two teams of three (A and B) with A team pitching first and finished the end with the first point.    Team B retaliated strongly claiming 4 points and then 3 points on the following two ends before A team scored its next point.   

The next four ends saw some tense moments with a lot of jockeying for the leading position but still B team managed to win them all with a total of 5 more points.  Not despondent, A team then scored a 3 followed by a 1 which promised some hope but it was not to be as B team scored that all- important last point to win the game 6 - 13, so congratulations to them.    It was so enjoyable that there were murmurs for another game in a fortnight so if the skies look promising why not join us at 10.30 am on 13th November on the  pitch behind the library.

The weather stayed bright and dry throughout the game and I hope most of us were home before the heavens opened drenching the whole of the town and beyond. 

Ken. 

 A chilly but sunny morning greeted us for petanque today but still nearly a dozen of us met  together for another hour of absolute pleasure.

5 men in one team against a 6 member ladies’ team (I know that’s not in the rules but……) and the gents kicked off.  Everyone seemed to be on form and on target so that the advantage alternated almost with each boule pitched.    So tantalisingly close each time that the ladies only managed to score one point on that first end.  It was difficult at times to determine which boule was the nearest to the target ball.

The gents worked hard over the next two ends but only managed one point in each.    However, on the 4th end they scored 6!

Not despondent, the ladies won 2 over the next two ends but the men roared back with a 3 and then a 2 thus giving them the required 13 points to win the match. 

Another happy morning and we’re all looking forward to our next scheduled game (the last of the season) on the 30th October at 10.30am on the pitch behind the library-again, weather permitting. 

See you there.              Ken.

 Having had my wrists slapped -twice - over last week’s report I need to apologise to the Ladies’ team  for not giving them the credit of winning the short match and not the Gents. Sorry Ladies BUT its only a game!!!

I’ll try to get it right this time.    Rather than pitch ladies against gents it was decided to divide into mixed teams of 4 each, A and B.  A kicked off the first end but lost by one point which they equalised on the second.    Only one point to each alternately until the end of end five when A was leading by three ends to two.    It goes to show how close we managed to be near the cochon.    Over the next four ends B team roared ahead gaining a further 8 points and then A team regained one.  The last four ends saw As win 1 point and Bs 3 making the final scores 5 to 13 in favour of the latter.

It was a brilliant game with boules being nudged away alternately from a good position time and time again with a few surprises.    A real “bite your nails” situation.    We’ll done everyone

Join us again on the 16th October at 10.15am on the pitch behind the library.      It’s fun. 

Ken

 I called an ad hoc game of petanque only last Friday and an amazing 14 members turned up this morning.    Too many for 2 teams so we put in an imaginary line through the middle of the pitch and divided ourselves into 4 teams - 2  x  3 persons and 2  x  4.

The 3 person teams became Ladies and Gents and the 4 member teams were Ladies and Mixed. 

Too much happening to report on an end by end basis but the 3 member Gents were the winners of the first game reaching 14 points -v- the Ladies’ 3 points.    Because it was over quite quickly we went on to play a shorter game of 7 points which the Gents again won 7-3.   

The concurrent game was soundly won by the Ladies’ team with 13 points to 6, but no time to start another.

  Who cares who wins?    The object of the morning was to have fun and a bit of a laugh and we certainly achieved that.   

We’re back on track next Monday at 10.30am on the pitch behind the library.  Join us then and fortnightly thereafter until the end of October.   

Ken. 

 Subject: Sun stopped play

A short report for today’s session. 

An excellent turn-out for boules this morning and we quickly determined our teams (A and B).  One team led from the beginning and the least said about the final score, the better.  Suffice to say that it was all over in about 20 minutes

Time, indeed, for a second game so, staying in the same teams, we were soon off.    Scoring was slow gaining one point or two alternately.    However, the sun was becoming stronger and hotter and a quick decision was made to limit the game to 5 points to find a winner and some shade.    There was a lot of rivalry and some very close measuring but eventually Team B came out on top.  Well done!

We were pleased to welcome a new player who promised to come again so come and join us all in two weeks time on the 18th September at 10.30am on the pitch behind the library.    We don’t play too seriously but always for laughs.    Ken

 Touch and go this morning.  Will the rain hold off?    With 5 people arriving by 10.30am we decided to give it a go and the first end went to the ladies by one point. 

Three more members joined in just as we could feel a few spots of the wet stuff, which developed into a spattering  but, after a short shelter under trees and umbrellas, we continued and the gents scored 4 on each of the next two ends, by which time the sun was bright again.     

The ladies retaliated by gaining two more points followed by the gents 1, then ladies 2, gents 3 and then 1 each which gave the gents the all important 13 points to win  outright,

(Who said 13 is unlucky?).  It takes more than a few drops of rain to stop Totton u3a from enjoying themselves!

There were some amazing shots - by luck or judgment - which caused some gasps and laughs, as appropriate, and an hour passed all too quickly. 

Join us in a fortnight at the same time on the pitch behind the library for a further fun and friendly morning.      Ken.

PS.  I’ll just add a reminder that anyone who fancies a short walk this Friday, 28th, meet at 10am at Matley car park which is about a mile from Lyndhurst on the road that passes Bolton’s Bench.

 It was a quartet of ladies and of gents in rivalry on the boules pitch this morning.    Ladies kicked off scoring 1 on the first end followed by the gents with a  2 and the former replying with a further 1.    All square at 4 each.

The ladies retaliated by scoring a magnificent 4 points on the next end which put them in high spirits which came crashing down as the gents equalised.    Gents then gained a further point plus, unbelievably, a 6 to finish the game at 13 points to 6 in their favour.

All over in 3/4 hour but we had an enjoyable time.    Join us again in a fortnight (24th) at 10.30am on the pitch behind the library.

Our next u3a general meeting is this coming Thursday at 2pm so see you all there, I hope.

Ken