Bexrose Bulletin

Other Committee members:- Mr. R. Jones, Mr. R. Pulling, Mrs. D. Carr, Miss V. Rochester, Mrs. D. Lemon, Mrs. M. Cornell, Mrs. J. Dyer.

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There will be no meeting this month due to Christmas therefore the Committee would like to take this opportunity to wish all our members a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Our January meeting on Tuesday 25th will be our Cheese and Wine and Quiz Night, it has always been very well attended so we hope to see many of you then.

After many years service our Membership Secretary Doreen Taylor has decided to retire as from 31st December 2004. I am sure members will join the Committee in thanking her for all her hard work, especially writing out and sticking stamps on dozens of envelopes each month. Maureen Cornell has agreed to take on this daunting task but until she is up and running will members please send their subs to Secretary Janet Newton (address above). Don't forget your subs are due on 1st January 2005 and we will only accept money for up to 4 years in advance or £2. You may of course pay any multiple of 50p up to that amount but you must use up your credit before you pay again, I hope that is clear, if not please ring the Secretary.

We were sorry to hear of the death of member Mr. F. Harbour, our condolences go to his family.

1. In between the Christmas shopping and festivities, complete the planting of new rose bushes during good weather.

2. 2. Put all those garden tools you've always wanted on your Christmas wish list, and if you don't get them for Christmas consider

It seems to have been a very long Autumn this year so there will still be plenty of leaves to rake up off the lawns and flower beds. Don't leave them on the soil over winter as slugs and snails will bed down in them and have a nice spot to breed next spring. Get them onto the compost heap or bagged up and stored in an unused corner of the garden. You can still spray your fruit trees this month and put sticky bands on the trunks. Cut back your Chrysanthemums after they have finished flowering and dig up your Gladioli corms, clean them off and store them in a dry dark place. You still have time to dig up the Dahlias for storage over winter, but don't forget to empty the stems of moisture first. If you have planted indoor bulbs and they are sprouting well you can now bring them into the light and warmth but don't over water. Now is a good time to tidy up the tool shed or garage, get everything out and sweep it then clean up and grease all your equipment before you put it back, you'll be surprised how much space you have! Sort out your garden canes and cut off all the odd bits of string, throw away all the split or rotted ones. Now you may put your feet up and enjoy the festive season or if you are the restless type you could plan a garden make over for next year.

A raffle was held on the trip to Valkenburg in aid of Prickles, 1st prize was a watch won by Betty Bridges.

Every year on the second weekend in October the residents of Tyler, East Texas celebrate the Texas Rose Festival. The four day event is celebrated with a 2 hour parade of Duchesses and ladies in waiting all dressed in glitzy gowns, together with dancers and floats rather like a Disney Parade. There are cocktail parties, luncheons, dinners and parties for the slightest reason and of course a glittering pageant where 50 girls all aged 19 and from local families parade across the stage in sequinned costumes hoping to be chosen as Rose Queen. To come later are the Queens Tea, a Coronation Ball and the Coronation itself. The Duchesses gowns can cost up to £2,700 each and the Rose Queen had better have a rich Daddy as the weekend can cost the Queens family up to £130,000 but of course the old families of Tyler consider it a great honour to have their daughter chosen as Rose Queen and no expense is spared.

Tyler is a picturesque town with several excellent golf courses and plenty of large stately homes. It is a 100 miles east of Dallas and has around 83,000 residents. The town is the medical and financial centre of East Texas, oil wells abound and there are large timber yards and it was one of the very few towns in America not to suffer in the depression of the 1930s. However it is most famous for its Roses, 20% of all America's roses are grown here. The festival started in 1933 as a showcase for the Tyler Rose industry but like all things the original purpose of the celebration has become a little overshadowed by the carnival atmosphere although the Queen still addresses the annual Summertime Convention of Rose Growers as part of her duties and a girl whose family grows roses is crowned Duchess of the Rose Growers alongside the Queen. The whole town joins in the celebrations and has a wonderful time, one thing the Americans know how to do well!

Secretary Janet would like to thank everyone who sent her get well cards, and kind wishes for a speedy recovery from her recent operation which prevented her from travelling with the group to Valkenburg.

The patient is not very, but making a steady recovery and hopes to see you all at the Cheese and Wine evening. A happy Christmas to you all.

Bill Bossom, who has judged our Summer Shows for many years had to forgo the pleasure this year due to ill health. He informed the Committee that he would be undergoing heart surgery and would be out of action for a little while. The operation was successfully performed in September but Bill was not so co-operative and landed up in intensive care for about 6 days. He now assures our Secretary on her enquiries as to his health that he was progressing slowly but steadily and hopes to be fit and well again for the new growing season. We all hope to see him back to full health and fitness next year and wish both him and his wife a happy Christmas and better health in the new year.

22 months ago Vanessa and Janet looked into the possibility of a spring holiday to Jersey at the request of some of our regulars on the holidays. We have now been able to finalise the holiday but we are only able to take a limited number of people as we can not take our own coach onto the island and their coaches are only 43 seaters due to the narrow winding roads. At the outset names were taken of those who were regulars and were interested in the trip. We would be glad if all those people that Vanessa has told are definitely booked on this trip could pay their deposit of £25 each in January. We are running a waiting list so if any other members are interested we will take your names and type of accommodation required. The holiday is for 5 nights staying at the Royal Hotel St. Hellier, a Best Western Hotel. The cost will be, at present, £360 per person sharing, or £440 per person single occupancy in a twin room. This price includes ferry crossing , coaching on both sides and gratuities. There may be a slight increase at a later date as we are not sure whether the coach company on Jersey will increase their price per day next year. All entrance fees will be extra and you will be advised of these on the holiday itinerary. No E111 or passports are required but you must take out your own travel insurance.

1	We started off all feeling bad, Janet's illness had made us sad, And driver Bob was off the job, One of the mob his passport did rob.	2	And the wait for Mrs. Mac gave grief, For she had gone to Bexleyheath, But driver Gerry did just fine, And got us to the boat on time.
3	Off to Ghent, St. James Church drop off, Free to explore for hour and half, Cathedral proved an ornate place, Trams, canal and shops, more for your case!	4	Getting out of town proved quite a chore! Then off to Valkenburg we bore, Pretty lights and grotto's as we drove around, 'cos the Park Hotel could not be found.
5	Hotel was grand the food supreme, The bedrooms large and very clean, "Well done Vanessa"! we all had said, Before we toddled off to bed.	6	Tuesday dawned with fog then sun, And Maastricht the next place for fun, With Christmas fair, giant Ferris wheel, Real skating rink, and bells did peel.
7	Another route to Valkenburg, Got lost again -- Now how absurd! The Christmas market in limestone cave, Had wondrous gifts-- how could we save?	8	An early start for damp Cologne, The coach went off the route to roam! "Beware pickpockets" Vanessa did plea, "and please be on the coach at three!"
9	The market great, Cathedral fine, Back to the coach became the time, Then titillating all the boys, Was Mrs. Mac and more new toys!	10	Our final meal with sweet Flambé, With bags to pack and bills to pay, Next morning off we go once more Via Brussels to old Blighty's shore.
11	Mince Pies and Sherry on the way, Would seem to make a perfect day, But just when we got to Calais, Fate had some things to cause delay!	12	Port immigration cleared the bus, to check our passports--what a fuss! Margaret overstepped the line, And nearly had a hefty fine!
13	French Fishermen had shut the port, So in a long queue we were caught, Back to the town to spend some time, to have some food and glass of wine.	14	After Alec got trapped in the loo's, returned to the port for more good news, Boat will sail at Eleven Forty Five, While French Red Cross kept us alive!
15	Our thanks to Gerry is overdue, and all the trip Committee too, Vanessa, Jackie, Gordon who took the flack, Brought us out and got us back!

In recent years Vanessa has found that asking members to let her know in advance what items of food they would be prepared to donate to the cheese and wine evening has met with little response, which has meant that on the night there has been an imbalance of variety which she has had to try and guess and there has been unnecessary waste. This year, during the November meeting a box was placed at the back of the hall and members were asked if they would be prepared to make a donation towards the food and Vanessa would be responsible for the catering. There was a good response but we will put the box out again at the January meeting for anyone who has not yet done so but still wishes to make a donation. The Committee has decided that there will only be savoury items on offer, (no getting up a second time for a sweet course) this seems to cause too much disruption as the hall is smaller than our previous venue and makes it difficult for helpers to get round to tables with tea and coffee. Please bring your own drinks and glasses and also nibbles for the table if you wish, tea and coffee will be served to those who wish it. We look forward to seeing you and don't forget to bring a pencil and your brains if you want to join in the quizzes or just come for a chat and a friendly evening.