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Stop Press - Next All Day Date Announced
Stop Press - Next All Day Date AnnouncedDiaries out - the next not to be missed ABC All Day Bridge is on Thursday 16th September.

Please book early: you can phone Jeannette Pamplin on 01953 851506, see her at the Club or send an email to m.pamplin@btinternet.com


Home-made lemon meringue pie has been mentioned. I'll say no more.

Gala Quiz
Gala Quiz
We don't just do bridge you know. How about this for extreme fun?

ABC is organising a Gala Quiz Night for all comers on Saturday 2nd October and everyone is welcome. In fact we are planning to set the record for the biggest quiz ever held at the Costessey Centre. (Alright, it's only been open since May, but you know what we mean).

There will be teams of up to eight so start recruiting now and thinking who knows their books, politics, soaps, pop music etc.


Bring your office along, or your reading group, or your golfing mates or your Girls' Night Out and show us what you can do. Or, if you'd love to have a go but can't field your own team, just contact our Find A Team organiser Jan Wells - janettewells@live.co.uk or call her on 01603 485691 and she will soon sort you out.
Twitchers spot rare Cyprus bird at ABC
Twitchers spot rare Cyprus bird at ABC
Ex-pat Norfolk girl Sue Birchall paid two visits to Afternoon Bridge Club on both Wednesday and Thursday afternoons on her whistle-stop visit from her new home in Cyprus.

Sue, who emigrated last year with her husband Arthur, was thrilled to catch up with many of her old bridge cronies.

"I think ABC is brilliant and the venue is lovely," she said. "I'm delighted to see it doing so well and that so many of the good local bridge players are members."

Sue stayed in Norfolk with her old friend Sue Hutchings and a good time was had by all - especially those who turned up at ABC on Thursday after a liberal pub lunch - as illustrated by the photo, L-R, of Deborah Rabbidge, Sue Birchall and Sue Hutchings.

Sue admitted that life and bridge just aren't the same in Cyprus - though she's now found a club in Paphos and is playing a bit more. "I miss you all!" she said.

Sue was due to return to Cyprus next day and we've just had an update to say that she was accompanied by Lena Taylor and Sue Hutchings, who have just returned from almost a week in the sun.

The stop press news was that when they stopped off at the cattery en route home from the airport to pick up Sue's sealpoint Ragdoll cats Jake and Jo she couldn't resist giving a home to an enchanting motherless ginger and white kitten . So now there are three.

The pussy cats are still struggling to learn their Bridge conventions but, according to Lena, so far they haven't got beyond being Dummy. So Lena, Sue B and Sue H had to pass the time swanning about, sitting in the sun and eating and drinking too much. Shame ....
Jeannette is our Cake Queen
Jeannette is our Cake Queen

Here is Jeannette just about to cut the fabulous fruit cake which we all enjoyed on our first visit to Costessey.

How does she do it? So fruity. So moist. So irrisistable. We so need another excuse to celebrate so we can get her to bake another one! Who knows? Perhaps there's one coming up.


Recent Updates
Bridge Lessons
26th August 2010
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26th August 2010
Robbie's Reviews
25th August 2010
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20th August 2010
All Day Fun, Food and Jolly Good Bridge
All Day Fun, Food and Jolly Good Bridge
A fantastic success - and the food was to die for, according to Paddy Seligman pictured with Andrea Middleton, Hilary Austin and Pat Worner enjoying their lunch at the ABC All Day Bridge on 17th June.

"When's the next one?" Hilary wanted to know. (In the autumn, Hilary, date to be announced, just be patient).

Andrea praised the lovely friendly atmosphere: "Wonderful day, wonderful people", and Pat just said: "Well done."

The problem, as Jan Wells pointed out, was resisting the temptation to over-indulge. "It required iron self-discipline," she said. "Fortunately I have it, as I'm a bridge player."

Her partner Eileen Townsend didn't comment, but the expression on her face said it all.

There were 14 tables and the event gave our catering queen Jeannette Pamplin an opportunity to try out the Costessey Centre's brand new catering facilities. Not bad, was the verdict. But of course if she'd specified the ovens ..... that's bridge players for you.

Click on this page to view more pictures of the All Day Bridge.

Robbie feels he's had a lucky escape - in more ways than one!
Robbie feels he's had a lucky escape - in more ways than one!
Robbie was both shocked by today's bidding sequence and relieved that his opponents had not heard the advice he had about a similar hand.

If you miss the obvious 3NT, which everyone else makes with overtricks, better gamble on the minor suit slam. You might make it and get a top.

Fortunately that did not occur to his opponents on this occasion who played the hand in 5
with an overtrick which scored lower than No Trumps - much to Robbie's relief.

Robbie is currently in the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital doing extraordinarily well after minor surgical unpleasantness. His message, via his wife Freda, was: "Tell Jane I'm in rude health." Can't imagine what he meant.

Freda said she was surprised at how fit he looked when she visited. "He said he wasn't in much pain. At his age I thought he might be a poor old thing - but you can't keep a good man down."

Everyone at ABC wishes Robbie a swift recovery and that he will soon be back at the bridge table where he belongs. You'll be pleased to hear that we thought to extract two Robbie's Reviews in advance to cover the period of his absence.

So click here as usual to read all about that minor slam which was made but hadn't been bid .....

Hello and Welcome to the Costessey Centre
Hello and Welcome to the Costessey Centre

It's plush, it's new, it's gorgeous, we love it and we are now happily installed in our new home.

ABC held its first two sessions at the Costessey Centre on Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th May and we can't believe how lovely and luxurious it is.

"The seats are wonderful," said Lena Taylor. "I didn't even need my back support. It's plush, new, bright, spacious - and will be perfect for the All Day."

And Deborah Rabbidge loved the break-out area - with red and green sofas. "It's perfect for enjoying a cup of tea when sitting out," she said.

The brand new furniture is even red and green - bridge colours, no doubt intended as a compliment to the Costessey Centre's favourite new tenants.

Affiliations

The Afternoon Bridge Club is affiliated to the EBU and the NCBA (Norfolk Contract Bridge Association).

Click for the latest results
Click for the Members Only section
Have You Got News for Me?
Have You Got News for Me?
There's always plenty happening at Afternoon Bridge Club and, as Webmaster, I am poised and ready to tell the world all about it. If you have any bridge or other news, events, pictures, or achievements to report, just let me know. Right-hand click to email.

       Jane Scarfe
Bank Holiday Monday Event
Bank Holiday Monday Event

Many thanks to the club members who rallied to the cause to support ABC's stand at the Costessey Centre inaugural fete on Bank Holiday Monday.

We put up a gazebo and ran two tables virtually all afternoon introducing eager punters to bridge and MiniBridge. Deborah Rabbidge was kept busy talking to potential students for her bridge lessons, starting in September.

ABC shared a stage with every Costessey community group on the planet, ranging from Scouts to flower arrangers to people selling plants, marmalade and chutney. We were exceptionally grateful to the Scouts mums who helped us o put up the gazebo and the lovely ladies from Costessey Day Centre who served up gallons of tea, bridge rolls and scrumptious home made cakes at reasonable cost.

The event was mobbed, a great time was had by all and the rain even stopped, it warmed up and the sun came out. Click here to view all the pictures of the event on the Picasa website:

A huge thank you to all the ABC committee and members who came along, chatted to visitors, joined in the play, advised on bidding and helped to turn the event into a fantastic promotion and PR event for the club. They included Robert Cooper, Jane Scarfe, Neil Tracey, Christine Buchanan, Sue Hutchings, Hazel Tindall, Celia Arnoldi, Melvyn and Jeannette Pamplin and John King - and humble apologies to anyone who's been overlooked. 

Charity event is smash hit
Charity event is smash hit

Suzanne Gill had a smash hit with her Strawberries and Bubbly event at Neatishead New Victory Hall on Tuesday 15th June in aid of the Rotary Club of Broadlands. She achieved 25 tables and looks to have raised £2000, mainly for East Anglian Children's Hospices (Quidenham) and an organisation called Shelter Boxes which supplies disaster aid overseas. The boxes contain survival equipment ranging from tent to water carriers to help a family of six survive for six months.

The event ticket price and raffle are due to be supplemented by match funding from Barclays Bank.

The tea, lovingly prepared and donated by the WI, was absolutely fabulous.

NCBA Forthcoming Events and Summer Programme

Peter and Margaret Smith want us all to know about what Norfolk County Bridge Association has planned for the next few months, ranging from Newcomers' Swiss Pairs to the Norfolk Championship Pairs or Hudson Cup.

It's all on the NCBA website - www.bridgewebs.com/norfolk. For further information give Peter and Margaret a call on 01953 483759 or email them on peter@rockland17.plus.com   or margaret@rockland17.plus.com 

      

Results
2nd September 2010
Club Pairs
Scorer: Melvyn Pamplin
1st September 2010
Club Pairs
Scorer: Melvyn Pamplin
26th August 2010
Club Pairs 1
Scorer: John Copson
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