Month: August 2025
A Waiter in Paris by Edward Chrisholm
OFF THE SHELF
“A Waiter in Paris ” by Edward Chrisholm
As a young unemployed and disillusioned graduate, Chrisholm is invited to move with his then girlfriend to Paris. He is determined to learn French and to do this he seeks employment in a well-known and elite restaurant at the edge of the Seine.
His unflinching and brutally honest descriptions of life as a lowly employee, first as a runner and then the slow, often gruelling pathway to becoming an accepted member of the team as a waiter. He describes the dark underbelly of the restaurant business and the cutthroat hierarchy that keeps everybody in their place. Chrisholm captivates the disparity between the glamorous dining experience of the guests and the often-harrowing experience of the workers, from immigrant migrants desperate to eke out a living to the scheming coworkers who aim to get the best tips by any means possible.
Chrisholm’s observations move through the year it takes to get ‘some-way’ to acceptance (never fully), charts the breakup of his relationship and what it feels like to live hand to mouth in the beautiful city of Paris. This is an insightful book that will make you appreciate the waiters who work in these busy restaurants.
As a group we gave this an 8 out of 10.
Tina Alwyn
Wenvoe Tennis Group
WENVOE TENNIS GROUP
The newly formed Wenvoe Tennis Group is now up and running and welcomes new players to join us for regular weekly social tennis. We currently meet on Monday evenings at 6.00pm and our aim is to get as many as possible playing and enjoying Tennis in a welcoming, inclusive social group where a chat and friendship are just as important as any playing ability. We’ll often call into the Wenvoe Arms for a glass of something refreshing after each session although this isn’t compulsory.
If you’re new to Tennis or would like to pick it up again after a break, why not come and join us to see if it’s for you? We’ll gladly lend you a racket if you need one and will be happy to pass on some tips to get you playing and enjoying this life-long sport. It’s over 18’s only as space is limited but hopefully, we can include juniors as the group develops. If you’d like to give it a go, look out for our posts in the village Facebook page for session timings as these will change with the seasons. All you have to do is turn up around the published time. Contact Pete on 07891 828019 if there’s anything you’d like to discuss. We hope to see you on court soon.
Walking In Kyrgyzstan (Part 2 Of 2)
WALKING IN KYRGYZSTAN (Part 2 of 2)
In last month’s edition of What’s On, Nicola introduced us to an amazing walking adventure in this mysterious and far away country. It is now Day 3 and Nicola, who was feeling the effects of lack of oxygen, had been offered one of the pack horses to carry her over the pass. The story continues ………
Once through the pass we were on a vast upland plateau that was surrounded on virtually all 4 sides by snow-capped mountains. From my vantage point on horseback, I was able to look up, around and glimpse them through the swirling clouds. The rest of the group had to concentrate on where they placed each foot as the ground was boggy, peaty, wet clay in places as well as full of tripping hazards and small lochens. If only it hadn’t been raining…. And so, to our last, fairly miserable, boggy campsite alongside a high mountain lake at 3,800m.
On our last day’s trekking we decamped in the drizzle and walked only a couple of hours until we hit a road where our trusty, so uncomfortable, minibus was waiting for us. Kyrgyzstan has significant deposits of metals including gold and rare earth metals and this was a private road, open to the public 2 days a week, leading to a very productive gold mine initially funded by the Canadians 30 – 40 years ago. Whether the Silk Road continued along this road towards the mine or crossed it towards China we were not able to establish.
And so to our final guest house run by a Russian woman former climber in Kyrgyzstan who shared with us some incredible photographs of her past adventures.
Kyrgyz Eagle Hunters
On our way back to Bishkek, we were treated to a fantastic display by the last Kyrgyz family of eagle hunters and afterwards they provided a feast for us in their own home. And then we finally had a longed-for swim in Issyk Kul Lake which we had travelled virtually the length of on our first day and had had glimpses of in the distance as we hiked. Issyk Kul covers approximately 3% of Kyrgyzstan and is the second largest lake at altitude – the largest being Lake Titicaca. It is said that over 100 waters drain into the lake. Despite the outside temperature being around 35 degrees, the lake was surprisingly cold!
Issyk Kul Lake
We feel so privileged to have visited a country that few people have heard of, to have walked along part of the Silk Road in the footsteps of so many others over the centuries, to experience such breathtaking scenery. And of course, there is a small element of smugness to have shown some younger people that life does not stop when a certain age is reached but that adventures are still out there to be had.
Nicola Strelley Issyk Kul Lake
“The Phone Box at the End of the World” by Laura Imai Messina
“The Phone Box at the End of the World” by Laura Imai Messina
This novel is loosely based on a true story, following the Japanese tsunami that devastated Tohoku in 2011. Yui, a radio show host, and Takeshi who is a surgeon have suffered great losses in their lives, and the story follows their slowly developing relationship after an initial encounter at Bel Gardia where the phone box is situated. The concept of a wind phone is beautiful – a safe space where people can reveal their unspoken thoughts and memories to their loved ones, helping to heal their grief after loss.
Opinions were equally divided over who did or did not enjoy this book. The scoring was 6.5/10. Thank you Sandra for providing delicious eats and ripe plums from the garden.
Busy Installing And Refurbishing Structures
Wenvoe Wildlife Group
Busy Installing And Refurbishing Structures
A number of residents have been busy installing and refurbishing structures in the orchards. Steve Jenkins has placed two new benches in the Community Orchard made of recycled materials which should last for several years. Martin Thomas and Bernard Jenkins have designed and constructed a nice new noticeboard for the same orchard after the vandalising of our previous noticeboard. Lenn Morris from Barry has refurbished an anonymously donated bench in the Goldsland Orchard. Your efforts are very much appreciated!
Our final junior workshop took place in the Elizabethan Orchard – again fully booked with a waiting list. Our thanks to Angela Peterken and Claire Newland for organising and running these very popular events. These workshops have been made possible through funding from the Tuckers’ Plant and Reindeer sales.
It is encouraging to see more and more residents posting images of wildlife seen locally on Facebook. Some are common – some less so like the dramatic-looking Wasp Spider seen in the photo – you do need colour to see it at its best. These records are registered with SEWBREC and will be available for consulting in the event of planning applications.
Socialising and Coffee Just as Important
LIVING WITH CANCER STROLLERS
Socialising and Coffee Just as Important
Why is there a picture of people sitting down when there should be a description of the latest monthly stroll at Cosmeston? That’s because just as important as the exercise from the walk, is the socialising and coffee, tea or ice cream at the end! Join us to find out more!
The Gang Master Pockets The Money
VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP
The Gang Master Pockets The Money
Hallelujah! The team have been struck a couple of blows by Age Concern. Firstly, we have been questioned over the viability of using people past their sell by date. Secondly for taking defenceless folk away from their loved ones to complete arduous tasks whilst the gang master pockets the money.
None of this was found to be true when the team was infiltrated by two undercover local government officers. As you can see from the photograph, they stood out like sore thumbs. Steve and Tony, they called themselves. The investigation concluded that the oldies were better off working and keeping well, rather than using up valuable space in care homes around the area.
This month the boys tidied up around the fringes of the Walston Castle, plus tidying up the roundabout in Greave Close. A kind lady supplied cold drinks and Gareth’s wife Sue gave us tea and biscuits when the work was done. Tony and Steve were so impressed by the comradeship, that they decided to join us in the future. We appreciate all the goodwill that comes our way. Being able to remember who was at the last meeting, has become a bit of a challenge, but when we meet up it’s like making new friends.
Our next gathering on September 8th will be at the entrance to Clos Llanfair. Big John will bring his favourite tool.
A Fierce Asian Carnivore
A Fierce Asian Carnivore
They are all over the media and all over Wenvoe! Think of a Channel Island and a fierce Asian carnivore. If you haven’t guessed it, it is the Jersey Tiger – a type of day-flying moth.
They have been seen recently on Walston Road, in Clos Lanfair, Twyn-yr-Odyn, Walston Close and Church Rise. We are being urged on TV and in many of the newspapers to look out for it as part of the annual butterfly count. It is reported that it has increased by 78% in the last year – reversing the trend of most other species which are in decline. In Victorian times it was considered a rarity but in the last 10 years has been spreading from the South and throughout Britain. Originally mainly known from the Channel Islands – hence its name. The prominent stripes are reminiscent of a tiger.
If you see one with the wings open it reveals a bright red or yellow underwing. Most moths are nocturnal, but this one is diurnal as it is out and about during the day – another reason why it is seen more often.
Summer Is Now Done
THE VILLAGE GARDENER
Summer Is Now Done
Well, that seemed to go quickly. Summer is now done, and we must nurse what’s left of the summer bedding for every last bit of colour we can before clearing the beds to plant bulbs, wallflowers, primula and pansies. Monica in Rectory Close just digs her annuals straight back into the soil and plants the Autumn/Winter plants on top. Leave the tulips until late Autumn, as they tend to rot if put in early.
The lawns have had a hard time this year. It’s a pointless task trying to water them; we just have to wait for some rain and give them an autumn feed. If you can aerate them and rake off the thatch, they will be a lot better for it.
Keep camellias well-watered so they can produce buds for next Spring. There’s no need to feed roses now; you don’t want them trying to put on new growth when they should be slowing down. Give hedges a good trim now and that should see them through until next year. If you grew a wildflower garden this year and didn’t cut it back before the seed heads formed, then good luck next year as it will be covering most of your plot and the immediate neighbours. Putting water out for wildlife is one of the best things you can do, especially with the extreme weather we’ve had this year. Once you start doing this you must keep it up as birds and insects get to know where it is and depend on it.
The late Betty James would wash all the pots she used for seeds and cuttings. Over the years she never had a problem, always using clean pots and buying new bags of compost. Then compost went peat free, it didn’t seem to matter how much you paid or whose name was on the bag, it caused a big failure rate on what could be produced in her greenhouse. The compost may be better for the planet, but you can’t put it in lovely printed colourful bags and charge the earth, when it’s absolutely rubbish. There is a process it should go through to get this material right for the consumer but they’re cutting corners by rushing it through. Yes of course we must recycle, just do it properly. A lot of gardeners are using coir to bring on seedlings and cuttings, it works well. It is also sustainable.
The allotments seem to have a lot of bare soil showing at present after a lot of harvesting. This means compost bins will be filling up. A lot of folk leave the runner bean roots to rot in the soil as they’re full of nitrogen. Collecting seaweed for use in the soil seems to have gone out of fashion, maybe because of the effort involved. This material is brilliant for the garden, just wash it off and dig it in. It’s full of nitrogen, potassium and phosphates. Jersey nurserymen use it to good effect.
Don’t forget, we need as many entries for the Wenvoe Village Show as possible to help keep it going – use it or lose as they say. For all the details, please see page 5.
Take care and happy gardening