... but I have been away, having a short break up in the far (but not frozen) north, on the Orkneys again - it was fabulous ! We had great weather, lots of sun though a chilly wind, and masses of wonderful wildlife, including puffins and orcas and .. and.. and - just amazing.
Fortunately the cottage we rent there has a broadband connection, so my work didn't get neglected and I was able to keep on top of it all while I was away - and there is quite a bit of it at the moment one way and another!
The World Wide Bridge Contest is being played on Friday 6 & Saturday 7 June, so our servers are all eagerly awaiting the onslaught of results and players looking to see how they have done - details of that can be found by clicking here.
The European Championships in Pau will be starting soon, and you will be able to watch the online vu graph on BBO of course, and download all the bulletins and results etc from the EBL Website. I will be posting a link to the players convention cards on the pages about Pau at ECatsBridge, where you can find details of the draws as well.
After that, it is time to set the sights firmly on Beijing and the World Mind Sport Games - we are getting more information about this for the teams, and I am running a mailing list so if you want to receive details as they become available, please just email me with your name and country and tell me you want to be added to the list.
For those of you interested in Simultaneous Pairs, now that the EBU has decided to progress with the "pay to play" strategy, you may like to know that their events will, I understand, be restricted to EBU affiliated clubs. However, I am assured that the BGB events and certainly all the Charity events will, as normal, be open to all comers, and master points will be awarded. We are not yet quite sure how this will work, but don't worry as I am sure we will manage to work something out!
And now I must go back to my email and get on with some more "real" work! I will try not to leave putting up a blog quite so long next time :-)
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Friday, 18 April 2008
Brrr ... it's still cold
We went to Oxfordshire at the weekend, to see my sister, and visit Avebury. Lovely sunshine, but hailshowers as well and my goodness the wind was cold! We had great fun nevertheless and it was a nice break. AND I got to visit my fantastic 95-year old Aunt, who I hadn't seen for ages. She hadn't changed a scrap and is still as lively and as much fun as ever. For those of you who are Agatha Christie fans, think Miss Marple :-)
While I was gone, my assistant (well, actually my lovely elder daughter on this occasion!) packed up the master points etc for the Charity Challenge and the WBU sims (the Master point lists are on the site if you want to download them and see how well you did) and they will be in the post on Monday with my apologies for them being a bit later than normal.
We are working on the frequencies for the BGB events held earlier this month and will be emailing any queries to the clubs (and on keying in the ones that have been sent to us) and then I will get the material out for the World Wide. Of course the EBU Sims are in between and the booklets for the BGB Summer sims are with the printers, and the ones for the EBU Autumn Sims are with the proof-reader ... do you get the feeling this is a not-stop process ? I do !!
Incidentally, I am being asked a lot about what will happen with the new EBU Strategy proposalsECatsBridge Sim for Children in Need) will be open to everyone, including non EBU affiliated clubs. It is not yet decided what will happen about the BGB events but there is a meeting later this month and hopefully I will be able to post an answer to that here afterwards - so watch this space!
The WBF/BBO Women's Festival was a great success - if you didn't take part this year but would like a reminder about it before it happens again next year, drop me an email and I will add you to the mailing list. And don't forget if you want updates about Beijing and the World Championships, email me and I will add you to the mailing list for that. I also run a Press List and a Tournament Directors list, so if you want to be added to any or all, let me know - just tell me your name, which country you are in and which list you want to join : click here to email me! And I have only just thought of it, but if you want I can email you to tell you I have put a new blog ... let me know :-) After all, you really enjoy my deathless prose don't you?
What else ? Oh yes - a reminder about Pau and the European Championships ... if you are playing please let me have your systems as soon as you can. The deadline is 10 May but it really does help if you can get them in earlier !
So that's about it until next time ... Watch this space, as they say ... I'll be back !
While I was gone, my assistant (well, actually my lovely elder daughter on this occasion!) packed up the master points etc for the Charity Challenge and the WBU sims (the Master point lists are on the site if you want to download them and see how well you did) and they will be in the post on Monday with my apologies for them being a bit later than normal.
We are working on the frequencies for the BGB events held earlier this month and will be emailing any queries to the clubs (and on keying in the ones that have been sent to us) and then I will get the material out for the World Wide. Of course the EBU Sims are in between and the booklets for the BGB Summer sims are with the printers, and the ones for the EBU Autumn Sims are with the proof-reader ... do you get the feeling this is a not-stop process ? I do !!
Incidentally, I am being asked a lot about what will happen with the new EBU Strategy proposalsECatsBridge Sim for Children in Need) will be open to everyone, including non EBU affiliated clubs. It is not yet decided what will happen about the BGB events but there is a meeting later this month and hopefully I will be able to post an answer to that here afterwards - so watch this space!
The WBF/BBO Women's Festival was a great success - if you didn't take part this year but would like a reminder about it before it happens again next year, drop me an email and I will add you to the mailing list. And don't forget if you want updates about Beijing and the World Championships, email me and I will add you to the mailing list for that. I also run a Press List and a Tournament Directors list, so if you want to be added to any or all, let me know - just tell me your name, which country you are in and which list you want to join : click here to email me! And I have only just thought of it, but if you want I can email you to tell you I have put a new blog ... let me know :-) After all, you really enjoy my deathless prose don't you?
What else ? Oh yes - a reminder about Pau and the European Championships ... if you are playing please let me have your systems as soon as you can. The deadline is 10 May but it really does help if you can get them in earlier !
So that's about it until next time ... Watch this space, as they say ... I'll be back !
Thursday, 20 March 2008
Happy Easter
First day of spring tomorrow - and the weather forecast is dire, with snow, hail and frost all to come ! That's going to scare all the daffodils and the lovely swathes of wild violets on my bank ! Probably scare me too, but Mark and I have a weekend of decorating planned ... lots of wallpaper to hang and things like that!
Anyway, there is plenty of fun bridge coming your way this spring, kicking off with the WBF / BBO Women's Festival at the beginning of April - you must register by 1st April if you want to play in this so do log on and get your registration done quickly!
Then come the BGB Simultaneous Pairs - all three of them - starting on 8th April; click here to find the club lists so you can see where you want to play ... if your club is listed at the bottom of the page, do try and send me the postcode of the premises so that we can pinpoint you on the map - much more fun! We won't put your contact number if you don't want us to, but we can add your website if you have one. And if you don't why not consider joining the ECatsBridge Club so you can put your results up using our scoring system - just £50+VAT for a whole year?
At the end of next week, my hall is going to disappear under all the material for the World Wide Bridge Contest (I will try and remember to post a picture up in my next blog!), so to save me tripping over it, do let me know as soon as you can if you want me to send you the booklets etc then Mark won't get cross with me when he tries to get through the front door!
Did you know that we stock Andrew Robson's books in the ECatsBridge Shop ? And that we have a special offer of bar-coded cards (5 bar code) for duplimate machines from the World Championships in Shanghai? They are used, of course, so no pretty boxes or cellophane, they are just held together with elastic bands, but truly they look brand new (only used a few times of course) and are less expensive than buying new. Plus you get the fun of playing with cards that the World Champions used !
That's about it for now - have a very Happy Easter ... I hope the bunny is good to you and brings you some lovely chocolate!
anna
Anyway, there is plenty of fun bridge coming your way this spring, kicking off with the WBF / BBO Women's Festival at the beginning of April - you must register by 1st April if you want to play in this so do log on and get your registration done quickly!
Then come the BGB Simultaneous Pairs - all three of them - starting on 8th April; click here to find the club lists so you can see where you want to play ... if your club is listed at the bottom of the page, do try and send me the postcode of the premises so that we can pinpoint you on the map - much more fun! We won't put your contact number if you don't want us to, but we can add your website if you have one. And if you don't why not consider joining the ECatsBridge Club so you can put your results up using our scoring system - just £50+VAT for a whole year?
At the end of next week, my hall is going to disappear under all the material for the World Wide Bridge Contest (I will try and remember to post a picture up in my next blog!), so to save me tripping over it, do let me know as soon as you can if you want me to send you the booklets etc then Mark won't get cross with me when he tries to get through the front door!
Did you know that we stock Andrew Robson's books in the ECatsBridge Shop ? And that we have a special offer of bar-coded cards (5 bar code) for duplimate machines from the World Championships in Shanghai? They are used, of course, so no pretty boxes or cellophane, they are just held together with elastic bands, but truly they look brand new (only used a few times of course) and are less expensive than buying new. Plus you get the fun of playing with cards that the World Champions used !
That's about it for now - have a very Happy Easter ... I hope the bunny is good to you and brings you some lovely chocolate!
anna
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
Did you get wined and dined ? I did !
I was spoilt rotten on Valentines Day - cup of tea and a card in bed in the morning, a beautiful bouquet of flowers AND a lovely dinner in my favourite restaurant. Aren't I the lucky one to have a Mark around :-)
And so we are heading towards the end of February - with an extra day tagged on this year. We have been enjoying some wonderful weather though, brilliant sunshine, which has enticed me into the garden to start clearing at one end to create a vegetable patch!
We have been working on some fun new mapping software (well, Mark has been doing the work, and tearing his hair out over it at times!!); it will be used to display the whereabouts of clubs planning to play in the national Simultaneous Pairs, and the first time will be for the Charity Challenge - just click here to get to the right page.
And on the bridge front - well, I have sent out the material for the Charity Challenge and the BGB April Simultaneous Pairs ... these are not limited to UK clubs incidentally, so if any of you clubs "out there" want to join us, do get in touch. I have typeset the booklets for the World Wide ... now that really IS a world wide event, and we hope clubs from everywhere will come and join us for that one; again, email me if you are interested and we can set it up for you.
I have put a bit of information up about Pau and the European Championships for those of you heading for France in the summer (please note, all you teams, that I need the systems registered with me by 10th May ... including the Seniors this time!), and there is a lot about the World Mind Sport Games in Beijing of course. And please remember the Womens' Bridge Festival Online - do email your female friends and tell them about that one, please !!
Finally - did you know that I organise mailing lists ? At the moment I have one for information about Beijing - so that when I put up new details, or get additional information I can let people know, I have another for TDs, so as I get more information about the Laws or appeals or things that might interest TDs and so forth ... or if you have a particular area of interest, let me know and I will think about setting up a separate mailing list about it! Within reason of course :-) Anyway, if you want to be added to my Beijing or TD list, drop me an email and let me know, remembering to tell me who you are and which country you are in please !
And so we are heading towards the end of February - with an extra day tagged on this year. We have been enjoying some wonderful weather though, brilliant sunshine, which has enticed me into the garden to start clearing at one end to create a vegetable patch!
We have been working on some fun new mapping software (well, Mark has been doing the work, and tearing his hair out over it at times!!); it will be used to display the whereabouts of clubs planning to play in the national Simultaneous Pairs, and the first time will be for the Charity Challenge - just click here to get to the right page.
And on the bridge front - well, I have sent out the material for the Charity Challenge and the BGB April Simultaneous Pairs ... these are not limited to UK clubs incidentally, so if any of you clubs "out there" want to join us, do get in touch. I have typeset the booklets for the World Wide ... now that really IS a world wide event, and we hope clubs from everywhere will come and join us for that one; again, email me if you are interested and we can set it up for you.
I have put a bit of information up about Pau and the European Championships for those of you heading for France in the summer (please note, all you teams, that I need the systems registered with me by 10th May ... including the Seniors this time!), and there is a lot about the World Mind Sport Games in Beijing of course. And please remember the Womens' Bridge Festival Online - do email your female friends and tell them about that one, please !!
Finally - did you know that I organise mailing lists ? At the moment I have one for information about Beijing - so that when I put up new details, or get additional information I can let people know, I have another for TDs, so as I get more information about the Laws or appeals or things that might interest TDs and so forth ... or if you have a particular area of interest, let me know and I will think about setting up a separate mailing list about it! Within reason of course :-) Anyway, if you want to be added to my Beijing or TD list, drop me an email and let me know, remembering to tell me who you are and which country you are in please !
Monday, 21 January 2008
I can't believe ...
...we are already near the end of January ... it has flown past ! And already it is noticeable that the days are starting to get longer - only by a few minutes, but it is happening. The birds are noticing it too and starting to sing, and my daffodils have got very over-enthusiastic in the mild weather and are showing buds !
We had a fun time on New Year's day ... got up very early (05.00 !) and drove to London to watch Soho waking up ! Then we went to watch the New Year Parade which was great ... photos are on my Flickr account if you are interested.
I was very sad then to hear of the death of a dear friend, Raymond Brock ... such a sadness. His obituary can be found on the EBU Website if you want to read it. I am sure you will want to join me in sending condolences to his wife, Sally, and the two children. The funeral was incredibly moving and was a fitting farewell for a great man.
So ... on the bridge front what gives ?
Well, the end of March will see me finishing my work as EBU webmaster - the EBU is going to take the job back in-house. I will be sorry to stop doing that work as it has been interesting to do, but all good things come to an end.
The main thing on the work front has been getting the WBF / BBO On Line Women's Bridge Festival ready to rock ! It will be held in April and should be great fun, so all you women out there who like to play on line, click here to go to the website to find out all about it ! Women from all over the world are welcome to play - the more the merrier - just sign up and join in !
There have been a number of Simultaneous Pairs already this year, and the Charity Challenge is coming up on March 13th in aid of Action Medical Research, so do join us for that if you can. Lots more for the future as well, so have a look at the Calendar for other dates.
It's going to be a busy year, what with the European Championships in Pau (I don't go to that, just deal with all the systems) and of course the World Mind Sport Games in Beijing so there is plenty to look forward to ! If you are involved in Youth Bridge, please please make sure that your National Bridge Organisation is sending a team to the Junior Championships (or a pair or an individual if they can't manage a team!) It is so important that as many countries as possible send a Junior team - for this one the players can be aged up to 28. Click here for more details. and make sure your NBO knows that the Juniors will get free accommodation and all meals and that it is also hoped that air flights will be provided free for them as well.
We had a fun time on New Year's day ... got up very early (05.00 !) and drove to London to watch Soho waking up ! Then we went to watch the New Year Parade which was great ... photos are on my Flickr account if you are interested.
I was very sad then to hear of the death of a dear friend, Raymond Brock ... such a sadness. His obituary can be found on the EBU Website if you want to read it. I am sure you will want to join me in sending condolences to his wife, Sally, and the two children. The funeral was incredibly moving and was a fitting farewell for a great man.
So ... on the bridge front what gives ?
Well, the end of March will see me finishing my work as EBU webmaster - the EBU is going to take the job back in-house. I will be sorry to stop doing that work as it has been interesting to do, but all good things come to an end.
The main thing on the work front has been getting the WBF / BBO On Line Women's Bridge Festival ready to rock ! It will be held in April and should be great fun, so all you women out there who like to play on line, click here to go to the website to find out all about it ! Women from all over the world are welcome to play - the more the merrier - just sign up and join in !
There have been a number of Simultaneous Pairs already this year, and the Charity Challenge is coming up on March 13th in aid of Action Medical Research, so do join us for that if you can. Lots more for the future as well, so have a look at the Calendar for other dates.
It's going to be a busy year, what with the European Championships in Pau (I don't go to that, just deal with all the systems) and of course the World Mind Sport Games in Beijing so there is plenty to look forward to ! If you are involved in Youth Bridge, please please make sure that your National Bridge Organisation is sending a team to the Junior Championships (or a pair or an individual if they can't manage a team!) It is so important that as many countries as possible send a Junior team - for this one the players can be aged up to 28. Click here for more details. and make sure your NBO knows that the Juniors will get free accommodation and all meals and that it is also hoped that air flights will be provided free for them as well.
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
How lovely - it is Christmas. I am closing the office on Friday until 2nd January, and have lots of lovely social things arranged - dinners with friends and all the things Christmas should be! The tree is decorated (of course), the turkey is ordered, the table decorations ready and the crackers bought. And today the weather is even exactly right - chilly with a hint of frost and brilliant sunshine. Let's hope it lasts!
I hope you all have a good Christmas as well - and if celebrating Christmas is not for you, please accept my good wishes nevertheless. And for everyone - have a great year in 2008, I hope it will prove to be a successful, peaceful and enjoyable one.
On the bridge front ... well, the lists are up to tell you which clubs are taking part in the January Simultaneous Pairs and as soon as I get back I will be inviting entries for the WBF Charity Pairs which is in aid of UNICEF this year - the Children's Charity, so I hope you will be able to join us for that.
But for now - I just wish you all peace and tranquillity, whatever you are doing over Christmas and the New Year - have a great time !
anna
I hope you all have a good Christmas as well - and if celebrating Christmas is not for you, please accept my good wishes nevertheless. And for everyone - have a great year in 2008, I hope it will prove to be a successful, peaceful and enjoyable one.
On the bridge front ... well, the lists are up to tell you which clubs are taking part in the January Simultaneous Pairs and as soon as I get back I will be inviting entries for the WBF Charity Pairs which is in aid of UNICEF this year - the Children's Charity, so I hope you will be able to join us for that.
But for now - I just wish you all peace and tranquillity, whatever you are doing over Christmas and the New Year - have a great time !
anna
Thursday, 22 November 2007
Bridge Players are wonderful - it's official
I just can't believe how much money you all raised for Children in Need - thank you so much, all of you who took part and donated so generously. Over £55,000 ... truly amazing. For those of you who couldn't join us this year, we will be doing it again (insanity runs in both Mark's and my family obviously !). It is such fun, so do think about joining us next November !
It has been a frantic month, what with that, and getting all the information together about Beijing 2008 and the World Mind Sport Games.
Add to that extra bits to do with the Laws, lots of work on the EBU site, getting information ready for publication in the new WBF Directory, to say nothing of preparing for the EBL sims, sending out the mailshot for all next year's sims to the clubs, sending out the January Sims material and (well in a day or two) sending out the results from the Autumn BGB Sims ... with apologies for lateness, you can see why I am feeling positively breathless ! And looking forward to a nice break over Christmas!
But before that I need to get the BGB April Sims material typeset as well as the EBU May Sims stuff ... and get the July one off to the commentators and organise things for the Autumn ones ... one long cycle of events and you have to keep on top of it or it is a major "firefighting" exercise!
There isn't much direct news really, but I just wanted to stay in touch via this blog so you don't forget to come back and look occasionally you see !
A quick mention for my American friends who celebrate Thanksgiving today - I hope you have a great day ... and to my special Scottish friends who will be celebrating St Andrew's Day shortly - I hope you like our St Andrew's day cat, devised especially for you.
Until the next time ....
It has been a frantic month, what with that, and getting all the information together about Beijing 2008 and the World Mind Sport Games.
Add to that extra bits to do with the Laws, lots of work on the EBU site, getting information ready for publication in the new WBF Directory, to say nothing of preparing for the EBL sims, sending out the mailshot for all next year's sims to the clubs, sending out the January Sims material and (well in a day or two) sending out the results from the Autumn BGB Sims ... with apologies for lateness, you can see why I am feeling positively breathless ! And looking forward to a nice break over Christmas!
But before that I need to get the BGB April Sims material typeset as well as the EBU May Sims stuff ... and get the July one off to the commentators and organise things for the Autumn ones ... one long cycle of events and you have to keep on top of it or it is a major "firefighting" exercise!
There isn't much direct news really, but I just wanted to stay in touch via this blog so you don't forget to come back and look occasionally you see !
A quick mention for my American friends who celebrate Thanksgiving today - I hope you have a great day ... and to my special Scottish friends who will be celebrating St Andrew's Day shortly - I hope you like our St Andrew's day cat, devised especially for you.
Until the next time ....
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