The start of the Millennium Fortnight saw the weather change for the better, and how! It nearly was all a bit too much, seeing all the beautiful sunshine, but somehow we managed to grin and bear it.

The start of the fun was on Monday when the ladies of the club decided to have a fun day. We should have known that with Beryl Lewis organising it, things would not be that simple. The instructions were duly posted on the board - 'fancy dress' please, and when Beryl says please you say certainly.

What a bunch of troopers we have in the ladies when the majority of those who did enter turned up duly attired in the ordered fancy dress. The grand parade at the beginning of the day had everyone in stitches, as the girls paraded round the green singing (well okay making a funny noise). We had a gypsy fortune teller, a geisha girl, a Red Indian chief, who we found out afterwards was actually Beryl Lawrence trying to be a hippy, and Beryl Lewis dressed as well, with no particular title, but with her whistle blowing merrily.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day, full of fun games, like bowling left-handed or blindfolded, which were hilarious to watch. We did get rather worried about Viv Edwards at one time, as dressed as a seriously pregnant woman, she looked ready to keel over, or give birth on the green.

Well done to all the ladies for taking part and making it a great fun day.

TUESDAY TRIPLES

The Tuesday Triples carried on as normal, with a slight alteration, in that the best winning team also won a bottle of wine on the day and a special prize on finals day. Once again it was nigh on a full house, and a smashing fun day out, played in the right spirit.

Things got underway properly on the Wednesday with the first round of the singles. Not too many real shocks to report on, until probably the evening games when some of the, shall we say, more favoured players went out at the first attempt.

Earlier on we had seen John Tombs take on fellow wrinkly Jack John and put up a storming show of bowls to win. Dave Roberts saw off the challenge of Don Stokes, as did George Cavell of Jamie Shields. The game between Dave Poole and Dave Robb was a cracker, with the experienced Dave Poole running out the winner. Gerald Harries, of the Dock, beat Don Poole in another tight game, as did Tony Cummings against Dennis Bancroft, also from the Dock. Dilwyn Jones, from the Valleys, saw off the challenge of home team favourite Allen Brace, while Eric Davies, of Penclawdd, beat off the efforts of the fancied Berwyn Dennis in a real thriller.

In the pairs, Paul Gray and Don Howells beat Tom Knutt and Tony Bullock in a close game. Ray Holly and Terry Preston went out against the fancied C. and D. Jones. Gerald Harries and Les Davies, from Pembroke, beat off Tony Cummings and Les Davies, of Saundersfoot. The pairing of father and son, John and Simon Evans, won against Ken Taylor and Geoff Spiller.

D. Poole and Mack Brace beat club members Dave Roberts and George Cavell, while Bob Griffiths and John Smalley beat team members Merv Brace and Alan Brain.

Through to the quarter-finals of the mixed pairs are John and Marion Evans who beat the pairing of Barbara Tombs and Don Parfitt, while John Dugmore and Anne Lewis beat off Merv Brace and Margaret Robb in another thriller.

Sunday saw things quieten down a little because of the ladies having commitment elsewhere. This meant that the green had a quiet day, and a chance for the organisers to relax slightly. Only five games were played that day, amongst them the pairs between Paul Blayney and Allen Brace against Mike Gouldingay and Dave Robb, the former winning in a marathon attempt.

The summer weather stayed with us into the Monday, with yet another round of singles being played. Don Howells, who has been playing some superb bowls this season, unluckily went out, as did Alan Brain, who lost against Ken Taylor. Tenby's Hadyn Guy lost out to dark horse Ron Short, from Blackwood. John Dugmore won through yet again in a thriller, putting himself up against team member Ken Taylor in the next round.

SAUNDERSFOOT LADIES 44

FISHGUARD 33

Just prior to the open tournament, the ladies of Saundersfoot took on the highly experienced Fishguard team.

Lorna Bissell was back as skip, with Cicely Griffiths, Pearl Richards and Barbara Tombs making up the squad. They were having a real old tussle up until tea, then managed to edge in front and hold on by the skin of their teeth, despite dropping counts of five and four, to win by three shots.

Joyce Waters had Viv Edwards at three, with Elsie Pendlebury and Anne Davies making up the rest of the rink. They were also having a ding dong battle against Gwen McFarlane, but a three, then a four count, saw them ease away and hold on to win by eight.

It was a welcome return to winning ways, despite some missing players.

GIFTS FROM THE GODS

A certain lady bowler down taking part in the mixed pairs finished her game and went up to the kitchen for something to eat. Despite the fact that she had not taken her purse with her (where have I heard that one before?), she managed to have a drink. Telling her tale of woe to a number of the members, she was also offered money to enable her to have some food -well you could not see the old soul starve could you? - but she refused and said she would wait until she got home.

Leaving the green, she began to tell the tale to a couple of our regular friends who come to watch every day during the tournaments, Roy and Pat, with doggy friend Ben, of course.

As we all know, old Roy is a soft touch for a sob story. He duly takes out a fiver and says to the lady in question, "Here you are duck, buy yourself a meal" (they do talk funny from the Birmingham area don't they?). Rightaway, 'Our Elsie', who was the guilty party, says "Thanks a lot", and rushes off to have a dinner.

Now the thing is, she did not even know who Roy was. She did not know his name or owt. Makes you wonder about her morals, taking money off a strange man, and there are non stranger than our Roy.

I do understand that she has now repaid her loan. Roy had a big smile on his face the other day, so say no more. Know what I mean, nudge, nudge.