Dear EuroGatherers,

Let's start getting down to some serious organization now!

Tentative programme

Friday 29 April

- c.12h00-13h00 mooman and Mrs Moo will arrive at La Garenne. It could be that some of you will already arrived.

- Later that afternoon/evening. I will be available to collect those who need it from Niort railway station. It will be helpful, therefore, (if you haven't already done so) let me know if you need collecting and your approximate time of arrival)

- Evening. Informal music-making and everyone is free to choose what they want to do and where they want to eat. There should be barbeque facilities available at La Garenne for those who want to avail of them.

Saturday 30 April

- Morning. Nothing special planned. There is a market at La Rochelle for those interested and a couple of worthwhile things to see more locally (I'll post more details of those soon).

- Afternoon. Probably at around 14h30-15h00 we will have the "traditional" EuroGathering Outing. This year it will comprise a trip by punt(s) around the local "Venise Verte" canal system, probably from a village called Arcais. Instruments welcome (but don't drop them in the drink). Especially the aerophone for "Le Canal en Avril"! The punt(s) will conveniently return to outside a nice cafe where beverages may/will be taken!

- Evening: 20h00 The usual EuroGathering musical evening will take place at:

Hôtel Restaurant LA BOSSELLE
5, rue de la Garnauderie
85420 DAMVIX
Tél. +33 (0)2 51 87 13 11

where, conveniently, some of you are staying. Food (including crudites, a barbeque, aperitives, etc.) will be provided for the measly sum of €15 by the lady who runs La Bosselle (who is excited and pleased to have us there!). I know that word has been spread around and I will send her some posters too, so there should be a good ambience and maybe one or two local musicians.

Sunday 1 May

- Free morning to do whatever you like! (Sore heads?)

- Lunchtime. Mrs Moo has undertaken (and may be assisted by the able Andy) to make a big pot of something tasty at La Garenne. This will be followed during the rest of the day by informal music, chat, football or whatever else you want to do (impromptu arrangements of course are possible throughout the weekend!)

Monday 2 May

- after breakfast (naturally) and sad farewells, the great dispersal will take place over the course of the day. This, naturally, only after picking the victim (who may or may not be present) for the 2006 EuroGathering!

Some other practical details

This is what I understand (at present) of attendance and peoples' arrangements. Please let me know if it needs correcting or filling in:

mooman La Garenne (LG)
LadyMcMoo LG
MudGuard LG
Wolfgang LG
Susanne (skw) LG (in car?)
Skipjack K8 La Bosselle (LB)
Wilfried Schaum to advise please!
John 'Giok' MacKenzie + Liz LG (in camper van)
Doug Chadwick to advise please!
Kate LG (camping? to advise please
JeZeBeL LG (as above - to advise please!
Charmion LB
CET LB
Letty? are you coming m'dear?!
Shrek? same as Letty!
Judy T? I will check - will camp at LG if comes
Oaklet?? Hope you can come!
Hassan (friend of Mudcat) LB
Magali (friend of Mudcat and judge of the "grenouille" pronounciation competition (which is still wide open!)) - no francophones allowed please! LB

Our good hosts the Jerram family will of course be at La Garenne and the neighbours there will certainly join us.

The swimming pool may or may not be open (this depends on whether the tilers have started retiling it and is not a British Rail announcement!).

Good local wine will be available at €2/litre (it comes in 5 litre containers). Red, white or rose. Please let me know in advance what you want and it will be purchased for you!

OK...I think that's enough for one post. Maps and other details to be posted shortly!

Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Ricardo (aka Richard aka mooman)

P.S. I bet I've b******d some of the HTML up here!