On Monday October 25th our group met for the monthly meeting at the Director’s Hotel in Gouger Street.Present were Beth, Libby, Terry, Malcolm, Ness, Lyla and myself. On the sick list was Rob, Ann and Margaret and Mavis who is having a stint in hospital, with an apology from Lesley (missing her first meeting since our group’s inception) who was in Sydney with her daughter. Hopefully,those on the sick list improve quickly.

I changed the format a little this week. Instead of lunch, natter and then a DVD. this week, I played Mirusia’s lovely new CD, “Always and Forever” in the background as we dined.

I think our 2 hour meetings are becoming a thing of the past. The original hours were 12:30 - 2:30 but most are there by noon and we don’t leave until at least 3.

Whilst awaiting lunch I introduced into the meeting a couple of things we needed to decide, regarding the upcoming Christmas Dinner (what has happened to 2010? –Where has it gone?) and asking for a gold coin donation from those present to buy a thank you gift for both the bar staff and the kitchen staff of the hotel.

With the money topped up by Rob and myself, I have enough to buy a larger box of Lindt chocolates for the bar and a smaller one of Guylian for the kitchen. Thank you all for your donations. I’m sure the staff of both areas will be happy with their presents.

I will write at the end of this email, the information about the Christmas Dinner.

The conversation around the table was the illness of The Great One.  It’s amazing to think that instead of sitting there with the ‘afterglow’ of the October concerts just finished, here we were wondering if the new dated May concerts would even eventuate. One of our members has already cashed in her ticket and will decide around the new time as to whether to buy a new one.

Beth will be away on her annual overseas jaunt and won’t be back until the week after the 3rd/4th May. Rob and I have kept our tickets for next year’s performance.

Libby said that she’d heard that André’ had now canceled his Christmas concerts. She said that she’d also heard that Pierre was due to be interviewed about his Father’s condition, on a talk show in Maastricht recently, but he broke down in tears and was too emotional to be interviewed. We began to speculate as to whether we are getting the full story regarding AR’s health.

(Ed. Note) The above paragraph is being left in the report but please note that this is ONLY a rumor and cannot be verified.

Realistically, we his fans, are his employees and surely, we should be kept advised of the health problems André is enduring.  More importantly, we, as his loyal fans, who love the Man dearly, are extremely concerned and it’s a case of not knowing, making our imaginations run amok; thinking the worst.

If he is sicker than has been reported, why is he booking more and more concerts around the world next? The group wondered if, instead of learning from this awful health scare and cutting back his touring, as he had stated he’d do all those many years ago, once he became a Grandfather, that he’s going to push himself to not only honour the concerts he’s already had to cancel, but is also pushing himself to add new venues and countries. After all, it’s only something like 3 or 4 days after his final concert in Ireland, that he makes his first Australian appearance, here in Adelaide on May 3.

Marjorie,as a wife (with a sick hubby) and mother of a son, I can only sympathise with you. Having a man as a patient, especially one like André who is always on the go, makes it obvious why God put Woman on this Earth. As much as we, his fans would hate it, the Maestro really does need to put himself, his family and most importantly, his health first. At the moment, it should be,less is best.

Before we finished up the afternoon, solving the world’s problems, we finished are discussions on André as to whether we’d go to a concert, without the Great Man on stage. I think we were divided in our answers. Having been lucky enough to have seen AR in a few concerts now, I felt that I’d be happy to go to a concert with just the JSO and artists just for the classical music. Others who have either been to only one or two or not at all, said that as far as they were concerned, they would only go if he was there. It made for an interesting discussion.

Our last meeting for the year is on Monday November 29 at the Director’s Hotel,  247Gouger St

Adelaide,from 12.30 – 2.30.

Wishing the Maestro better health and a speedy recovery.

Lyndall and Robert

THE SAARFG FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY

VENUE:​Lyndall and Robert’s home – 30 Melville Street, Sth Plympton

​Ph: 82932003. Mobiles : Lyndall 0412572301– Rob       0412802301

DATE:​FridayDecember 10th 2010-10

TIME:​7p.m.

COST:​$15 per head

DINNER:​Platters provided by us. (these will vary depending on the number of attendees)

TOBRING:​Your own drink and a chair please

RSVP:​By our Monday November 29 meeting.

PAYMENT:​We would appreciate payment by this date if possible, if you are not attending the meeting, otherwise payment on the Monday.  If you are unable to pay prior to this date and are definitely attending, payment on the night is ok.

N.B.:​Please advise if you can’t come, after accepting, as I will be ordering the platters according to numbers and the amount of money received.

All family members are welcome. If it’s a hot night, providing we can get the pool clean on time, you are more than welcome to bring your bathers. The patio spa is also available for use.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.