Wednesday----Having just returned from one of our holidays, we had one day at home to turn around including a visit to my hairdressers, before we could be on our way. Consequently, by the time Gordon had completed the awning erection we had a queue at the gate. We finished 10 minutes before opening time, with our first customers from Wales, regulars Mr & Mrs Badcock holding back the hordes. A steady flow of units followed all afternoon, with our old friends Norman and Ann completing our first day with 12 units on site. Thursday---- I had to go shopping for provisions and left Gordon and Baz to look after the site. A slightly slower stream of units arrived and members enjoyed the gardens as we had been given a discount this year, some purchased advance tickets at reduced prices for the County Show. Friday----We were busy again and the site was filling nicely. Our illustrious Newsletter Editor, Jenny Yendole came to visit. So nice to see you out and about again Jenny, glad your leg is getting much better. Two families from the Caravan Club site visited and had a cup of tea and biscuits with us. Our fellow Dorset DA members arrived complete with two small marquees loaned to us by a fellow group and we prepared to party. After a race to put up the marquees (won by the green stripey team) a pleasant evening was spent, with a good old chat, a bit of gossip and some music. A good evening passed very pleasantly. Saturday----The site emptied of people as they went to enjoy the County Show. Again Baz and Gordon 'baby sat' the site as I went too. The show was very impressive this year with more entries and traders than ever. The rain held off and a good time was had by all. In the evening we were in for a special treat. Brian Bessants 60th Birthday party was held on site. His family provided some food and drink, along with a lovely tasty birthday cake. Visitors and DA members came to enjoy the celebrations. Gordon supplied the entertainment, and had written a special song dedicated to Brian! Jean Smith helped with his rendition by responding to the 'I say I say, I say' jokes and blocking Gordon's view of the words with her boobs!! Gordon was lost for words and we all thought it hilarious. Our Welsh and Hants visitors 'willingly' became farmers and cows in the now traditional 'Old Mc Donald's Farm' song. We all embarrassed Brian with a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday, to which he responded with a very short speech and shared his cake with us. Another good evening enjoyed by all. Thank you to the Bessant family for all the supplies. Sunday----I was unable to attend the show again but our BCC visitors used my tickets and had a great time using my 'Vice Presidents Badges' We had a get together with our DA members and made tea and coffee to wash down the left overs from the party. The cake was finished and Brians party was finally ended. Later the site cleared of most visitors with about 10 units remaining. We had a quieter evening get together with 10 of our DA and another good evening passed. Monday----- The site closed at 10-00. We had a really good weekend thanks to all the DA members and visitors who attended. Gordon paid the dues to the site office, we re-booked the site for next year and left to join our friends on holiday in Cornwall. We are already looking forward to next year. Has anyone else got a birthday?? Anne Colman

Lytton Lawn. October 7th – 9th. We arrived at about 1.30 on Thursday. We set up & put up our larger awning & enjoyed a nice cup of tea. Friday our first unit arrived at 11.30 & then a steady stream, by 12.45 we had 6 units. A bit of a lull followed which gave us time for a sandwich. By 1.30 we were off again not frantic just steady with gaps in between for some chats. We filled our 20 pitches with the last one coming at 8.05pm. We were surprised at the ratio of motor homes to caravans, the motor homes won with 14 to 6 caravans. We had units from as far as Yorkshire, Devon, Surrey, Leicestershire, Coventry & West Midlands as well as local D.A.'s from Southern Region & South West Region including 4 Dorset's. Saturday started cold, but dry & cloudy, temperature improved & we were able to sit outside in sun for a while. We had another motor home that wanted to join us & as one of yesterdays arrivals had only wanted one night, he took that pitch. By late afternoon we had some showers & temperature dropped much lower than last weekend, perhaps winter has come. After a cold evening we had found it turned warmer in the night & awoke to find Sunday pleasantly mild. After breakfast we set about preparing for coffee morning. The sun came out & it felt quite hot,' whew!' what a relief. We had 22 people that joined us. There were people from so many different parts of the country, we wondered if we had the record for the rally with such a large percent of different D.A.'s represented? 13 D.A.'s out of 21units. It was good having a chance to get to know more people & to learn some names of fellow Dorset's. Quite a few people had enjoyed Shorefield's Club, swimming, sauna etc they said facilities down there were excellent & even better that they had free temporary membership for weekend. Braxton Gardens had seen a number from our rally who all enjoyed it also the tea Rooms. Others had gone by bus to Lymington market. Sylvia passed around some amusing caravan postcards & read out some funny snippets about retired folks, but not before apologising to those who were not of retirement age. It caused some laughs & seemed to go down well. The Chairman's charity was supported at the coffee morning. After general nattering & lots of thanks for a great weekend, we cleared up & enjoyed some more of the hot sun. I take it back, perhaps winter has not come yet. A large black poodle later treated us to a few tricks & dance moves, what a star. After lunch it was pack up time & saying Goodbye to all our new friends. We left at 2.50 with only 5 units left, 3 of which were staying on.
Keith & Sylvia Measday

We enjoyed "Indian Summer" weather at the recent DA FOL held at Birchwood Touring Park in the Wareham Forest. Jim & Mavis were stewards,with Jim siting the vans in his usual efficient manner.   There were 30 units on site by Saturday morning 9 visitors 1 Somerset,  2 Waterside 1 Hants and 21 Dorsets enjoyed the fantastic weather for this time of the year. The lighting up on Saturday evening although small in numbers, just 11 units, were full of imaginative ideas on the theme of "groups/artistes" which gave the judges a very difficult time to decide on the winners.
The eventual winners were "The Monkeys" Stuart & Margaret Wilding, runners up with "Guess the five songs" Keith & Sylvia Measday and with Courtney & Amber clinching the junior section award with "Pink". Other notable entries were "Madonna, Black Lace, Oasis, The Shadows, Wet Wet Wet, Men at Work and The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band some truly excellent displays well done to all. Mulled wine and soup was then served in the nearby barn with a hot dog to follow ably cooked by Nikki & Mike and burnt by Mick. With some music and lots of chat a pleasant evening was enjoyed by all. Flagpole was held on a lovely Sunday morning and then several members led by Gordon went on a beach survey as part of the DA Countyside Care programe. Thanks to all who attended a perfect weekend.

Steward's Report – Westhall Farm, Longburton.
After all the rain we had on Thursday I wasn't expecting to wake up to sunshine on Friday morning. We packed the van and left home at 10:45am and it took us all of 15 minutes to get on site. We managed to get set up and have a cup of coffee in the sun before our first campers arrived just after 12noon. A steady flow of vans arrived throughout the afternoon and it was about 5pm before the sun started to go down and it got a bit too chilly to sit outside and we retired to the van. We managed to eat our evening meal without any interruptions and at 8pm Michael left me in charge and he went over to the pub to join the skittlers. Saturday morning it was a little overcast and we went up to the barn to decorate it ready for the evening get together. The barn has had a small extension built since we were there earlier this year. There is a meet and greet conservatory area leading into the barn and also heated toilets and showers, a much needed improvement. After the 'trick or treaters' had visited the vans we made our way up to the barn and enjoyed a pleasant evening with music, dancing and scary food. The usual fancy dress competitions were held with Jayne winning the adults and as Darren & Lily were the only children in fancy dress they both received a prize. We had the usual flagpole get together on Sunday morning and just managed to get through it before it started to drizzle. We would like to thank those who came to sunny North Dorset for the weekend, especially Peter and Christine who came all the way from Weston-Super-Mare. Hope to see you all at the end of season meet at Sixpenny Handley on Friday 11th November.
Michael & Sue.

The weather was kind to us again for our end of season meet at Sixpenny Handley. With most of the 35 units on site by Friday evening including visitors from NFDA(3) Somersets(3)and Hants(1) and 28 from Dorset, all expertly pitched by stewards Jim & Mavis with help from Jerry.
On Saturday evening we held a dance & american supper in the local village hall. Music was provided by local group "Loose Connections" who proved to be very good and soon got the dance floor buzzing. We all helped to celebrate Keith Measday's 70th birthday and shared the birthday cake,and very nice it was. The american supper was served with with some cans of beer and glasses of "Jim's" home made wine available, always helps to get the night going. Mike & Dawn had organized the raffle with some very good prizes, the star prize going to Rita. Flag pole was held on Sunday at 10.50 to include a two minute silence for remembrance day. Thanks must go to Jim & Mavis for stewarding and thanks to all for a good end of season meet.

This New Years meet was once again held at Dudsbury Guides Camp at Parley Cross. The hall has had a refit with all new double glazed windows and doors and central heating so it was a very cosy venue. Numbers were slightly down on previous years but those who did attend enjoyed a very pleasant time, with all the usual games & quizes etc. Thursday night was taken up with decorating the hall with sandwiches and wine served during the evening. Friday night was quiz night with cheese & wine.
New Year fancy dress theme was "Wild Things" with most people dressed up. A "fish & Chip" supper & wine was enjoyed before we settled down to dance our way into 2012. Breakfast cereals and toast, tea & coffee was available every day in the hall with a "full english" breakfast supplied and prepared by Chris & Sally and helpers on New Years's day, special thanks to them.
Thank you to Terry & Di for stewarding and to all who attended for making it a special weekend.

To follow soon