Minutes of the Elevenses and Poohsticks Meeting of the Pembroke College Winnie-the-Pooh Society

Held in S15 and on a bridge over the Cam (or Granta) on 14th February 1998

Present: Andrew, Jenny, Rob, Stephen, Alison, Tony, Sandy, Vicky (briefly), Michael, Yasmin, Yasmin’s brother

Apologies: Sibylle, Kirsten, Anthony

Minuted by Andrew (first meeting as secretary!)


  1. The meeting is declared open by Andrew as Ben is somewhere between Bristol and Cambridge.

  2. Vote to go and play Poohsticks because it’s such a nice day
    Unanimous

  3. Rob reads last week’s AGM minutes.

  4. Rob proposes that Alison pours the tea
    Unanimous

  5. Alison - “who wants milk?”
    Unanimous

  6. Vote to censure David Henderson for destroying a PBAM poster
    Unanimous

  7. Yet again, David Henderson has been mentioned.

  8. PBAM posters are discussed. Will “Pooh Awareness” be something for the weekend, or the whole week?

  9. The rules of Poohsticks are read by Tony.

  10. Vote that we generally agree with the rules read by Tony
    F5 A1 Ab1

  11. There is a reading of “Summer Afternoon” by Rob, as it is a very summery afternoon, even though it if February.

  12. “King’s Breakfast” is read by Jenny.

  13. The door to the room is stood open. A passing first year glances along through the door, then runs away.

  14. “Stephen only wears a T-shirt when it is cold”

  15. We set off to play Poohsticks.

  16. Outside the junior parlour we meet David Henderson.

  17. We meet Michael Alexander-formerly-Skinner, who joins us.

  18. We meet Yasmin and her brother, who have DONUTS!

  19. Stephen reports the discovery of a large number of eggs in a phone box on Barton Road. I can confirm that they are there.

  20. We meet Tanya Fox, of Catz, by the river. Some of us discuss arrangements for a party later today.

  21. Alison tells us she did not exist till half way through the second term

  22. “Why are you recording our conversations?” Michael asks the secretary.

  23. We pass various couples gazing into each others eyes along the river banks. We also find a “mass orgy of punts” as Rob puts it. Sibylle should be here, it sounds like her sort of thing.

  24. We arrive at the bridge, and begin to collect sticks.

  25. Warm-up games of Poohsticks are played. Stephen wins both games.

  26. Rob throws a stick at a duck.

  27. Alison wins at Poohsticks.

  28. Rob tells Andrew that he’s stood on Rob’s weaponry. Annalies won’t like that...

  29. A blind man goes past, and Rob suggests we use his white stick as a Poohstick. That’s not very friendly.

  30. Alison and Michael win at Poohsticks.

  31. A dog called Fudge stops to watch us.

  32. Donuts break?
    F9 A1 Ab0
    We eat the donuts.

  33. Photographs of the game are taken, by Andrew. Rob also took some.

  34. Vote to thank Yasmin for the “lovely donuts”.
    Unanimous

  35. We eventually leave, and discuss unfeasibly large Poohsticks. Suggestions as to how we could drop what sounds like most of the Hundred Acre Wood off a bridge are discussed.

  36. We can’t see our sticks further down stream, and we contemplate one of the mysteries of life... just where do all the Poohsticks go?

  37. We decide that ducks must eat them, but this sounds a little unlikely.

  38. We work out ways of playing cross-channel Poohsticks, but decide that it would probably not work.

  39. Tanya and friends appear to have turned into as pile of (sadly empty) beer glasses. “Isn’t that what always happens?” asks Stephen. Luckily (?) Tanya and Co. had recovered by the time of the evening’s party.

  40. On arrival at S15, Alison makes pigeon noises. Well, it’s better than “being blatant with Brian” again, as she was just before the meeting.

  41. mmmmmmmmm is generally said by all, for no obvious reason

  42. “Who ate all the pink biscuits?”. Jenny is initially blamed, but denies (almost) everything.

  43. 16/3 = 4, announces Rob.

  44. The reading “In which Pooh invents a new game and Eeyore joins in”.

  45. Vicky arrives. We ask why she has been so retarded, apparently she has been in the mental faculty.

  46. The gender of dogs is discussed, with particular reference to Fudge

  47. Vicky talks about moths’ genitalia. What ever turns you on, I suppose...

  48. Vicky and Yasmin apologise for next week.

  49. Next week’s meeting to be in N1a, Pembroke College.

  50. Vote to “let Ben get on with Pooh Awareness Week(end)”.
    F6 A2 Ab2

  51. A vote to close is passed.


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©The Pembroke College Winnie-The-Pooh Society 1998.

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