Maldon is fortunate to have 4 branches of the U3A meeting in and around the town. This afternoon I went to the hall at Wickham Bishops to talk to a good number from this branch for their first meeting since Christmas.
They are a very active group with as diverse a range of activities as I have encountered over several years of talking to these groups.
I’m always pleased to see so many men in the audience as so often speaker secretaries exclude me from mixed groups, wrongly believing that only women will find my talks interesting.
Despite a fleeting contretemps with a member of the quilting group, who also meet in the hall, they were very welcoming and friendly; domestic politics regarding the parking space reserved for the speaker and I was piggy in the middle.
Lots of interest in my tutu and afterwards I was asked the meaning of the word “Tutu” . I chose to say I didn’t know. Apparently the word was not recorded before 1881 but there are conflicting stories of the origins. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the origins as “Early 20th century: from French, child’s alteration of cucu, informal diminutive of cul ‘buttocks’. ” As does Larousse. Others suggest that it stems from the construction of the underpart of garments worn by dancers in the 19th century and what was shockingly deemed to be on display. However, other sources say it stems from the material used in its construction. “Tulle.” I’m not an expert and I don’t know was probably the best answer.
I was asked to give another talk by a member of the audience who was happy to take my details and will contact me in due course.