I'm thoroughly undisciplined and have done nothing for ages. And now I think I'm going to have to put Romanian on the backburner.
Clare's just organised a holiday to us in Lapland. We went last year and loved it. But we also felt very ignorant, so I need to learn the basics of Finnish. I have my Complete Finnish and I have my Asterix, so they're taking precedence.
Mind you, at least this blog has served its purpose in showing you what a language log should be like. Fingers crossed you have more success than I did

Kate Hall
1924—2016
With great sadness we confirm that Kate Hall, one of our friends for many years and honorary member of UEA, passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 92 on Monday the 14th of November 2016, after a long period of illness.
Kate learned Esperanto in 1973 and made numerous contributions over the years, including working as the secretary-treasurer of the Norwich Jubilee Esperanto Foundation from 1986 to 2005, and editing La Afrika Reto, a periodical for African Esperantists interested in literary composition.
A memorial service for Kate will take place on Saturday, December 17th at St. Clements, Headington, Oxford at 14:30. Esperantists are very welcome, though please let EAB know beforehand if you're planning to attend, so that we can make the family aware of numbers.
Kun trista bedaŭro ni konfirmas, ke Kate Hall ('Katalina Halo'), nia longdaŭra amikino kaj honora membro de UEA, pace forpasis dumdorme en la aĝo de 92 jaroj lundon la 14a de Novembro 2016, post longa malsanado.
Kate eklernis Esperanton en 1973 kaj plurmaniere al ĝi kontribuis, inkluzive de sia voluntula laboro kiel sekretario-kasisto de la Norviĉa Jubilea Esperanto-Fondaĵo de 1986 ĝis 2005, kaj redaktado de La Afrika Reto, publikaĵo por Esperantistoj Afrikaj, kiuj interesiĝas pri literatura komponado.
Memoriga servo por Kate okazos sabaton la 17a de Decembro ĉe St. Clements, Headington, Oxford je la 14:30. Esperantistoj bonvenas, kvankam ni petas unue informu EAB se vi planas ĉeesti por ke ni sciigu la familianojn pri nombroj.
Tim Owen—Esperanto-Asocio de Britio

EAB's 39th Annual General Meeting was held on 20th March 2016 at The Gateway Conference Centre, Liverpool. The meeting was chaired by (Honorary Secretary) Tim Owen at the request of the outgoing President Paul Gubbins and the Vice-President Edmund Grimley-Evans, neither of whom were able to attend in person.
The minutes of the previous AGM [in Brighton, April 2015], the Trustees' Report [for year ending October 2015] and Financial Report [for year ending October 2015] were presented.
The proposals to receive the minutes of the previous AGM, to re-appoint the current independent examiner, and to leave the [voting member] subscription rates unchanged, were all approved.
Various suggestions and comments were received from the members present. Topics discussed included the option of spending money on resorces to manage/organise the Butler library; recuritment of new trustees; the drawing power of combined events e.g. Buchanan Masterclass with British Congress; forthcoming EAB courses and events; EAB will refund KER examination fees for (up to) ten successful exam-takers at the June KER session in London organised by Renato Corsetti; the NoJEF trustees are considering options for merging administration activities with those of EAB (subject to further legal advice).
Ed Robertson announced that the 2017 British Esperanto Congress will be a joint venture with the 2017 Scottish Congress, to be held in Edinburgh in the second half of May 2017 (the precise date still To Be Confirmed).
The votes for the ManCom* were counted by Viv O'Dunne.
[* ManCom= Management Committee, and Trustees of the Association]
Ian Carter, Edmund Grimley Evans, Clare Hunter, Tim Owen, Ed Robertson were elected as trustees.
NAME OF CANDIDATE - FOR - AGAINST - ABSTAIN
Ian Carter - 52 - 4 - 4
Edmund Grimley Evans - 56 - 1 - 3
Clare Hunter - 57 - 3 - 0
Tim Owen - 55 - 4 - 1
Ed Robertson - 57 - 3 - 2
Ian Carter was the sole candidate for president of the Association, and so became the new president.

Esperanto-Asocio de Britio donacis al Fonduso Canuto la sumon 280€, post helpo de partoprenantoj ĉe la Brita Kongreso en Brighton.
Por helpi al novuloj babili kun homoj pli spertaj la gastiganto, Tim Owen, aranĝis leĝeran kvizon je la unua vespero. La nuanco estis, ke kontraŭ ĉiu poento amasita de la gajnonta skipo, EAB donacos 20€ al Fonduso Canuto.
Tri teamoj egale ĝuste respondis al 13 el la 15 demandoj, kaj post kiam juna unuafojulo pli rapide respondis al la decidiga plia demando, la ĝoja rezulto estis, ke 280€ iros de EAB, por ebligi, ke pluraj homoj en nepagipovaj landoj membriĝu en UEA.

Mossley Village Hall was filled to bursting when family and friends of Paul Gubbins met to celebrate the life of an extraordinary and much loved man on 19th August 2016.
Twelve Esperantists attended. Tim Owen spoke of Paul's early days as an Esperantist, when Bill Auld and Marjorie Boulton were his Esperanto 'Auntie and Uncle', and of how he eventually took over as editor of La Brita Esperantisto from Bill, and Somera Festivalo from Marjorie.
Paul's daughter Jill, also an Esperantist, told of the great times they'd had together meeting people from all over the world at Universalaj Kongresoj.
An aria from Gilbert and Sullivan's opera Princess Ida, a reading of 'Albert and the Lion', an excerpt from Paul playing with the local U3A jazz group and Aker Bilk playing 'Stranger on the Shore' were reminders of his varied interests.
Friends payed tribute to Paul's kindness and jollity, his love of cats and frogs and railways, his astonishing intellect and memory. Cuttings around the walls attested to the grief felt by staff and students atStaffordshire University. 'He was a legendary lecturer in Media Law', one wrote.
Paul's portrait on the programme for the afternoon showed him smiling as usual, and referred to him as 'the jolly one with the beard'.
 
 

Paul and grandson Edward

A commemorative wreath in the shape of Esperanto's green five-pointed star.
Paul Gubbins, 8th November 1949 - 6th August 2016
Joyce Bunting