Record of meeting 19 December 2012

Present

Jo, Leonie, Garry, Trish, David R, Helene, Geoff, Wendy, Terry, Mary, Cath

We started at 12 noon with our home baked Christmas lunch and played musical chairs to share the cool air.

 

News

Terry – told us about an item in the Senior News on Centrelink's supply computers for $300. Mary went to carols by candlelight in Nowra. Cath fixed her wobbly desk and decorated her outdoor pine tree. Jo got her electricity bill and is thinking about changing providers; she also had old letters returned to her. David R got a Xmas card from a family member he had not heard from for 15 years. Garry was taken to hospital on Sunday by ambulance and was treated very quickly. Trish gave advice when seeking treatment in hospital to get into a wheel chair to get treatment quickly. Leonie went to Canberra yesterday to the Gallery and saw works by Toulouse Lautrec. Helene had a week of pleasant meals out. Geoff worked at the Nowra School of Arts concert and it was a good event. Wendy went to a Christmas party at the Postman’s Tavern.

 

Words of the day

Premise = presuming to be true

Pimp = to pander

Dissemble = to retreat eg politician from a promise

Incipient = in the early stages

Bombastic = pompous, overbearing

Decoined = remove from popular use

Insanity = doing the same thing and expecting a different result

Reindeer = a Christmas animal

Nonpareil = without equal, small printing type

Apt = inclined, tendency

Resurrection = revival after disuse

 

Stories from words of the day

David – A generous Panda and money rolls in fine. Jo – A Christmas fairy a black Christmas tale. Cath – No use for reindeer. Mary – Reindeer want work-cover. Terry – he wanted to be a reindeer. Wendy – tried to decoin Christmas – a very funny but black Christmas poem. Geoff – economic policy. Leonie – the street drenched in Christmas lights. Helene – Ms Clause.  Trish – working in Darlinghurst true or not. Garry – Santas little helper.

 

Reading of homework

Helene – a very twisted Christmas. Trish – "If" is a strange word.  Garry –the Xmas ball. David R – Christmas is for children. Jo – Frogy come on for a nice walk. Cath told a story of her Christmas in the Philippines. Mary – a real beach Christmas delight. Terry – the crime and the Santa bike ride. Wendy – Bah Humbug and the Boxing day sales. Leonie – Father Christmas is getting tired – time for Father Christmas of the South - a great Australian story

 

Homework due 9 January 2013 – first meeting of the new year

New year’s resolutions or any other resolutions.

 

Merry Christmas and happy 2013 to all members and families

 

 

Record of meeting 12 December 2012

Present

Geoff, Leonie, Garry, David R, Helene, Wendy, Terry, Mary, Jo, Cath

 

News

Geoff had a quiet week and has been organising a Christmas concert at the Nowra School of Arts at 2 pm Saturday. Cath went on the ferry down Currumbeen Creek for details see www.huskieferry.com

 Jo has been busy writing letters. Mary will have her family Christmas pudding stir on Saturday and mentioned an exhibition of a family member at the Lady Denman Museum. Terry has been busy with school speech nights and has been away. Wendy has been to Queensland for the funeral of her daughter in law who was an organ donor. Helene sang carols at Huskisson Santa bike ride last week. David R went on a boat eco tour of the bay and it really moved. Garry had a horrible senior moment and washed his phone. He was given advice how to dry out the phone and perhaps pick up TV stations. Leonie almost got a little dog.

 

Words of the day

Doyenne = senior member of a group

Skylarking = a bird who sings while it soars, frolicking, horseplay

Excoriate = to censure, denounce

Guff = trivial, worthless talk or idea

Exulted = show or feel elation or jubilation especially as the result of success

Wrest = to forcibly to remove and a key to tune a harp

Plenary = complete or entire, attended by all members

Pietism = exaggerated piety, deep devotion to God or religion

Precise = exact

Demeanour = behaviour, bearing

Forlorn = sad or forsaken

Piffle = rubbish

Footling = trivial

 

Writing from words of the day

 Doyenne of trivia. The harbour master – brilliant descriptive story. The country club. Skylarking is good. Society. The fashion industry. The goats go for lawn. The verdict. Behind her back. The Cardinal – great social comment.

 

Reading of homework

Two letters side by side - a great poem by Terry. Fifi - a funny Christmas story by Helene. Enchanted life and Knows all the answers by David R. It came from Babylon by Garry. The concept of If and if I were you by Leonie. Put up with it - I am invisible by Jo.

 

Words, sentences and reading

New word from Geoff – wateria – from the River Murray

The kitchen was warm and smelt like crumpets - Leonie

Wishful thinking – David R

Congratulations to Melissa Ehrhardt on her song writing award

Discussion on Christmas

 

Homework

 

A traditional Christmas or Christmas with a twist.

 

Important

 

Next meeting bring food for lunch at 12 noon Wednesday 19 December 2012

 

 

Christmas lunch 5 December 2012

Present

Garry, Cath, Helene, Trish, David R, Terry, Geoff, David C, Leonie, Mary

News

We had a lovely lunch and great company at Mels Place.

David C tried to make us do an exercise but we were too busy laughing. David C and Leonie left before the photographer remembered to take the picture.

Next meetings

12 and 19 December and back after Christmas on 9 January 2013.

Record of meeting 28 November 2012

Present

Jo, Leonie, Geoff, David R, Wendy, Helene, Cath, Trish

News

Helene was the first person to buy Melissa’s song “Welcome to Dumpsville - population you”. Wendy’s going to see “Goodbye Mrs Markham”. Cath has done all her Christmas shopping. Trish has joined the Sing Australia choir and wants everyone else to join. Leonie was moved by the song by Guy Sebastian “If you could see their faces”. Geoff accidentally met up with his son in Sydney. David R bought cheap fuel at Wandandian and his car is still working.

 

Words of the day

Lexical = words or vocabulary of a language

Vapid = flat or dull

Sate = gorge

Absquatulate = decamp

Ahimsa (Sanskrit) = to do no harm to living things

Salient = initial stage, conspicuous, line of attack, in a leaping position

Relent = to pull back, to give up harsh intention

Awry = away from appropriate, amiss

Writing from words of day

Humidity, Playing with the English language, The medical profession, The group meeting, Lexy has spikes on his sandshoes. What’s in a name? Do not kick the cat, The library

Reading of homework

The girl of his dreams, Madeline behaving badly, Oh purple one – an excellent poem by Jo, The Alaskan pipe line, The bullies at the circus, My man, The Finders Keepers Detective Agency, Finders weepers, The brainwave.

Poems

Geoff suggests we have a look at the Kitchen table poet’s website.

David R has written over 600 poems and read two of his poems on global warming and the ocean.

Geoff recommended the writing by Joyce Carol Oates.

Helene discussed “Room” by Emma Donohue about a boy who spends the first five years of his life in a room and his adjustment to the outside world.

 

Quick write topic – Never to old to learn

In 10 minutes we produced some great stories on How to knit a woolen jumper, On being old, Never too old, Never to old to earn, See me on the TV, The man of La Mancha.

Homework

If

Christmas lunch

Don’t forget 12:30 at Mel’s next week – Wendy will bring the cheque book.

 

 

 

 

 

Record of meeting 21 November 2012

Present

Jo, Geoff, Helene, Terry, Cathy, Leonie, Trish and welcome back to David C

 

News

We are fortunate to have David C return to the group after his gory and glorious battle with Sweets Syndrome in hospital. Trish went to see the Bogan movie "Housos versus Authority". Helene gave blood on Tuesday. Terry talked about Tom Hank’s father who was in the Diamonds.  Cath’s pineapple is nearly ripe, her Mexican garlic has grown and she bought in a book in to share. Leonie has progress in her garden thanks to her physiotherapist and following the exercises.  Jo’s son bought her a Laptop but it blew a fuse. Geoff had his foot operation, thanks to Terry for help with transport. Geoff is feeling much better and now wears a surgical glove on his foot in the shower.

Words of the day

Stochastic = random and unpredictable.

Paramour = a lover especially one in an adulterous relationship

Tarantella = a number of different Italian folk dances

Fungible = interchangeable

Trepidation = fearful of the unknown

Reprise = rent paid yearly, a resumption, a deduction from a payment, a renewal, a new attack in fencing

Dastardly = cowardly and malicious

Exuberant = luxuriantly prolific, overflowing with good spirits

Iterate = to repeat, to rehearse

 

Writing from words of the day

Cath – Lost happiness

Leonie – Her friend’s husband

Trish – Need a strong heel

Jo – the witch hunt

David C – the cherry

Geoff – the plot

Helene – the writing group

Terry – Marmaduke

 

Reading of homework

Garry – toilet leaves

David C – downsizing

Geoff – the Australian federation

Helene – Can’t stop

Terry – How do they think?

Cath – Chewing gum

Leonie – Yellow ducky

Trish – a day at the races

Jo – In the dishwater

 

Exercise

We took on the challenge to write a short story from a chosen quote and came up with a variety of interesting stories

 Leonie – an emergency

Cath – the explosion

Terry – Grown up

Helene – Tarago pub

Geoff – The real history

David C – How did I get here?

Jo – Notify who?

Trish – Washing up

 

Homework

Finders keepers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record of meeting 14 November 2012

Present at Café Overboard Ulladulla

David R, Garry, Cath, Jo, Robyn, Wendy W, Helene, Terry, Trish, Di

 

News

 David R had a wonderful time with his sister and niece who have been visiting – saw a total of eight whales with calves. Garry was diagnosed with Diabetes type 2. Cath has re-organised her garage. Jo had great service from the Glebe Morgue. Robyn had no hospital visits. Wendy W went to Canberra and had a nice day visiting her sister. Helene had her grandson visiting for a week. Terry’s daughter has a clean bill of health. Trish had her daughter visit on the weekend.

Words of the day

 Paradoxical = seemingly absurd or self-contradictory

Eviscerate = disembowel

Wamble = disgust, nauseate, walk unsteadily, vacillate

Decrepit = enfeebled by age or infirmity

Precocious = matured or developed too early

Chicanery = skull duggery, hanky panky, tricky

Venial = minor or easily excused

Flagrant = openly outrageous

Fragmentary = consisting of small parts

 

Writing from words of the day

 

The law and the nursing home. The sticky beak. That old man. Green Chicken curry. The ICAC investigation. The pirate. Thoughts of a hyena. Thoughts in noise. Youths in venial sin. Venial actions.

Reading of homework

A day at the Bong Bong picnic races. Mr Laisez Fair. Prince Lucky Mole and the mouse. Joining the Guides. The street man. Following the example. Caring for a boy cannot show he cares.

 

Readings

Terry - Nice tatts

David R - his great grandfather’s poem – Ode to the McLean river

David R – Beryl the whale single mother

David R – The Upper reaches

 

Homework

A brilliant idea

 

Thanks to Di and Steve for their hospitality at Café Overboard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record of meeting 7 November 2012

Present

Cathy, Leonie, Jo, Wendy, Gary, Geoff, Helene

 

News

Wendy: Went camping in Nowra - 30 bikes - good time, got flu, stiff neck.

Cath: Bought grass and painted shelves.

Jo: Didn't get to Trish's Melbourne Cup Day, although she was there.

Leonie: Went to Trish's got third prize.

Gary: Went to Seniors for lunch Cup day, good food provided. Got the winner, gave the ticket away.

Geoff: Went to Sydney Men's Choir, Entertainment Centre - good crowd - his son was in USA floods, cons. no sight-seeing.

Helene: Picked up her grandson for a week's visit.

 

Words of the Day

acrimonious: bitterness or sharp in tone.

reconstruct: build up

palimpsest: a vellum that is re-written over but originals still observable.

revivify: memory - re-live - recreate - reanimate.

camouflage: blending in - use to conceal.

intricate: complex, complicated, obscure.

fracas: noisy, quarrelsome.

 

Writing using words of the day

Wendy: Found an old book - cave talk - riddle must be solved a great poem

Cath: Two Paras. 2 tales, Tautly written in newspaper style.

Jo: Princess Zia - spoilt - 11th century story.

Leonie: Legal things - words of Law, annoying.

Gary: Broome - huge building project in Aboriginal land, not wanted therefore. Peace in our time!

Geoff: US election - acrimony - goodwill and negotiation on all issues needed.

Helene: Camilla in a Museum - helicopter in old book.

 

Homework - A scary stranger

Helene: Walking home alone at night - followed by car - wait and see what happens.

Cath: Tony waiting for bus. Going to movies. Has audition for play, as a scary stranger.

Jo: A strange man poem. Has ideas for her at midnight.

Leonie: Memory of car crash. Wandering. Has every problem one can have. Gets a job to save herself but is mainly on night shift.

Gary: Fairy story continued - Luckymole - cockroaches beware.

 

A Quick Write - Desperate Measures

Gary: A Storm at sea – the captain prayed.

Geoff: ATM's versus bank hours. The former rush for cash no longer exists on Fridays.

Helene: Marina, doesn't like Melbourne. She tells her boss she has an exotic disease which will kill her if she goes to Melbourne.

Wendy: Poem: Happy and contented with a rich, blind man and his dog.

Cath: Eugene, why? What's it all about?

Jo: The hole in the ground.

Leonie: Keeping relatives alive - let things happen when they will.

 

Other news

In the break Jo handed around an interesting family tree sheet, showing how young our country really is as most of the people on the sheet lived to a good age. Aboriginal forebears were included.

We enjoyed lots of conversation about little-known types of community life in different countries, new road rules in NSW and Iview.

We will all be at the cafe in Ulladulla next week, a few of us being ferried.

Poetry reading Friday night 6 pm Arts Centre Nowra and Saturday morning Poetry workshop – info on line on Arts in Shoalhaven

 

Homework

Who cares?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record of meeting 31 October 2012

Present

Leonie, Jo, Garry, David R, Helene, Wendy W, Geoff, Cath

 

News

Geoff has returned from the wedding of his second son in England and his other son is in New York. Cath’s grandson and wife went on a whale watch cruise and both were sick. Jo had a nasty phone call. Leonie didn’t do homework but entered a competition and loved the topic. Garry went to play Euchre on Tuesday and had a great time and will keep going back. David R had a lovely swim this morning. Helene enjoyed walking on the beach on the weekend. Wendy is going camping at Tarara near Nowra with her bikie friends.

The group decided to continue with our plans to meet in Ulladulla on 14 November meeting - Helene to organise.

 

Words of the day

Mongrel = a mixed breed or kind of dog or person not of pure race.

Incendiary = inflammatory, malicious setting of fire

Promethean = from the Greek god suffering for good

Heterodox = not confirming with orthodox standards or beliefs

Neurogenesis = the process of birthing new connection in the brain (from the book Retraining the brain Dr Frank Lawlis)

Paradox = statement that could be true but might not be true

Adduce = to argue based on your own belief, proof or instance

Smug = complacent and self satisfied

 

Writing from words of the day

 Helene – Paradox

Wendy – terrorist kid next door

Geoff – the debate

Cath – politics

Jo – the brothers

Leonie – something new

Garry – a smug look

David R – the receptionist

 

Homework

Garry – Brown paper bags, footballs and coconuts and pig tattoos – very imaginative.

David R – Indelible memories a thoughtful poem

Wendy W – Take me as I am – a funny poem about body enhancements

 

Geoff – in transit in the Sheiks building Dubai 

Cath – turn off the beer keg

Jo – Finding a sister after an accident – a great description

 

Poetry news

Peter Porter poetry prize $4,000 – look it up on the net.

Poetry reading in Nowra Friday 9 November – details in the Register.

 

Exercise

We wrote super short stories in 50 words or less. The topics included Take it easy. Dancing. Going to the mountains. Wish I was with Do Do. Old bloke. Watery grave.  End of romance. Cool water. Lazarus rose. One who won. Too late.

We also wrote and told embarrassing stories about My neighbour, The rug, A strong wind, No light, Elastic, Broken couch, Falling off the bike and Falling off a horse.

 

Homework

Write about a scary stranger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record of meeting 24 October 2012

Present

David R, Jo, Wendy W, Helene, Garry, Leonie, David C, Cath, Robyn

 

News

Today Garry had a diabetes test and met an interesting woman. He also enjoyed his dog sit of Jaffa near Braidwood. Leonie has returned from a nice visit with her mother. Jo has tangled with the bank over her son’s account suggested we look at class action banks on the net. Robyn’s husband Joe has been home for a week without going to hospital. David C and wife drove down Holden Street and paddled their kayaks to Moona Moona Creek ended up in the water and walked back to the car. Cath had a wasp building a home on her garbage bin and went to a digital camera workshop. Wendy W planted her vege garden etc. Helene had a battle with a tick. David R has also been working in the garden.

 

Words of the day

Garry – defenestrate = to throw out the window

Leonie – razzia = a hostile incursion or pillage

Jo – apache = a violent lawless hoodlum

Robyn – precocious = advanced

David C - Brogue = accent of the Irish/Scottish and a shoe made out of one piece of leather

Cath -congruent = harmonious agreement

Wendy W – insouciant = carefree, nonchalant

Helene - Chauvinism = irrational belief that ones own country, race, group, or sex is superior

David R – anachronism = belonging to another period

 

Writing from words of the day

Wendy – I don’t care. Cath – the next battle. David C – the upstart. Robyn – head dress. Jo – successful mission. Leonie – beaten by brogues. Garry – don’t touch the Abbott. David R – Razzia the racehorse – a great poem. 

 

Reading of homework

David C – Jeremy’s winter adventure – a mountain change a funny story. Helene – lunch and breakfast. David R – Family Christmas dinner with feudadynamics. Garry told us the story of how we got picnics and make up. Leonie – the next generation organising an event with love and affection. Jo – no family meals here. Robyn – a picnic and surprises for the family.

Meeting at Café Overboard Ulladulla Wednesday 14 October 2012

David C to organise the meeting on Wednesday 14 November 2012 at Café Overboard. Plan is to leave the church at 12:30 pm and be back by 4 pm. Helene to give an updated email list to David and David will send an email to all on the list.

 

Reading

Wendy W read her children’s poem “George and Barry” very cute.

David R read letters to the Argus newspaper from two Rudder brothers who had served in the Boer War.

 

Exercise

We did a progressive write using words that sound the same.

 

Homework

Write about a tattoo.