Fun and farewell to Mandy and Brian 6 March 2012

Mandy

On Tuesday night we said farewell to Mandy and Brian who are moving to the Central Coast. We had lots of fun and laughter and lovely food at the Country Club.

Mandy, Vala and Wendy W

Garry, Geoff and Brian

Record of meeting 7 March 2012

Present; David R, Wendy, Terry, Helene, David C, Mary and welcome to Wendy G Mary’s sister.

News: Mary has done lots of travelling and grandchild care since she was last at our meeting but has been missing the mental stimulation of the group. Wendy G is a devoted wife mother and grandmother. Wendy W’s mum is settled back in the UK. David R’s noisy car is now silent for unknown reasons. David C had his 70 th birthday last week and was given Bunnings and Rivers vouchers by his daughter. Terry’s uncle turned 100 last week and Terry attended the party. Helene is doing some renovations at home.

Thanks to Helene for organising the scrap book for Mandy.

 Word of the day

David C - dirge = first word of a song sung at a funeral. Terry disavowal = denial of knowledge or responsibility. Helene - ardent; fiery, burning, passionate, glowing, zealous.  Mary - oligarchy = from the Greek meaning a few to rule. Wendy G - recidivist = habitual criminal. Wendy W – cumbersome = awkward. David R - bellicose = demonstrating willingness to fight, aggressiveness. Terry - convoluted = extremely complex and difficult to follow.

Quick write from words of the day

Father and son, the demonstrator, blackmail of oligarchy, send the Kiwi’s back, oligarchy in booties, Edi Armin and old black magic and right for the team.

Reading of homework
David C read more of Charlie U and murder at the antique shop. Terry read “Old but cunning” helping 14 feet tall people, dressed in pink ballet shoes. Wendy read her poem about fairies in the garden. David R read about sliding doors and Chernobyl. Helene read a story of robbery in a grocery store.

Afternoon tea - we enjoyed cake left from Mandys farewell from the church with our cup of tea.

Exercise and quick write
David C gave us a quiz on phobias.

Terry spoke about the Book club last night with Miriam Margolyes.

We did a quick write about phobias covering sleep, making a fool of ones self and being afraid of everything.

Homework
Valhalla

Record of meeting 29 February 2012

Present: Garry, Geoff, Mandy, David R, David C, Trish, Helene

Farewell to Mandy (sob, sob): Mandy’s farewell dinner at 6 pm on Tuesday night 6 March at St Georges Basin Country Club - partners welcome.

News: Mandy’s husband is well and looking forward to the move. David C talked about news from the past working in the cotton industry and making banana sandwiches. Trish is into the third month of living in Vincentia walking twice a day and loving it.  Helene's house painting is finished and looks good. Garry’s brother in law turned 73 this week and the family celebrated with a cake. Geoff went to a symphony concert in Sydney and had a horror day with traffic and parking.

Word of the day

Mandy – joyous. Geoff – appertain = relating to or regarding. Garry – infinite = immeasurably great.  Helene - bi-curious = is a term used to refer to people who, while showing some curiosity for a relationship or sexual activity with a person of the sex they do not favor, distinguish themselves from the bisexual label. Trish –truncation = cut short. David C – salient = jumps out at you, conspicuous from the Latin. David R – loquacious = talkative.

Stories from the words of the day

We wrote stories about the convent, motive for murder, joy to the world, a new beginning, lost in the zoo and a sumptuous woman creating bi-curiosity.  

Homework readings

Geoff – wishes for parliament, an independent nation and a new flag. Garry – should have got new glasses. Helene - a poem about a duck, stars and a calendar. Trish – a story of cowboys in the 70s. David C – will do as he is told. David R – the truth and pigs flying. Mandy told a story about being careful what you wish for.

Readings

Geoff – is writing a series of political poems and read out Joanna 1 and 2 about our local member.

Geoff bought in two books to share, Katherine Lomer “Camera obscura” and “If I loved you, I would tell you this” by Robin Black.

Group assets

Mandy reminded the group she still has the lap top and has not heard if she needs to pay for it.

Who has the key to a cupboard in the church containing a digital projector and screen?

Homework

He/she slides back the glass doors of his shop and looks out.

Record of meeting 22 February 2012

Present: Mandy, Wendy, David R, Muriel, Geoff, Leonie, Dave C, Garry

News
Mandy: is ready to make the big move to Chain Valley Bay - contact Mandy for her address. Mandy returned the groups printer and David C is looking after it at present. In addition David R is custodian of our one key.
Murial : visiting for 1st time in 2 years from South Australia – nurse working in a sea shore area.
Geoff: in Sydney for a week – went to a symphony and also attended the funeral of an old friend.
Leonnie: concrete work at the new house and nearly feels like home.
Wendy: got her digital things sorted out for her TV – all done for free.
Garry: good news about his nephew being able to sort out the computer for the internet
David R: swimming this week he saw a seal and another day it was a huge turtle. Wrote a poem about his life – Who Am I
David C: his daughter ran the triathlon and though not first, she did finish and he was at the ‘finish’ line to give her support.

Words of the day
Muriel: popinjay = dandy sort of person
Geoff: astute = perceptive
Leonie: limning = limning limning - iluminating
Garry: Onomatopoeia - used in poetry
Wendy : numinous – spiritual
Dave R: prescient = having knowledge before something before it happens – a prescient warning

We did a 10 minute quick write from words of the day.

Special infromation from Geoff
Nowra School of Arts 10th March 7pm Sydney Brass concert
Bay and Basin Community Centre Sunday 18th March – Gravellier Ensemble 2pm concert

Exercise and quick write
We did a progressive write where each person wrote a sentence then passed it to the next person to add to the story. Always lots of fun.

A quick write: 10 minutes. Observations in a Shopping Centre.

Homework – ‘I wish………’

Record of meeting 15 February 2012

Present: David C, Terry, Leonie, Geoff, Helene, Garry, Wendy, Robyn, David R

News: Leonie is struggling to get garden quotes. Geoff has another letter published, this time about problem gamblers and clubs. Helene is having her house painted and has been in touch with Melissa. Garry told of a young friend in Laos who died in a motor cycle accident. Wendy had a quiet week as her husband can’t speak after an abscess on a tooth. Robyn has been told there may be additional costs for her new home to meet fire rating requirements. David R has had an abscess on his tooth while has caused a hearing loss. David R read a poem of St Valentines Day. David C's daughter coming down to JB for the Tri-athalon this weekend. Terry’s uncle turns 100 soon and played first class cricket and is being recognised for his contribution.


Word of the day Terry sophisticated – experienced in wordly ways, artificial lacking in natural simplicity. Sophis – misleading. Leonie – lithe – supple Geoff - redolent = fragrant and redound = to have an effect or result which can be good or bad. Helene - Elegance pleasing or graceful in dress. Garry sad = seasonal affective disorder and thugocracy = a system of govt which follows no principles and allows inept. Wendy Oxymoron = a smart saying which at first hearing seems ridiculous contains two apparently contradictory ideas eg living dead, military intelligence, found missing. Robyn Panache = French for helmet. David R - enclave = portion of territory comes from French enclosed or dovetailed. David C faineant = an idler, time waster.

Quick write from words of the day

Gary – military intelligence in an enclave. Geoff a perfumed enclave. Leonie – the city as an oxymoron. Terry – attacked the words of the day choices in a Scottish poem. David C – Juliana’s life in Sicily. David R – the pole dancing couple in a strip joint. Robyn – leaving the football. Wendy – a funny poem.

Homework readings

David R – wreck of a nation – a political poem. Robyn – Louise an artist who art takes a different track. Wendy – a perfect poem about a perfect person. Garry – Once upon a time near the Limpopo River in Africa recognition of animals and the writers group. Helene – a poem Geoff – handed out a list of ranks in English peerage. Leonie – Gerald in delirium waiting for Madeline. Terry – recognition based on knowledge and experiences around Australia. David C – microchip in the brain a foolproof system of recognition.

Garry told us about a site www.saveonbrands.com.au which offers brand named products priced at $1 each. The site is down at present because of a huge interest but will reopen on 4 April 2012.

Activity
Geoff read a few pages from his novel set in Japan – the cricket game. Wendy read some of Ogden Nash poems.

We did a circular write which gave us lots of laughs.

Homework - The light house

Record of meeting 8 February 2012

News: David C no news is good news. Trish been decorating and walking the dog by the sea. Helene quiet at home and has been to Canberra. Leonie has been to the National Gallery in Canberra and enjoyed the sculpture garden. Geoff had a letter published in the Financial Review responding to John Howards letter about the film The Iron Lady. Garry had an interesting experience on the train and was offloaded on a bus which did not meet the train so missed the bus to the Basin along with a number of other people David R suggested use of the RTA trip planner to avoid problems. Robyn had no news. Wendy’s daughter in law sees the oncologist in Queensland this week. Terry’s grandson who just started school was disappointed there was no school on Saturday. David R wrote a poem Arimez containing many made up words.

Word of the day
Garry neurological = study of the nerves. Robyn silhouette = an outline uniformly filled in with black like a shadow. Wendy propinquity = in proximity, kinship. Terry foment = to promote and encourage trouble. David R - surreptitious = kept secret and expatiate = to speak or write at length. David C – boletic = fungus or like a mushroom. Trish salacious = obsession with sex. Helene - Thought generally refers to any mental or intellectual activity involving an individual's subjective conspicuousness. Leonie - uncouth = second meaning not known or unknown. Geoff lapidary = pared down or polished and lusaphone (from Lusitanian) speakers of Portuguese.

Quick write from words of the day
Leonie – couples in close proximity. Geoff – Uncouth Irish royalty. Garry – the difficult patient. Robyn – A boletic personality. Wendy – My husband. Terry – a hero in yellow briefs. David R silhouette in a tent. David C – the prose writer. Helene – What is a thought?

Homework readings
Robyn – Gerry a well dressed mystery man the smuggler. Wendy – a funny poem born in Fectious a terrible town. Terry – two poems one on mosquitoes and the second the billy cart mission. David R a poem on the car race very adroit and a poem about a woman with an infectious smile. David C – the letter from Egypt an epiphany. Trish – don’t kiss on Valentines Day. Helene – a very short poem about infectious smiles and laughter. Leonie – Madeline is forced to leave the infectious joy of London. Garry – the stimulation of the writers group, infectious enthusiasm and change yes we can, I have a dream.

Readings
Trish – The hairdresser with a bright idea on Monday hangover day. David R spoke about Ernest Hemingway's life and writing.

Office bearers
Robyn explained the requirements of the IMB to change office holders which will be required after the expected departures of Mandy and Robyn from the group.

Homework

Recognition - see what you can make out of that.

Record of meeting 1 February 2012

Present: David R, Robyn, Dave C, Geoff, Leonie, Wendy, Garry

News
Garry – cousin visited and told about the ‘family tree’
Wendy – no good news but things are okay
David R – swimming, running – all is good.
Robyn – showed the plans for her new house and spoke of the benefits, which are fantastic, at the ‘village’.
Geoff – went to Sydney for a CD release/launch ‘concert' – music was wonderful. The pianist was Ambre Hammond and the bandolean player Marcelo Maio (Argentinian).
David C – daughter news – all are well and good
Leonie – had quotes for the garden in the new house but plans keep changing to fit the needs of her husband but fortunately it is not a big block

Words of the Day
Wendy – paraphernalia – personal articles reserved by law for a married woman – all your personal things.
Garry – Prognostication - A statement about or prior knowledge of the future.
David – pragmatic – dealing with things realistically and practical ways.
Leonie – droll = queer or old – quaintly amusing,
Robyn = misocapnist
misocapnist 1. A person who hates smoking or the smell of tobacco smoke. 2. A reference to anyone who hates tobacco smoke in any form.
Geoff = apposite = appropriate/suitable
1. Strikingly appropriate and relevant.
David C – onerous = on·er·ous ( n r- s, n r-). adj. 1. Troublesome or oppressive; burdensome.

Quick Write – 15 minutes because of complexity of the words of the day.

David C – story of a woman who had been murdered
Geoff – a story of his son’s marriage and his matriarchal wife.
Leonie – continuation of an old story of Madelaine.
Garry - Isn’t this year flying by so quickly?
Wendy – a great little poem
David R – a fun poem
Robyn – a short story but good.

HOMEWORK - an ‘enlightening’ moment
Garry – first solo landing.
David R – another great poem– a ‘brain implosion’
Robyn – a good story – at the supermarket – 10% discount.
David C – The Letter – grandparents – shock and sadness – finding an ‘old’ letter sent from the battlefields of Egypt.
Geoff – read one of his poems Brief Transcendence.
Sharing of writings and poems
Geoff shared a few pages from his story that he has been writing.
A poem shared by Garry that he received through the internet
General discussion –
An interesting discussion about the ‘benefits’ of the Writers group – how it is a ‘positive’ influence on members.
There was enough time left to do an activity.

A 5 minute quick write on ‘A bad hair day' was fun

Homework due 8 February 2012
Infectious – (the word can be used in any way you want to write about it.)