Meeting 16th January 2013

Attendees

Wendy, Terry, Cath, Jo, Leonie, Garry, Geoff, David C, David R.

News

David R gave an amazing report on when he was swimming from Orion Beach he saw dolphins teaching the young ones how to breathe by flipping them into the air. He also told us how a pod of dolphins had kept a kangaroo afloat until it was rescued by a girl in a kayak and brought to shore.

Leonie had an amazing story of how when her mum was going to send a quilt that the ‘sender’ sent a photo to show their address and in the photo sent was Leonie’s father who had passed away some years ago – amazing.

Geoff had been off the road for 2 weeks with a radiator problem

Jo – another amazing story for today – she had, Googled, ‘sandshoes’ and had a link to the Kingsgrove Slasher. When she tried to go to the link she got a message, ‘Protected Site’ and couldn’t get in.

Cath went to Vincentia High to support the school garden and brought some tomatoes to share today

Terry shared about how his research was going for his new novel – a bit scary!!!

Wendy told us getting new spectacles.

Garry reported on another health problem

David C told us the progress with his medical situation and also invited us to attend a gig he is involved with: a Bush band

Coastal Waters Retirement Village

Australia Day, 26^th January,

Time: 10.30 to 12.00

Words of the day

Loquacious; clement; infer; vituperative; toady; salacious; conjecture; dystopia; torpid

HOMEWORK

All shared interesting stories and poems on the topic:

After the door closed and the footsteps stopped……

READINGS

David R shared some poems

Geoff shared a part of a novel he is writing

David C shared some documents that are over 100 years old but in good condition.

EXERCISE – a quick-write.

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND

It was a fun time in stories and poems with one Writer using, Footprints ON the sand.

HOMEWORK

Replace or Replacement

Meeting 9 January 2013

Happy new year 2013

 In summer colours

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

News

Jo told a funny story about a pet pig, Robyn enjoyed her 14 day cruise and had a balcony which was healthier, Garry was in hospital over Xmas for 9 days, David R is off to Chile in February, Helene went to the pool every day it was open, Wendy went to a party on New Years eve, Cath could not go to bed early on New Years Eve as her cat was under the bed, Cath also told us about the Writers Circle on Facebook, Terry put some stories on the Fan stories web site and had some feedback. Trish enjoyed hearing the comments and the stories about the fire – what did we talk about before the fires.

Jo told us about the FAW competitions and feedback opportunities available from March 2013 go to australianwritermagazine@gmail.com To get involved with Hive Television go to www.hivetv.wordpress.com

Words of the day

Catastrophic = disastrous, calamitous, appalling, terrible

Puerile = childish

Stultify = to bring to nought, appear foolish or absurd

Obstreperous = noisy, annoying

Sustainability = to maintain or prolong

Glorious = celebrated, exalted, delightful

Quirk = an artful evasion, flourish in drawing or writing, peculiarity of character or twist of fate

Adagio = a piece of music to be played slowly

Dichotomy = division or contrast between two things

Writing from words of the day

Robyn – the weather and the family. Garry – Dear John letter to a son. David R – a poem about a cat. Helene – the crèche.  Wendy – a poem half a brain. Cath – all or nothing. Terry – writing on the fence. Trish – The black dust. Jo – separate species.

Reading of homework

Garry – tell the truth. David C two poems – catastrophic warnings and cool change. Helene – Fifi’s new year’s resolution. Wendy brilliant poem– I’m posh. Terry – part of a future novel - I’ve had enough. Trish – read out a few funny resolutions she found on the internet.

Exercise

We each wrote what we were grateful for on a piece of paper. We then selected one of the folded pieces of paper and wrote about that topic.

The stories covered the topics of being grateful for

My adventures, My sister, Being alive – he passed because of the interference of God, Sydney Morning Herald meets all my needs, Mr Nobody, Small Mersey’s, Electricity, My body.

Homework

After the door closed and the footsteps died

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