Meeting 12th June

Present:  Geoff, Jo, Wendy, Elizabeth, David R., David C., Lyn, Cath, Leonie, Terry, Trevor.

 

News: 

 

Geoff:  Forum on l7th July and has a metaphor collection.  Not everyone has one of those!  Interesting.

David R.:  Rates rise, it did happen - has begun guitar lessons, wants to know how to avoid sore fingers -is only a learner, but he just had to ...    '"The 'G' String" ... alright knowing it David, but what are you going to do with it?

Cath:  Getting new glasses from IMB.

Leonie:  Done a lot of writing, correcting, brought together a former story and finished it off.  Began a quilt for a friend.

Jo:  Had her eye done.  Horrible experience.

Elizabeth:  A neighbour drove her to Iluka and she saw three whales.

Terry:   He and Virginia went to Cambewarra and was overcome by the lookout.

Trevor:  Made carrot soup that he thought was amazing.  Made us hungry.  A Soup King, not many of us can be that!

Lyn:  Robyn's operation - Lyn helped her.  Has retouched her own windows.

Wendy:  I think she saw 'Cinderella'.  Christmas in July search for venue not exactly easy to find one.

David C:  His Dentist got sick, he saw another one and was very pleased with the work.

 

Words of the Day.

 

chunter:  to mutter, grumble, complain.

crick:  stiff neck - to give a crick to someone.

blunderbuss:  a short gun firing balls or slugs.

sedulous:  hard-working, diligent.

precocious:  unusually advanced for age.

prosaic:  ordinary, dull or everyday.

emblematic:  heraldic device - symbolic object.

faze:  to worry or irritate.

forfend:  to avert or turn aside.

portenteous:  ominous, monstrous, foreseen.

feign:  pretend, simulate, sham.

 

Write-Word Exercise:

 

Geoff:  A new flag - we should think about it.  He wants a flag of gum-tree colours.

David R.:  A man like any man with a wooden leg.

Wendy:  Made a speech, she forced them to accept her.

Lyn:  Indian Princess and John Smith.

Trevor:  The Curator.  A Collection.

Terry:  He keeps talking no matter what.  He thinks he is one of the mob.  (couldn't hear who 'he' was).

Elizabeth:  Gordon had a twin brother, they were opposites,  Gordon blunderbussed his brother.

Jo:  A boy who wants to be an actor, his father wants him to play rugby.

Leonie:  A teacher who chooses his favourites.  Two kids who pretend to listen.

Cath:  Don had the blunderbuss.  Teaches everyone a lesson.

David C.:  Himself a sedulous child!  Uses a blunderbuss to swat a fly.  A real crick!

 

 

Homework.

 

It was 'Prehistoric'  but not everyone did it.

 

David C:  Began reading with 'The Devil's Orifice'.  Part One.  People going into a foul place - in Himalayas.  Forboding place, stank of rotten flesh.  Everyone keep together!  Danger!  Unisex toilets!  Mmm...  Men and women argue, Henry was torn to pieces.  I think the unisex toilets ate him.

Cath:  'Prehistoric'.   A boy becoming a man - they all make a canoe, one moon to go to manhood.  A group picture of prehistory.

Leonie:  A treatise on prehistory.  How we look back at it.   Why we are, how we are, today.

Jo:  Prehistoric - a nursery rhyme about slime coming out and becoming Man.

Terry:  Nomads.  He knocked a bloke (out) who wasn't human.  Terry is frightened, this is terrible, Wally suddenly pulled off his mask and they were friends again.  

Trevor:  The Poet Laureate and the Don.  Tennyson and his connection to the Governor of South Australia.

Lynn:  Run, Rudd, Run.  The red tide.

Wendy:  I think it is hers.  'The older generation can teach the younger, and win points too.

Helene:  Prehistoric.  She found prehistoric pillows under pillow protectors.

Fifi is at it again.  Going for a walk with Gigi - she likes music - Helene hurt her leg, or Fifi did,  She's the one who is blamed for it all anyway.  Dingoes going to get her.  I think that is a good idea.  But, damned Fifi saves the day.

David R:  Went to Nurse's (?).  A blood sucker, Doctor Death came.  They are going to send him to a museum.  (Seems to be a good place, eh, readers?)

Gary:  A prehistoric Australian.  A true story.  Dawa, a teenager long ago.  The everyday life of aboriginal people.

Geoff:  Prehistoric.  Dinosaurs, millions of years.  Creationists not in sync with the rest of us.  Pre-history can be recent.

 

David read his poem, 'Echoes'.

 

 

Homework:  In the Middle of Winter, or just 'Winter'.

 

Meeting 5th June 2013

Present: Leonie, David R. David C., Cath, Elizabeth, Wendy, Geoff, Jo, Trevor.

 

Hello and welcome Trevor, a new member. 

 

News:

Trevor told  a story about someone utilising his writing work under their name on computer.  Not fair.  He likes non-fiction and Australian stories, wants to publish.

Cath arranged for About Magazine, meeting times for our club.

Jo told about Community buses .... what are they?

Leonie went to see the Turner Exhibition. Lucky duck.

David C. saw email re cruise to Cairns via sail.  He has ideas, folk, he has ideas!

Geoff is going to attend University Forum re Referendum.

Elizabeth has had bus trouble too.  Visited niece - lovely journey.

David R. walking about 40 kms week. (At this rate he'll be 1100km away from here by Christmas. Don't go David)

Wendy trying to get Christmas in July arranged.  Venues thin on ground.

 

Word of the Day

tawdry:      showy, worthless, tasteless-finery.

camouflage: concealing, disguising, deceptive.

validity:      authentic, just truth.

lukewarm:   tepid.

stripling:     young boy.

metronome:  a counter for piano.

eclat:         conspicuous success, stylish.

sublimate:    hold down feelings.

abeyance:    hold back - suspension (temporary).

 

Writing from Word of the Day 

Cath:    Wrote about examing the metronome.

Trevor:  Used all words in two lines.

Wendy:  The stripling mincing.  Mouse-eaten clothes.

David R: A bloke trying to explain who he is.  A difficult task.

Elizabeth:  Piano playing - not a good student - needs more knowledge.

Geoff:   Getting stripling candidates in Government.  Just won't work.

David C:  A young man likes music.  He doesn't like singers.

Leonie:   Don't touch the metronome!  Boy gets into trouble.  A woman upsets him.

Jo:       Double Dutch to him, what is his Dad saying?

 

Reading of homework:  'Pretend'.

Garry:  Sister pretending to be a ballerina, make-believe world not like reality in the  family.  Talks to her dolls, hates Barbie and Ken.

Trevor:  Read Garry's 'The Great Pretender'.

Jo:      The Devil and the mermaid

Leonie:  'Pretense', Jonothan dancing seriously.  He was bent on using social mores - chose a woman, but lost some control.

David C: Pretended showing his accidents.  Then read poem about a wife who was awful.  Not his.

David R: 'Shy Shopping' poem.  Market owners doing business amongst the customers.  Shifty owners.

Wendy:  A politician - taking every bonus the job could offer - a poem.  Reference to Julia.

 

Garry also sent an Email that was just HIM!  Sent a 'Word' story of last week's words.  You know Gary, mad, didn't mention 'you know who' either.  Maybe he's sick.  Yes, L..EE..m..LE. 

Leonie talked about Geoff's magazine, interesting, passed it round.

We spoke briefly about how it seems easier to edit from paper copies than directly from the computer face.

David R:  Poems re 'Metronome' e.g. 'Metro-gnome'. also 'Hippocampus' - 'Hippo Campers'.

David C:  Was it you David who had rabies at this point?  Or have I got the wrong David?  I've written it down anyway. David C:  He did read out poems and discussed a small book of poems by Jim Haynes.  David was a ventriloquist's dummy once and it has stuck to him.

 

An Exercise.

Give each left side writer present, your list of about 5 ingredients for a story they must use when mixed.

 

Geoff:  Pokie player - club - Denise, they go to dinner - she paid for her own food.  Jarred mate!

Elizabeth:  A young man - looking out - sees two girls under an oak tree - goes out.

David R:  4'9" Bikie chick - lost boyfriend.  Poem.

Wendy:  Let's dance - lapdancer with wooden leg.  Harriet doesn't want splinters in her bum.

Trevor:  A bedraggled tramp - who was he?

Cath:  Politics - silent.

Jo:  The sad story.  Hair too long.  She died.

Leonie:  Has 2 children on her own.  Sews.  Does not laugh or eat.

David C:  Jennifer, fat, nasty wife, giving orders.  She died of fire - he has a holiday on the insurance money.

 

We did a progressive write.  We're all mad.  That's all it proves.  Trevor practically laughed himself under the table.  Good introduction, Trev.  More of that please.

 

Topic for Homework:  'Prehistoric'.

 

A piece from Gary in Thailand

Here is Gary's homework piece sent from his castle in Thailand. It's a little different to his usual so we thought it worth putting on the blog.  

Homework 29^th May 2013

Some dreams are dangerous

The night had been warm and balmy; the smell of the jasmine flowers was wafting through the levers of the bamboo windows as the ‘Sage’ of the village bedded down for the night. He had been drinking fermented fruit juice and also eaten a few ‘magic’ mushrooms. Sleep started to engulf him as he seemed to be transported off to some strange far away place.

It was a though he was floating above a group of diligent people who were sitting around a large table – they all had pens and paper and discussing recent events in their lives.

One guy talked about swimming with dolphins, another about his amazing car. One lady wanted others to know that her Fifi was now centre stage now that the creepy Lucky Mole was gone.

The Sage floated around above their heads, unnoticed, but listening to what this interesting group of people, similar age to him, were excited about.

It seemed that news had come from a far away land from one of their friends relating how happy he was at this time but missing their friendship and intellectual stimulation.. The weather was good, the food great, the people wonderful BUT no friendship like the group to whom he had written.

Afternoon tea time, about 2:36pm, was a happy time as they drank tea/coffee, ate Tim Tams and other delicious things. One lady, who wears red Coke sun glasses, didn’t eat or drink anything and neither did the oldest member whom they called, Elizabeth. Two short ladies had been diligent in preparing everything and also seemed to be the ‘washer-uppers’ – a pleasant time being had by all. There were others there but they were ‘quiet but thoughtful ones.’ Stories, poems flowed from their pens onto the paper with such ease – an opportunity to ‘grow’ in their skills.

In an all to short time the gathering was over and the Sage started to wonder where he was and how to return to his ‘home’ – fear crept up on him as he quivered with the thought he couldn’t remember how he got to this place so how could he know how to get back. The night was closing in and loneliness infused him – tears dripped from his baggy eyes – this was a dangerous situation for him – a stranger in a strange land.

All of a sudden he felt the shaking on his shoulder and it was one of his gorgeous maidens trying to rally him from his sleep.

OMG – it was a dream, not reality, maybe those people don’t exist, maybe they don’t eat Tim Tams and write stories and poetry – he looked around his room, took comfort in the sounds of the night and the crashing of the waves on the reef. The smell of jasmine filled his senses and he vowed never to eat those ‘magic mushrooms’ again.

Meeting. 29.5.13

 

Present: Cath, Jo, Terry, Leonie, David C., Geoff, David R., Wendy.

 

News:

Terry:  Had an arthroscope.  All good.  But no more of those Panadeine Forte!  They're not your thing!

Leonie: 2 1/2 hours hospital wait.  Her computer went out at a crucial time for a competition entry.  More building at her place going on.

David C: NRMA - Ration Cards - sent a photo of them to NRMA.  Interesting. 

Geoff:  Anniversary of Mt. Everest climb, he went to school in NZ, which had an apiary, and Hillary was a beekeeper in NZ.  Geoff had an escape by saying no to a fellow who was later gaoled for financial fraud.

David R:  Enjoyed the Bill Gates interview.  Causes taken up by Bill and his wife are admirable.

Wendy: Got a cortisone needle in her hip.  Much improvement on how they give them these days.

Cathy:  Fell over a pile of papers at the IMB.  All okay after frightening the IMB.  Thank goodness she isn't an 'old' person.

Jo:  Finished her book, still editing, it never stops.

 

Word of the Day:

sartorial:  of tailors and their work.  Men's tailors.

florid:  flushed rosy, embellished.

blooming:  healthy, covered in flowers.

blight:  destroy, to frustrate

adamant:  firm or sure of himself, unyielding.

horripilation:  the erection of hairs on the skin.

draggle:  become wet.

complex:  complicated.

 

Short stories were compiled from Words: 

Jo:  A model on the stage, trying to sell cosmetics.

David J:  About a suit, wanting to sing in the shower.

Geoff:  Florid face - the relationship between two ill-matched people.

David R:  Pink thongs, rosy face, a soldier putting on a show.  A poem.

Wendy:  Algernon, a gentleman in every way - a ladykiller with rules.

Cath:  Theatre - cast - talk of the town.

Jo:  selling make-up.

Terry:  Poem - a man shouting and upsetting everyone.  Under a steeple, a big fight, mother met father that night.

Leonie:  Not going to wear a suit for no one - a spoiled evening with Josephine's arm-hair standing up. Just as well it's only once a year.

 

Homework:  'Some Dreams Are Dangerous!' 

Garry:  Drunk, drugged - gone into dreams, people reminiscing.  Death of Luckymole.  All his strange friends are back here.

David C:  Lock your doors when you dream.  Drugs again.  His dream is flying and eating in bed and falling.

Jo:   Doctor's calling, my dear, he'll give you something to dream about!

Terry:  Grandad explaining dreams.  Smoking pipe, to grandson, says to him: dreams are special. Even to be forced to marry a gorilla.  Only his dream, no one else's.  Mmm....

Leonie:  Daniel in hospital.  Doctor spoke to all in the room.  He dreamed of all his life then threw himself out the window.

David C:  Winners and losers.  In a cell.  Won Lotto.  His relatives bludged on him.  He shot them all, no more problems.  He only won $37!

 

Terry read a poem 'Dreams' about the day's doings, won't leave you alone at night in bed.

David C, read a poem, 'You left me with your Song' - about sand and sea and music where you lived.

Geoff read poem called 'Alfred Street, Circular Key at 5.30 pm in May'  About changing city scenery.

 

There was then, a conversation about 'Christmas in July', a dinner somewhere, perhaps,  If anyone has an idea, present it to one of us, otherwise the topic will continue next week.

  

A Quik-Rite:  'Someone must have helped her escape!'

David R:  A woman dancing - she had escaped from ?

Wendy:  Help me! she called.  She is a housewife.  I helped her escape.

Cath:  The dog had to escape.

Terry:  He wore a black cape.  He imprisoned her.  He is Satan.

Jo:  Pretty Boy died, because someone told him that the window was not shut.

Leonie:  The woman who was locked in the house.   Kids remember.

David C:  Julia was in a psycho hospital after Sept. 14th.  Who had helped her escape?  A man with a ski mask on. Swan?

Geoff:  Someone's mother hated the old people's hospital.  The daughter-in-law did it,  The bus company named Youth-in-Asia took her away.

 

Homework: 'Pretend'

 

No apologies for over-imaginitive reports.

 

Record of meeting 22 May 2013

Present

Terry, Jo, Lynn, Leonie. David C, Geoff, Elizabeth, David R, Helene, Cath, Melissa

 

News

Lynn has been at her mums, Jo went to the hospital in her new car, Terry  saw some fantastic vehicles at the national motoring show and won an award for his 1976 Triumph, Cath chopped down a small tree and went swimming in the pool, Melissa has been walking her dogs on the beach and saw a pod of dolphins, Helene has a kangaroo visit her back garden, David walked out to Murrays beach and Governors Head, Elizabeth’s grand daughter in Paris had her picture taken with the Duchess of Wessex, Geoff passed around a cartoon of Tony Abbotts Chief of staff, Geoff is organising a forum about the September referendum on councils. David C wanted advice on getting rid of onion weed.

 

Words of the day

 Churlish – rude, surly, ungracious (churl – uneducated)

Venal – to sell your honour or principles or be corrupt

Serape – Mexican blanket or shawl worn by men

Dilettante – amateur, dabbler

Askance – look or attitude of disapproval

Menagerie – collection of things

De rigueur – required by custom or etiquette

Aspire – reaching

Exculpate - vindicate or exonerate

Flailing – waving arms about

Record – set down in writing

Accursed – doomed to destruction

 

Writing from words of the day

From words of the day we created the masterpieces of Dees decorations, Maria and the Jose the Sherriff, Punishment, likes to rhyme, The honoured judge, Aspired to greater things, The orator, Corruption, Hit the ground running, Be polite, an epiphany.

 

Homework

We read stories on a variety of topics - The loving mother a great story from Garry, Farewell Mole, Hail to the Chief, Why are we going, Children taken, The finger farewell, Farewell Australia, Farewell Freedom, Memories of farewell, End of the day - his companions are his skills.

 

Reading and writing

Terry recommends the Ray Bradbury book about writing

John M Green “The trusted”

Lynn recommends Jack Davis an Aboriginal poet

David R is enjoying reading Agatha Christie

Geoff talked about Ian Rankin

David R read his poem “Askance dance”

 Exercise

We used three phrases - a broken watch, peppermints, and a hug that lasts too long and created A fall, Take away the pain, Popping a peppermint, Six peppermint trees, Foul breath in black bear country, Thanks for the mints, Call me soon, It had to work, What a night, Medic alert, Day care.

 

Homework

Some dreams are dangerous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record of meeting 15 May 2013

 

Present

Garry, David C, Elizabeth, David R, Wendy, Jo, Leonie, Trish, Melissa, Terry, Helene, Cath

We had a fun and informal meeting at DDs Serendipity café in St Georges Basin to say farewell to Garry who is leaving us for 3 months or maybe longer.

We will miss Garry’s sense of humour and colourful characters like Prince Lucky Mole and Gina. Thank you Garry for your great contribution to the group. Garry says he will send his homework and writing from words of the day by email – that’s the dedication we expect from Garry.

Homework reading

Garry, David C, David R, Jo, Leonie, Trish, Melissa and Cath read entertaining stories and poems about lost and loose body parts including a body, a tooth, a kidney, big toe, finger top. Trish read a great tribute to Garry.

 

Sorry if I forgot anyone I didn’t take minutes today.

 

Homework for next week

Farewell

 

 

Record of meeting 8 May 2013

Present

Robyn, Terry, Jo, David R, Trish, Geoff, Melissa, Helene, Cath

News

Geoff had a quiet week with doctors visits, Robyn will have back surgery on 17 May 2013 and will move house in June 2013, Cath donated shelves and timber to the Men's Shed, Jo has been writing and editing her murder mystery book, Terry made a spider web game for his grandson’s 6 th birthday, Melissa taught a TAFE class in Sanctuary Point, Helene talked about her damp chaser in a cupboard, David enjoyed a visit to the Pigeon House tea house a few weeks ago, Trish told us about plants growing  wildly in her garage in NZ.

 

Words of the day

Ecstasy – frenzy, beside oneself, catalytic trance, rapturous

Bagatelle – a mere trifle

Betwixt – between

Locus – a place area locality, a curve described by various points

Panacea – Greek goddess, universal cure

Clandestine – hiding information for people or groups

Attenuate – reduce

Farrago – jumbled mixture of things

Irascible – cranky, prone to anger

Anonymity - secrecy

 

Writing from words of the day

We wrote great stories about Mood swings, The bag of toys, Romance, Having his say – a very smart poem from Terry, The spy needs a holiday – a great story from Melissa, Maz the goddess, The jangling stage coach – a great poem from David R, Meeting at the church, Promises.

 

Reading of homework

My nude glory like human elastic, Kept in or out, Maz leaves town, Don’t fence me in – sung by David R on behalf of Garry, The right to make the wrong decision, Monument to Geoff cordial relationships over the fence and Barricades.

 

Reading

Geoff – a lovely tribute to Geoff’s son’s wedding on 20 October 2012 in the land of Mercia

On the shore – poem by David R based on the White Sands Walk

 

Writing exercise

We each wrote a list of characteristics and passed it on to the next person who developed a story.

We created great stories - Joe with green eyes in the jazz band, Life is not boring, Not anticipated, A donkey, Sally has a secret, Jim a motivational speaker, Icy water, Purely platonic, Dancing to Jazz.

 

Next meeting

Wednesday 15 May at 12:30 pm DDs Serendipity Café for lunch and short meeting. Bring your homework for reading.

Homework

Loosing a body part