Probus North Sydney

 Newsletter 345       16 March 2021

President’s report: It’s beginning to feel a bit like things are returning to normal. This past month we have enjoyed Noreen, Peter and Louise’s walk through Castle-crag, Colin Piper’s experiences as a percussionist with the SSO and Oriel’s walk through La Perouse-Yarra Bay via Botany Cemetery. Many thanks to all our wonder-ful organisers.

Our next meeting on 16th March will commence at 10:30am and will be followed by the AGM. Following the AGM Annika has volunteered to read one of Paul Barclay’s talks on Rasputin, which I am sure we will all enjoy. We are still unable to have morning tea, however the club is available to serve lunches.

Two tables will be placed at the back of our room for those wishing to pay subscriptions to Janice and for those wanting to book and pay Noreen for the outing to the Penrith Museum of Fire. We are thrilled to be able to use the bus again—however, we do need at least 15 people to make the trip viable—so please support Noreen’s plans to make this day enjoyable.

Doreen has requested that we not queue up at these two tables. Please be mindful of keeping correct social distancing when paying subs or booking for the outing.

Word reached me that Kristina in Sweden had a “small medical scare”. I sent best wishes on behalf of the club. She is now feeling better. It was very frustrating for Maurice not being able to visit her in hospital. They are both longing for their vaccinations and being able to return to Sydney.

Fran McCarthy had a very nasty fall, fracturing several bones in her wrist and fore-arm. She is now sporting a very unfashionable splint and promising she will return!

Douglas and Mary Ann are traveling in a campervan from Victoria to Northern Queensland being the support team for their daughter who is cycling the whole way. We wish them a safe and enjoyable journey.

Membership report: Our membership remains at 53: 37 women, and l6 men.

Many Happy Returns of the Day for Your March Birthday: Kristina T 01, Jeanette F 06, Don B 08, Lis T 18, Fran McC 27, and Elizabeth S 30.

Program of Activities

Guest Speakers: For today’s meeting, Annika T will read one of Paul B’s talks on Rasputin. Next month, Sophia Lacey will speak to us about Wildlife Conservancy Australia.

Probus Walkers: Tuesday 13th April 2021. St. Peters to Redfern via Brickworks and Sydney Park.

On this walk we walk from St. Peters through Alexandria and Erskineville traversing many parks and ending at the Technology Park to Redfern. Highlights will be the many character cottages and also viewing the new structures and landscaped gar-dens. We will return to the city for lunch/refreshments.

Walk is flat and easy approximately 4/5 kms.

MEET: Town Hall Station Platform 6 at 10:00am to catch the 10:10am train to St. Peters.

Probus Outing: Tuesday 23rd March 2021. The Museum of Fire, Penrith.

The Community Bus is running again! We will depart from the Northbridge Golf Club at 9:30am and travel to the Museum of Fire, Penrith. We will have morning tea, provided by the bus company, and then travel on to the Museum for a guided tour, including a film.

The Penrith Museum of Fire contains heritage-listed fire service vehicles. The provenance of these dates from 1841 to 1998. The whole “industry” was started by insurance companies who realised it was in their interest to provide equipment and sup-port for fire brigades.

Over time advancements in technology considerably reduced response times and in 1945 it was possible to close a number of city stations resulting in much needed savings to the system.

Our bus is able to take up to 23 passengers and we need at least 15, so please advise us by email if you wish to participate: noreenbyrne24@gmail.com, and there will be a table at the March meeting where you can confirm your plans. The bus fare will be $30 and museum entrance is $11. Lunch will be at the nearby and recently re-stored Peach Tree Hotel. They have a comprehensive menu which includes a promising range of “Light Meals” from $13 to $18.

In an effort to make the booking and payment easier and quicker it would be greatly appreciated if you could have the correct money ($41) in an envelope with your name on the front to be handed to me or Louise after our meeting.

Movie Outing: Tuesday 30th March. As is the nature of movie theatres, new movies and session times are only announced for the coming week on a Thursday. Once Jeanette F and I decide on the most suitable movie with a suitable session time that should suit us we will send out an email on Friday the 26th March with the movie information and where we can all meet for a light lunch and coffee before-hand. Anyone not wanting to meet for the lunch but wanting to attend the movie can meet up with us in the theatre foyer 15 minutes before the movie starts where we will sort out tickets. The Orpheum sells books of ten movie vouchers for $100 which means I can hand out these for $10 which then need to be taken to the ticket box and exchanged for your movie ticket. As it is now, it is a bit of a magical un-known outing but let’s hope it will be an enjoyable visit to the movies. Peggy B

Theatre Outing. We are waiting to hear from Group Bookings to buy theatre tickets for a show at the Capital theatre which starts in June called “Come From Away”. It is hoped they will have available matinee seats for us on either the 28th July or the 4th August and concession tickets will cost in the region of $75. If you are interest-ed in attending please add your name to a list we will provide at the AGM on the 16th March. This musical tells the story of how the people of Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, a small town with a large airport handled 48 planes having to land and stay with them when aircraft all over the Americas were grounded after the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. The story is supposed to be very uplifting! Peggy B, peggydeluen@gmail.com; Jeanette F, jbfrench42@hotmail.com.

From our Treasurer, Janice G: Annual subs come due at the AGM, March 16h. If paid on or before the date of the next meeting, April 20th, there will be a reduced charge of $40.00, but $50.00 will be due after that date. Preferred method of payment is by bank transfer to the Westpac account, BSB 032-099, account number 255 375. Please be sure to include your name in the deposit details. I would appreciate also an email to me at jlg436@bigpond.com as a failsafe. That will also make it easy for me to email you to confirm receipt. Cheques and cash are also welcome at the meetings, and cheques can also be posted to me at 12 Panorama Road, Lane Cove, 2066. My phone number is 9439 3801.

From Joke Master Patrick: “Out of the mouths of babes.”

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was impossible for a whale to swallow a human be-cause even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, “When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah”.

The teacher asked, “What if Jonah went to hell”?

The little girl replied, “Then you ask him”.

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch.

At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note and posted it on the apple tray: ’Take only ONE. God is watching.’

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, ’Take all you want. God is watching the apples.’

PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL REPORT— Robin S   MARCH 2021

This past year has been a year of learning to do things differently. I am very pleased and proud we have come through relatively unscathed.

I would like to give special thanks to all on the committee and those not on the committee who supported me and volunteered solutions to unusual prob-lems on a number of occasions. We have managed to stay socially connect-ed throughout the year despite needing to cope at time with some extremely frustrating computer problems. It says something about the spirit in our club that we maintained many activities when some clubs ceased their activities completely.

Whilst maintaining social distancing, we have enjoyed and are grateful for Oriel’s walks/picnics, Evelyn’s self-drive outings, Patrick’s constant humour and Shelagh’s marmalades and pickles. Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions, Douglas was unable to arrange speakers, however, he started the year last month by inviting Colin Piper to tell us about his very interesting life as a percussionist in the SSO. Noreen, Peter and Louise set a high bar for themselves when they took us on a guided tour of Sir Walter Burley Griffin’s Castlecrag. Our annual visit this year to The Little Snail was very enjoyable as usual and was well supported. I was particularly grateful to all who contributed to the Newsletter during our lockdown but I was very relieved to give the reins back to Polly.

We were fortunate to be able to come together for our Christmas lunch at the golf club when several of our members were able to entertain us telling of their unusual Christmases here and abroad.

Sadly, during the year, we lost two of our vital members. Josephine Tuor was one of our longest serving members and Paul Barclay is well remembered for his wonderful talks on extremely interesting and unusual topics. Jo and Paul often took out the winning prizes in Ian’s quiz. They are both sadly missed in the club.

In place of our usual “new members talk” at our AGM, Annika has volunteered to read one of Paul’s talks on Rasputin, which is a fitting tribute to Paul at this meeting.

This past year will remain in our memory as the year our country suffered extreme heat, drought, unbelievingly damaging bush fires and Covid 19.

I congratulate Mary Ann in her new role as President and look forward to the year ahead with positivity.

This is a collage of photos from our walk around Castle Crag