Probus North Sydney

 

Newsletter 358                                                             21 June 2022

President’s Report:  It is so good to be back to (almost) normal.  We need to remember that hospitalisations and deaths are still worrying in New South Wales.  Hence we still ask that if you have any symptoms, please do not attend any of our activities.

A good number of members met at the Golf Club last month to hear our excellent guest speaker and chat with friends over morning tea.  The lunch at The Little Snail was well patronised and thoroughly enjoyable.  I hear that the trip to Palm Beach was enjoyed by all, and the 5th Tuesday movie, “Operation Mincemeat”, was thrilling.

For those less able to join in our monthly walk, I want to pursue the idea of having a games morning or an opportunity to meet and chat over coffee.  If you have any suggestions, please share them with the Committee.  We would love to try new ideas.  The movie/theatre visits have proved to be popular and your ideas could be just what the club needs.  So far, having games such as Scrabble and a morning tea at Northbridge Golf Club have been suggested. Perhaps that can be trialled for July?  I will ask for expressions of interest at the meeting for the first morning tea on 12th July.

The trip to Floriade in Canberra from 29th September to 1st October has been taken up by several members.  If you are interested please let me know and I will check to see if there are seats still available.  It promises to be an excellent trip with visits to many of Canberra’s sights including the Corbett Gardens, the Arboretum, the Tulip Farm plus a choice of two of the major attractions.  The tour includes all meals, morning teas and admissions and accommodation at the Alpha Hotel, Canberra.  The cost for the 3 days is $720 per person with a $165 single supplement.

It is a shame that the trip to Lord Howe island had to be shelved for the time being.  Perhaps it can be canvassed again once the current flurry of interest has abated and there is more availability.

It was good to see our club featured in the Active Retirees magazine this month.  You will also see our posters and leaflets on notice boards across the North Sydney LGA.

Plans for celebrating our 40th Anniversary in April next year are underway.  Please mark the date of 18th April 2023 for a luncheon.  Our Anniversary booklet will also be updated to its 3rd edition.  

Membership Report: Our membership now stands at 51 (33 women and 18 men).

Many happy returns of the day for your June birthday:  Judy C 06, Robyn P 06, Ivan B 08, Judy M 10, Janice Ge 16, Ches W21, and Louise L 27.

Note:  All our Probus meetings are generally held on the third Tuesday of every month at 10:15am.  The next meeting will be held on the 19th July 2022.  The committee meetings are conducted in the Northbridge Golf Club at 9:15am on the same day.  Members are welcome to attend.

Guest Speakers:   Today we welcome Ian Westmorland, whose topic is “Mentoring Men”.  Next month Paul Treichel will join us, speaking on “A Day in Ostrava”.

Probus Walkers:  Tuesday 12th July.  Burwood to Cabarita Wharf.

This is an easy and pleasant walk around Canada, Exile and France Bays, passing a monument erected to the Canadian Exiles of 1840;  the plaque was unveiled by Pierre Trudeau in 1970.  In keeping with the history of this area, many streets have French names.  At Cabarita Wharf we will take the ferry to Abbotsford Rowing Club for lunch.  Approx. 5 klms.

Meet:  North Sydney Train Station (at exit barriers) at 9:00am to catch the next train to Burwood.  At Burwood we catch the 466 bus (after coffee) to the start of our walk.

 

Probus Outing Tuesday 28th June:  Tanglin Lodge Alpacas

We depart from the Golf Club at 9:00am on 28th June and return around 2:30pm.  Morning tea is at a park near Richmond and then we travel on for a short distance, to see the alpacas.  The visit includes a barbecue lunch and a talk.  “...we (Cheryl and Geoff) chat about the fascinating features of these unique and intelligent animals and encourage you to feel the soft fleece as an alpaca is led amongst you.”

Cost:  Bus fare $35, Entry and lunch $35:  Total $70.

There is a minimum number of 20 so please let us know asap.

Arrangements for payment need to be finalised by the end of the meeting.

Cash at the meeting on Tuesday 21st June or:

   

Please type “alpaca” as description.  Please advise Noreen, noreenbyrne24@gmail.com if you have paid by direct debit, especially if your name is not obvious eg a company account. 

The Definitions of ‘Complete’ and ‘Finished’.   (From Shelagh K)

No English dictionary has been able to adequately  explain the difference between these two words.  In a recent linguistic competition held in London and attended by, supposedly, the best in the world, Samdar Balgobin, a Guyanese man, was the clear winner with a standing ovation which lasted over5 minutes.  

The final question was: “How do you explain the difference between COMPLETE and FINISHED in a way that is easy to understand? Some people say there is no difference between Complete and Finished.”

Here is Samdar Balgobin’s astute answer:  “When you marry the right woman, you are COMPLETE.  When you marry the wrong woman, you are FINISHED.  And when the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are

COMPLETELY FINISHED!”

Mr. Balgobin won a trip around the world and a case of 25-year old Scotch!