Platinum Clubhouse - March 2006 Newsletter

There is a buzz around the clubhouse as we look forward to saint patrick's day. On the 15/03/06 we have a pre saint patrick's day social in which members are going to dye their hair green and drink green tea. On the sports front we have the cheltenham races, rugby international and soccer. At the end of the month we are off to the dogs,greyhound racing. With march comes lent, we wish all members and staff who are giving up items for lent all the best .

I am a star trek fan or trekie, as they are known in the Sci-fi world. Star trek has come a long way since captain Kirk in the first episode and series. After this came the next generation with Captain Piquard and it is one of my favourites. Deep space nine with Captain Sisco is star trek politics and is a bit like Coronation Street in space with aliens and monsters. Voyager came next with the first female captain Catherine Jane Hathaway. The most series is Enterprise with John Archer who you will recognise from quantum leap. The first interracial kiss was on star trek and species like Clingons, Vulcans and Cardasians represent cultures and communities on earth. All their missions are to seek out new life and new civilisations and boldly go where no man (man has changed to one) has gone before.

Sat 4th March Chat + Chew clubhouse
Wed 15th March Pre-Paddy’s Day social
Friday 31st Greyhounds Newbridge
Platinum Clubhouse closed 17th March

It is spring time and the garden season is here. There are many jobs to do in the garden including sowing flower seeds. It is also time to dig and clean up flower beds. The lawns need a top cutting and driveways need a cleaning up. It is an ideal time to tie up wall plants and to saw up wood trees. Get organised and good luck..

Spring is here and its time to feed and prune your roses they need special attention at this time of year.

Saint Patrick

Our patron Saint of Ireland
Saint Patrick our very king
With shamrock in your hand
Your praises we sing
Explained to us all the trinity
Brought Christianity to our heart
You made old Eireann free
With much love never to part

Over country once in turmoil
With many pagan ways
Vanished all snakes from the soil
Brought us many happy days
Parades line hills and valleys wide
Along cities and towns far and near
All celebrate feelings good inside
To a home land hold so dear

So on Paddy’s day we celebrate
The memory of you
A priestly Saint your fate
To a man so very true
Tomorrow is a brand new day
To our patron Saint so divine
For our welfare we all pray
Be never forgotten in time

Paddy

Breakfast Muffins

INGREDIENTS
/ 225g/8oz Odlums Cream flour
15 ml/1 tablespoon Baking Powder
125g/4oz caster sugar
125g/4oz Sultanas
Good Pinch of Salt
75g/3oz Margarine
45ml/3 tablespoons Thin Cut Marmalade
150ml/1/4 pt Natural Yoghurt
150ml/1/4 pt Milk 1 Egg

Method

Sieve all the dry ingredients, stir in the sultanas. Melt together the margarine and the marmalade, beat in the yoghurt, milk and egg. Gently stir into the sultana mixture (mixture will be slightly lumpy). Three quarter fill oiled muffin tins with mixture and bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 Degrees F, Gas 6 for 18-20 minutes until well risen and golden brown.

Baking Tip; Serve warm with butter or make it in advance and freeze for up to a month

Wed 1st March Ash Wednesday (1st day of Lent)
March 2nd – 10th Kildare Drama Festival
Fri 17th March St. Patricks Day (Bank Holiday)
Tue 21st March Equinox (Equal Day Equal Night)
Sun 26th March 2.00am Summer time (Clocks go forward 1 hour)
Sun 26th March Mother’s Day
Sun 26th March Curragh Races
The Lincoln (Start of the flat season)

Breda and Carmel thought that a blank corner wall where the new lift was recently installed would remain dull and out of keeping with the airy and bright décor of the dining area in Clubhouse. It was suggested that I have a go and was free to use my own imagination as to concept. It was suggested that a ‘Kildare theme’ would probably be a good idea. I –‘Lydia’ was volunteered and I was pleased with the confidence in me and the challenge was exciting. After a lot of thought and time out looking at gorse and the fields of Kildare and even a visit to Kildare town with a walk out to the Japanese gardens, I decided on possible content. I put two collages together on the computer from my own photographs and braved breaking the large white of the blank ‘canvas’. I decided to take considerable ‘artistic licence’ and dispense with accurate proportions in layout thus allowing me freedom of content despite theoretical mismatch of size and proportion of the elements portrayed. This left me with the freedom to portray my impressionist view or vibe of Kildare. I included an interpretation of a piece of stone art that is evident from outside the Japanese Gardens. I put a tree distorted by ageing as a vibe from Japanese bonsai. Sheep and a horse were ‘for the Curragh’ and again not in dimensional proportion either to one another or to the other contents of the composition. Michael wanted birds and I quickly agreed to put some in, as I like to see the angles or birds in flight etc. and I like to watch seagulls in flight- even though the sea does not feature, and ‘dry dock’ on the Grand Canal isn’t exactly the same! I have used acrylics overall having primed the wall with a P.V.A. coating. I took a few photos of the stages with a disposable camera so I hope the stages will be interesting. I intend to varnish the completed work which will, I hope enhance the colours. At the moment-(as it is not finished yet), to have an ‘eccentric’ element in the sky.

The National Learning Network [N.L.N.] was originally called The National Training and Development Institute [N.T.D.I.] it is also called Choices because of a variety of different skills and courses. The Staff at Choices in Athy are very good at getting the best from people who attend Choices. Hello my name is Garry and I have been learning skills at Choices (N.L.N) such as art and at the moment I am learning how to use the computers to learn the rules of the road (Driving theory Test). We also do relaxation and breathing techniques. We also go for walks by the Barrow and Canal, diets and excrcise are also encouraged in Choices. We also go on trips shopping or cinema or Bowling as we did last week in Fairgreen in Carlow. I also learned how to photocopy on both sides of the paper, I also learned how to read (write now too).

Q When did the driver get a puncture?
A When he came to a fork in the road.

My husband & I were very happy for 30yrs.
What happened then?
We met.

An old lady picked a winner almost every day of the week and the bookie was curious.
“How do you do it Mrs Fitzwilliam's”? he asked.
I stick a pin in the paper, that’s how I do it she replied. “But you backed four today. How was that?”
“I couldn’t find a pin so I used a fork
.
Bill: “I’ve managed to get rid of the persistent noise in the car”.
Ben: “How”?
Bill: I’ve let her sit in the front seat.

Birthday Wishes: Bob Mc S, Patrick W Patrick F (21st), Tom, Patricia, Annette, Peter, Ita

Editorial Team: Carmel, Clive, Robert, Mary, Gloria, Philip, Patrick, Patricia.

Any articles, items or pictures in this newsletter may only be reproduced following permission from Platinum Clubhouse.