Platinum Clubhouse - November 2006 Newsletter

Here we are in November with only a few weeks left to Christmas. Hopefully you all enjoyed the Halloween festivities and were not too put out by all the bangers and fireworks. We are very busy getting ready for our Christmas Party in early December. Also, we are making arrangements for our mulled wine morning in December. This should be a big day for all those involved with Platinum Clubhouse and also helps us to connect with the local community. The Mulled Wine morning takes place on December 15th from 11 am to 2 pm, and all are most welcome. We welcome input from anyone who has something to add to our newsletter and encourage contact by post, phone or email. Contact details are available on the back page of each newsletter.

Tom and little Megan, looked at all the Christmas toys in the shop windows. As they did, the tears rolled down their cheeks, for their mother had told them there will be no presents this Christmas. She could not afford them as she had to pay for their fathers funeral. As they walked along, they thought of all the happy Christmas’s they had with their father, playing with the new toys on a Christmas morning. An old beggar comes up to the two children and asks them for money. The two children give all the coins in their pockets to the beggar man. Christmas morning arrives, it is a very cold morning after a night of heavy snow. Tom and Megan get up and dress, and get ready to go to Mass and to the local Y. M. C. A. for lunch. A knock comes to the door, their mother opens it to find a man there, and he asks can he talk to the two children. A nervous Carol takes her children to the man at the front door. The man asks the children, do you remember me? Both of the children reply that they do not know him. The man tells the children, a week ago I posed as a beggar in the town centre to see if the Christmas Spirit was alive and well. I stood all day in my beggar clothes looking for money and your children were the only ones to give me money. I heard off people of your poor father dying and how poor you are this Christmas so I have come here this Christmas morning to bring you to my estate to spend Christmas day with me. Tom, Megan, and their mother have a lovely Christmas Day with Mr. Comerford on his estate. The children have a lovely dinner and get lots of new toys to play with. Happy Christmas one and all.

Thursday 9th Wellness night Osprey
Wednesday 15th Bowling
Friday 24th Employment Dinner At The Clubhouse
Thursday 30th Advisory Board meeting

As a member of Platinum Clubhouse, and as a member of the membership committee, I would like to tell you about a normal day of clubhouse life. In the morning, members come in, and we have a cup of tea and a chat. Some of the members head out to their places of employment, jobs that were fixed up for them by the clubhouse. The members within the clubhouse give a hand out in the various units, some would give a hand to make the lunch, others would work in admin, and the employment unit. One member in particular looks after our bus, and keeps the outside of the building clean. After lunch, all the members and staff, give a hand at cleaning up after lunch. The meetings we hold during the week are, House Meeting on a Tuesday afternoon, Policy meeting on a Wednesday, and Employment and Standard Meeting on a Thursday. After lunch some of the members relax in the library where they read a book, or have a talk. Social activities in the clubhouse are organised by the social committee. There is no such thing as a mundane day in clubhouse, not with all the various characters we have, who are both members and members of staff. In Clubhouse on a day a member gets to meet different people who have the same medical problems. If you are a member of Platinum clubhouse, you could do worse then make a new year’s resolution to attend clubhouse more often in the new year.

A group of nine people gathered on Friday September 29th to go to the Jardin Royal, a local Chinese/Cantonese restaurant. The group all met up at the Clubhouse before walking down to the main street. A table had been twelve originally, but there were a number of people unable to attend. However, even allowing for the reduction, the meal went very well. The restaurant was comfortable and nicely furnished, the company interesting and the food was delicious. Some of the group were unsure of trying from the Chinese menu, but others enjoyed the difference. There were a large number of choices available for the main course, and most people only had starter or dessert in addition to the main course. Tea and coffee rounded off a very splendid evening.

Lady

Lady of the dark night
what are you thinking of?
You look a pretty sight with a heart made of love,
There you are alone dreaming of a new day
with no one to call your own for a lover
you pray down by the river
glen waits the man of your dreams
You soon meet then on a sunset
that gleams both of you in ecstasy a new world begin.
You set each other free united your hearts
win ah but reality comes its way vanished
all your wonder of soon to face another day
with your unrequited love

Patrick M

Pitch and Putt Outing

Eight of us went playing Pitch & Putt on Wednesday the 4th October. It did not seem to be the beginning of October as there was no rain and the sun was actually shining. I was foolish because I did not wear my runners and both my shoes and my feet got soaking wet. We were divided into two groups, the so-called professionals and the amateurs. I played with the first group but it took me a while to get the hang of it. I was topping the ball, hitting it to the left, hitting to the right and doing everything bar what I should be doing. After 9 holes I started to get my rhythm and started making good contact with the ball. My playing partners Shay and Michael T encouraged me all the way, and so did I encourage them when they hit a bad shot. I would say out of the three of us Shay was the most accurate but we did not have a competition even though we marked our scorecards at the end of every hole. We played for approximately an hour and a half and completed 13 holes in that time. Carmel, Breda, Lydia and Brid only played 9 holes and at that stage the hunger got the better of them so they said we should retire to Tougher’s for our lunch. We agreed and we all had a lovely lunch with nearly everybody having a different main course. I had the Lambs Liver which is not usually found on restaurant menus. The others had steak, corn beef, roast pork and pasta to name but a few. There was also a great selection of desserts and of course I settled for the black forest gateau which probably has the most calories. I did not feel that guilty however as I had done about 3 miles exercise that morning with the pitch & putt.

Clive

Policeman: Sorry, son you’ll need a permit to fish here
Harry: No thanks, I’m doing pretty well with a worm.
Nurse-“Can I take your pulse”?
Patient-“Have you none of your own”?
Q Is it really unlucky to follow a black cat?
A: It all depends on whether you are a man or a mouse.
Q What’s white, round and lifts weights?
A: An extra strong mint.
Q What two words have the most letters?
A: Post Office.
Q Why can’t you fool a snake?
A: Because it hasn’t any legs to pull.

John-“Have you heard the farmer who rolled his field”?
Tom –“He wanted to grow potatoes.”
Q What has four legs but only one foot?
A: A: A bed.
Q: What goes round the jungle grunting and sending all the other animals to sleep?
A: A wild bore.
Q What did one eye say to the other?
A: There’s something between us and it smells.
Lecturer: “Who would like to live to be 85?”
Voice from audience: “Someone who is 84”.

Patricia

I am back in the clubhouse after time working in Camphill. I enjoy the freedom of the Clubhouse and the prospect of paid work. Camphill consists of a garden, a farm, a weavery and a bakery. The coffee shop is where a number of people work selling food, some books and tea/coffee. Most of the people in Camphill live in nearby houses to their work. Adult education sometimes had socials on a Monday where we went to nearby tourist attractions. There are holidays and plays in Camphill with swimming on Friday in a nearby swimming pool.

Platinum had a health & safety course held in the building in August for 2 days. There was a good attendance of members at this course and full attendance of staff. On the final day all present sat an exam. We received a good result 2 weeks later. All who participated in the exam were successful. The health & safety tutor has informed us that we are the first centre in EVE to have a 100% success rate in this exam. Well done to all.

Birthday Wishes: Gary, Robert S, Declan C, Margaret O'B, Kevin O'D, Daniel, Margaret P, Alan, Simon L, Dara

Disclaimer: The views, opinions and beliefs expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of Platinum Clubhouse.

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