Newcomers' Club St.John's, Newfoundland

2012

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Nothing lasts forever, and The Newcomers' Club of St. John's is no exception. It has been fun while it lasted, but all that is left are good memories and drop in coffee mornings at The Rooms coffee shop every second and fourth Wednesday of the month. Keep in mind the weather may be capricious: in the summer it may be too gorgeous to spend any time indoors, and in the winter there may be a Wednesday blizzard, nevertheless, if you feel at all a little adventurous, take a chance and check out the restaurant on the fourth floor of The Rooms. The menu is interesting and the Museum offers food for thought, so you may have a good time even if none of the left-over ex-newcomers shows up.
MAY THE NEW YEAR BE KIND TO YOU AND YOURS

OCTOBER 2011 AND BEYOND

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Over the dozen years of the club's existence, membership of the Newcomers' Club St. John's has been fluctuating between close to an 100 registered members and the present count of 22. The club truly helped newcomers with settling into their new homes in the City of St. John's and vicinity. Due to relocation, changes in personal commitments and gainful employment of the officers of the club, it is impossible to continue with a structured programme or activities many of us found so rewarding in the past with the exception of friendly and informal coffee mornings at The Rooms through the month of December.

Coffee mornings at The Rooms, Wednesdays:

OCTOBER 12th and 26th
NOVEMBER 9th and 23rd
DECEMBER 7th and 21st

Should some of the latest arrivals to St. John's be interested in helping to reinvigorate the group and offer to assume some of the duties, please, get in touch with Michelle or Hana at the phone numbers provided at the top of the Club's blog introduction. We will happily offer assistance and answer any questions about the club or life in St. John's. The gmail address is no longer current.

SEPTEMBER 2011

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Over the summer attandance at the morning coffees fluctuated between cozy gathering of 4 up to overcrowded 3 tables. Since many of our regulars are still away and Labor Day weekend tends to stretch into a week, our next coffee morning will take place on Wednesday, September 14th. Anyone interested in helping The Newcomers of St. John's with programs is welcome to attend one of the coffee mornings, all ideas are much appreciated.

Coffe mornings at The Rooms, Wednesdays September 14th and 28th at 10:30AM.

Book Club meeting Tuesday September 27th - for details contact Hana - 738-0266.

JUNE 2011

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Coffee at The Rooms: Wednesday June 15th and 29th at 10:15 AM. . The last May coffee morning was a pleasant and rather cozy affair with 6 newcomers present, one a recent addition to the group. In July, and August, you can find one of our old timers at The Rooms on the following Wednesdays: July 13th, and 27th, August 10th, and 24th. Should there be any changes, please check information on the Newcomers’ Blog.
Book Notes Day Book Club: Tuesday, June 14th, 12 NOON at Aqua Restaurant on Water St. Please call Hana at 738-0266 by Friday June 10th if you plan to attend, so that she can finalize the arrangements at the restaurant. This will be our last regular book club meeting for this membership year. We shall enjoy the interesting fare at AQUA restaurant at 310 Water Street. We will meet there at 12 NOON which should give us plenty of time to engage in a discussion of Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants while waiting for our main course, as well as planning future reading selections, and exchange books, Chinese auction style with coffee and dessert. Please wrap your contribution, the mystery is half of the enjoyment. Our June selection is Sara Gruen’s, Water for Elephants: This selection replaces the originally planned discussion of Anna Karenina, which will take place in September, once we are settled in our routines after the summer break.

SUMMER - Although the recent series of foggy days could make you think there is no such thing as summer in Newfoundland and Labrador, one of these days you will be surprised to wake up into a lovely warm sunny day. Try to participate in one of the many activities planned for Canada Day in communities on the Avalon. Music enthusiasts shall find many concerts scheduled as part of Festival 500, while sports fans will enjoy the annual St. John's Regatta on the first Wednesday in August. For more ideas visit the official site of the City of St. John's, Mile One, Arts and Culture Centres, The Scope on line or as a free publication available at many local stores. Watch for caplines' arrival at Middle Cove, and do not miss the Annual Blueberry Festival at Brigus. Make the most of the shortest summer in Canada.

MAY 2011

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ACTIVITIES
Coffee mornings at The Rooms: Wednesdays May 11th and 25th at 10:15AM in the museum's coffee shop on the fourth floor. Attendance fluctuates in number depending of travel plans of our members, but you will always find an interesting group consisting of members of long standing as well as new arrivals.
Movie night, Wednesday May 11th at 7:10PM at the Empire Studio 12, Avalon Mall. Water for Elephants. Come a little earlier to make sure you can sit together. The book club will be reading the novel this film is based on, whic may provide interesting discussions.
Walk in Bowring Park - Thursday, May 26th at 9:30AM (in case of rain, postponed one day to Friday, May 27th). The group will meet at the upper parking lot at the corner of Waterford Bridge Road and Park Road. Look for Hana, easily recognized, as she will be accompanied by 2 eager dachshunds. Wear comfortable trainers or hiking shoes/boots and count on spending 60-90 minutes in fresh air.

2011-04-05T10:24:00.002-02:30

Morning Coffee at The Rooms, Wednesdays April 13th and 27th at 10:15AM - - The Newcomers' Club members welcome or fresh arrivals at this regular informal meeting. It is the easiest way to make contact with our group and find out more about our activity groups and future plans. As the weather improves and Spring begins to resemble itself, we attempt to offer more outdoor activities, walking, jogging and hiking.

2011-03-07T19:49:00.000-03:30

Morning Coffee at The Rooms: Wednesdays March 2nd, 16th and 30th at 10:15AM - The Rooms have become the Newcomers’ HQ for informal meetings separate from general meetings and interest groups activities. While the first coffee morning of the new year consisted of 3 drop-ins, the following February coffee mornings welcomed back Liz, and talk was centered on club’s future plans, especially the upcoming March fundraiser. If you would like to stay for lunch, the Red Oak Catering menu and daily specials offer interesting tastes at reasonable prices. To check or arrange a lunch date, call Hana. Wednesday evenings are free at The Rooms, and often offer interesting lectures by guest curators and artists in the lecture theatre at 7:00PM. Check the museum web site for more information.
Michelle Lacroix 738-7123 Hana Semerad 738-0266
BOOK NOTES - Afternoon Book Club - Tuesday, March 22ndOK NOTES: We will be discussing One Day by David Nicholls, who is said to have both a very deft prose style and a great understanding of human emotion. His characterization is utterly convincing. One Day is destined to be a modern classic.' (Daily Mirror 20090621)

JANUARY 2011

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Newcomers last hurrah for 2010:

The Second Annual Mummers Parade took place as originally planned on Saturday, December 18th, 2010, despite the fog and drizzle to the merriment of all participants and onlookers alike. Some of us showed up reluctantly, but the more Newcomers arrive the less we all minded the weather. Everybody came in from the rain - so to say - to enjoy the concert performed on the third level of The Rooms. The consensus among the Newcomers was that should actually take part in the parade next year.

January of the new year will be a month of returning: returning to health, returning from holidays, returning to normal, returning to daily duties. The craft group and day book club are taking a break, but coffee mornings are definitely on. Please join us at the coffee shop at The Rooms on Wednesdays January 5th, and 19th at 10:15 AM.

May MMXI exceed your expectations.

DECEMBER 2010

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The last coffee morning of the calendar year is as always at The Rooms at 10:15 AM on Tuesday, December 22, 2010. Take advantage of visiting the interesting Museum and Art Gallery after a relaxing talk with some of our 25 members over coffee, tea or early lunch.
The Newcomers wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and successful new year. If you are here for the holidays, do not forget the annual fireworks at Quidi Vidi Lake. The newcomers will be happy to welcome you in their midst in the new year.

NOVEMBER 2010

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MORNING COFFEE AT THE ROOMS - Wednesdays, November 10th and 24th at 10:30 AM. The Rooms have become the Newcomers’ HQ for informal meetings separate from general meetings and interest groups activities. Our last coffee morning attracted one of the largest gatherings to-date, and 3 tables were barely enough to accommodate all arrivals. Members shared their travel experiences and offered theme ideas for our future monthly general meetings, as well as ideas for the customary Christmas bags the Newcomers have been providing to Naomi House for years, to which end a collection was started. If you would like to stay for lunch, the Red Oak Catering menu and daily specials offer interesting tastes at reasonable prices.
To check or arrange a lunch date, call Hana.
BOOK CLUBS - This month the Newcomers are reading Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and No Choice But Seduction by Johanna Lindsey.
CRAFT GROUP is working on individual projects and planning future crafts. There will be no organized meetings in the month of December; they will resume in February.

'

OCTOBER 2010

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September brought much excitement to our Province. The debate over categorizing Igor a hurricane or tropical storm may continue, but whats in the name: Igor by any other name would have still caused the resulting devastation. As one of our newcomers from Houston, Texas, remarked, " I thought I left these storms behind." Seeing washed our roads, fallen bridges, and homes swept away by raging currents makes us realize that humanity is not in charge of Nature. Newfoundlanders are no strangers to difficulties and have already shown their skills in coping under pressure, they shall shall build stronger bridges and safer roads. We shall all help.
Morning Coffee at The Rooms at 10:15AM on Wednesdays, October 13th and 27th.
The Rooms have ample parking space with all visitors to the Museum allowed 2 free hours of parking. The coffee mornings offer an ideal first contact with the relative old timers of the Newcomers' Club. The friendly, informal atmosphere of The Rooms coffee shop encourage socializing, and if the popularity of the coffee mornings grows as steadily as it has in the past, we may have to engage in musical chairs to enable everyone to converse with as many of the present club members as possible.

SEPTEMBER 2010

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As a new school year begins and most of us are regretfully shifting from summer fun, travel and entertaining visitors to duties of everyday life, we can include the Club's regular Coffee Mornings at The Rooms in our busy schedules on Wednesdays, September 15th and 29th at 10:15AM. The parking is free for two hours, and admission to the restaurant on the 4th floor is also free. Please join us to catch up with friends or to find new ones. Newcomers of all ages are welcome - especially those brimming with new ideas for activities. As we settle into our routines, our plans will be discussed at the coffee mornings and more information will be posted as it becomes available.

AUGUST 2010

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Coffee Mornings at The Rooms, Wednesdays, August 11th, and 25th 2010 at 10:15AM
While the City of St. John's is barely recovered from the recent events on George Street, the Regatta and the Annual Folk Music Festival, most of our Club members are travelling either to discover more natural beauty this province has to offer or to visit family and friends in their places of origin. The coffee mornings are basically the only chance for members, visitors and potential new members to make contact throughout the summer months. Attendance numbers fluctuate but there will be at least one old-timer present. The club's activities usually pick up after Labor Day, when our blog should be updated as well. Meanwhile, enjoy the summer, visit Cupids celebrations, Brigus for the Blueberry Festival, and a good picnic at the Ferryland Lighthouse with whale watching a bonus while you wait your turn - reservations needed.

JUNE 2010

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ACTIVITIES

Wednesdays June 2nd, and 16st and 30th at 10:15AM - Morning Coffee at The Rooms. The Rooms have ample parking space with all visitors to the Museum allowed 2 free hours of parking. Come and meet established and new club members alike, enjoy comparing notes regarding your settling in, and help plan future club events. If you would like to stay for lunch, the Red Oak Catering menu and daily specials offer interesting tastes at reasonable prices. To check or arrange a lunch date, call Hana.

Michelle Lacroix 738-7123 Hana Semerad 738-0266

BOOK NOTES

Tuesday, June 8th at 1:00 PM End of Newcomers’ year Book Club Luncheon will take place at Papa’s Pier 17 at 15 Rowan (753-7692) in the vicinity of Churchill Square, which offers ample parking. Please call Hana 738-0266 to make a reservation prior to Friday, June 4th. Apart from enjoying a pleasant meal, we will discuss Eriksdottir and The Secret Scripture, as well as our future plan and suggestions for summer reading. If you would like to exchange books in Chinese auction, bring a book of your choice wrapped as a present. Honestly, it is not meant to be a competition in wrapping artistry, it is only to make the book anonymous until the ceremonial unwrapping. Readers of the Evening Book Club are welcome to join us.

CRAFTS

The Craft Group usually takes a break from June till later in the month of September.

Wednesday, June 9th 11:30 – 2:30 Pot Luck Lunch R.S.V.P. Naomi with your dish by Saturday, June 5th - 237-0243 or e-mail usnps2@yahoo.com

Wednesday, June 9th Haunted Hike tour starts from the West Entrance to the Anglican Cathedral on Church Hill, St. John's at 9:30 pm. Partners and older teens welcome.

JUNE COUPLES SOCIAL

Monday June 14th - BBQ Dinner, Dance and Bingo
at Royal Canadian Legion #56 on The Boulevard @ Quidi Vidi Lake
Contact Naomi at 237-0243 or usnps2@yahoo.com by June 10th.

DISCOVERY HIKE

Thursday June 17 - Bell Island: Taking the morning ferry just after 9:30AM and enjoying best fish and chips for lunch prior to return. For details call Kaaren 782-6579

LADIES’ END-of-YEAR DINNER (Members only)

Tuesday, June 22nd, 7:00 PM at Papa’s Pier 17
15 Rowan adjacent to Churchill Square. RSVP attendance by June 15th
Hana 738-0266.

We will be in a private room with plenty of opportunity to enjoy good company as well as good food. This dinner is planned as part celebration of the Newcomers Club existence and survival in the past year as well as farewell to all members travelling to their home countries or provinces, and a brainstorming session of as many members as can attend to find out what the membership hopes to do in the new year starting in September.

FUTURE PLANS

Coffee morning dates and possible outings planned for the summer months will be posted after Canada Day. Do refer to Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Avalon tourism web sites for suggestions of day trips and summer festivals. Our blog featured information in the summer months of previous years, so you can turn to them for information and follow up just to be sure visiting hours at various places have not changed. Enjoy the summer.

Book Notes

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The Evening Book Club – Friday May 7th, at 7:30 PM Please call Elizabeth at 753-6243 to let her know you would like to come. The following meeting will be held on June 18th, and the work discussed will be The Pact by Jodi Picoult. As always there will be a book table with various titles for exchange, so please bring along any gently used books as well as ideas for future reading.
For the evening book club plans call Trudy Ivey 726-3649.

The regulars at the daytime book club will meet for end of the newcomers' year for lunch and book exchange on June 8th. All reader, daytime or evening are welcome. Call Hana for details: 738-0266

Crafts The Craft Group will meet at the Sobey’s Community Room at 10 Elizabeth Ave. on Thursdays May 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th at 1:30 PM. The craft group is the steadiest interest group of the Newcomers’ Club. Bring your own project, share ideas, plan for the summer “down time”, or come just for a visit over a nice cup of tea. Enquiries at 579-7713 or kobi@nf.sympatico.ca.

Out To Lunch at the Gypsy Tea Room for Thursday May 27th at Noon. Please reserve and confirm if you plan to attend by e-mail basia.price@gmail.com by Tuesday May 25th. If there is more interest in future gastronomic exploration a volunteer would be appreciated to become a convener. (Murray Premises, 315 Water Street, Downtown St. John’s).

MAY 2010

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The Rooms have ample parking space with all visitors to the Museum allowed 2 free hours of parking. Come and meet established and new club members alike, enjoy comparing notes regarding your settling in, and help plan future club events. If you would like to stay for lunch, the Red Oak Catering menu and daily specials offer interesting tastes at reasonable prices. To check or arrange a lunch date, call Hana.

MAY 2010

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Morning coffee at The Rooms - Wednesdays, May 5th and 19th at 10:15 AM

APRIL 2010

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Morning Coffee at The Rooms Wednesdays April 7th and 21st at 10:15 am - The Rooms have ample parking space with all visitors to the Museum allowed 2 free hours of parking. Come and meet established and new club members alike, enjoy comparing notes regarding your settling in, and help plan future club events. If you would like to stay for lunch, the Red Oak Catering menu and daily specials offer interesting tastes at reasonable prices. To check or arrange a lunch date, call Hana.
Michelle Lacroix 738-7123 Hana Semerad 738-0266

Book Notes Tuesday, April 20th. Please call Carol at 579-2818 if you plan to attend. We will be discussing Honore de Balzac’s Cousin Bette and leaving modern times behind. Many thanks to Pam for hosting last month‟s meeting. We enjoyed her hospitality and a lively discussion of Donna Morrissey‟s What They Wanted. The book earned a rating of 5 ½, mostly because all readers felt they learned a little about the resettling and out-migration from Newfoundland in the sixties and seventies, as well as work on the rigs. It is not a novel most of us would return to. Perhaps, we tackled too many gloomy Newfoundland topics in relatively quick succession and need to widen our horizons visiting other literary landscapes.

Next Evening Book Club meeting is on May 7th at 7:30 pm, with Elizabeth hosting - 753-6243. The book we will be discussing is Eiriksdottir by Joan
Clark. The exciting news is - Joan will be present for this meeting.

Crafts The Craft Group will meet at the Sobey’s Community Room at 10 Elizabeth Ave.
There will be no crafts on Thursday April 1st, but the group convenes again the following week, on Thursdays April 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th. Bring your own project, or come just for a visit over a nice cup of tea. Enquiries at 579-7713 or kobi@nf.sympatico.ca.

5-PIN BOWLING on April 23rd. It will be an evening of great entertainment and exercise for only $25 per person (4 hours of unlimited bowling, shoes included). Plaza Bowl St. John’s at 50 Ropewalk Ln. 579-7339.
A reservation has been made to reserve lanes 1-4 under the name “Harrington” and RSVP’s would be appreciated to Naomi at usnps2@yahoo.com or 237-0243.

March 2010

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St. Patrick’s Day Potluck Luncheon
Wednesday, March 17th, 11:30 a.m.

This month’s social is taking place at the home of the club’s president Michelle in down town St. John’s. All participants are asked to feel adventurous and google all recipe sites on the web, so that they feel inspired and encouraged to prepare Irish dishes. Cook green, drink green, wear green, you are only limited by your own imagination. Parking is at a premium so car pooling would be a good idea.

ACTIVITIES

Morning Coffee at The Rooms

Wednesday March 3rd and (EDIT not 27th but:) 24th at 10:15 am

Our coffee mornings are well attended, with new arrivals appearing regularly. Due to our rather busy lives, some of us cannot participate as often as we would like to. If there are newcomers whose Wednesday mornings are not free, perhaps they will be free for lunch instead. Lunch could take place on alternate days, once or twice a month depending on interest. The Signal will publish any requests received prior to the deadline. To check or arrange a lunch date, call Hana.

Michelle 738-7123 Hana 738-0266

Book Notes

Tuesday, March 16^th at 1:00 PM at Pam’s.

Our March selection is What They Wanted by Donna Morrissey.

Our February meeting hosted by Michelle was well attended. Many thanks to her for hosting. Marina Endicott’s Good to a Fault received an overall rating of 7.8 out of 10.

The book was well written, and the storyline encouraged reflection on Clary’s “goodness”. Was she good, too good, selfish, selfless, using or being used? We decided she was a little bit of all those things. Taking in the family of strangers definitely filled a void in Clary’s life, while Lorraine and her children needed the care and compassion Clary offered. It ended up being a give and take relationship mutually beneficial. The characters were quirky, but believable, and deceptively straightforward storyline contained some unpredictable twists. All readers recommend this novel.

For the evening book club plans call Trudy.

Our growing group of readers would like to thank Andrea for convening the book club for more years than most of us have been members. We will definitely continue with the enjoyable December lunches and June book exchange and hope she will join us for more spirited discussion. The reading list and venues of future meetings are always published in The Signal. Further information is available from Hana at 738-0266.

The Craft Group

will meet at the Sobey’s Community Room at 10 Elizabeth Ave.

The projects vary and may be an individual or planned for a group, from sewing, knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, to helping with costumes for a school play. You may learn something new, help friends finish their project, or just come for a little bit of company and conversation. Call Estella.

Couples Social

St. Patrick’s Dinner & Dance Sat. March 13th, 7:30pm Tickets now on sale Royal Canadian Legion #56 on the boulevard @ Quidi Vidi Lake RCL contact: Steve 753-9820 $35.00/double (that’s for 2 people) Tables seat 8 and can be reserved.

Become a member of the Newcomers' Club and receive more information on club activities along with the monthly reflections on the language of Newfoundland in the wonderful "Newfoundland Corner" in the newsletter.

FEBRUARY

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Wednesday February 3rd, and 17th at 10:15 am our Morning Coffee at The Rooms Restaurant on the 4th floor of The Rooms Museum. For more information about the club call: Michelle Lacroix 738-7123 Anne Graham 739-0416 Hana Semerad 738-0266

AROUND TOWN
MUN Opera Workshop featuring Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a production of the Wizard of Oz at MUN Reid Theatre
Theatre play Monarita, at the Basement Theatre
Feb 25-28 PHILOSOPHY WINTER COLLOQUIUM, 2010
February 2: Seamus O’Neill, Plato and Imagination
February 9: Michelle Rebidoux (Religious Studies), Friendship, Imagination and the Spiral of the Messianic in the Believing Humanism of Martin Bubern

NEWFOUNDLAND CORNER
by Hana Semerad
Saturday’s change and Sunday’s full moon never brought good and never will.
If the weather conditions of the first 12 days of January really indicate the weather for the next 12 months, we should be happy and expect relatively mild conditions. The temperatures did dip rather drastically after January 23rd, but arriving as they did 11 days after the deadline, the freezing temperatures should not worry us. If you own an elsinor and a pair of thumb gluttons, you are set, what ever the weather. The lawns were green again last week, and yesterday’s late afternoon sudden snow squall warning materialized a little late, nevertheless, the snow remained.
For being the shortest month of the year, February is surprisingly full of notable days. February 1st is one such day - St. Brigid’s Day. It was believed St. Brigid would walk on a piece of string left outside the house on the night of January 31st. The string wound around one’s ankle would guard against the wearer’s falls and accidents. It was also customary to make a cross our of rushes or reeds, which, once woven, was blessed by a priest, sprinkled with holy water and then hung on the front doors, until it was replaced by its newer successor on February first of the following year. New Orleans may have its Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) also known as Shrove Tuesday, but in Newfoundland it is Pancake Day. Overleaf you will find information about two of many choices for pancake breakfast organized annually by the local CBC.
Full moon occurs on St. Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14th this year; it is the full moon heralding the Lunar New Year, year of the Tiger – how is that for an overkill! As the change in the moon is on Saturday, and it is full on Sunday, we are to expect bad weather. We may find some clinker bells. The Weatherlore quote does not explain for how long – only that Sunday, for the rest of the month of February, or from then on? The weather is going to drive us cattywampus. Let us hope the prediction of mild weather for the year will shorten the effects of the full moon maturing on Sunday.

The following definitions are from Dictionary of Newfoundland and Labrador by Ron Young
elsinor – a cap with ear flaps, especially one made of leather
thumb gluttons – a.k.a. trigger mitt because of a separate forefinger for pulling the trigger of a gun
clinker bells – or ice candle - icicle
Weatherlore – a chapter from the Dictionary of Newfoundland and Labrador, source of definitions
cattywampus - crazy
Pancake Day – observed by Protestants aw well as Roman Catholics, marked the beginning of Lent and was celebrated by serving pancakes. Pancakes contained eggs, which were forbidden during lent. Sometimes thin objects such as buttons and coins were placed in pancakes, and in some areas finding these objects would have meanings: coin – wealth, button – become tailor, nail – become carpenter or marry one

JANUARY 2010

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Wednesday January 6th, and 20th at 10:15 am our Morning Coffee at The Rooms Restaurant on the 4th floor of The Rooms Museum. You may wish to spend part of the morning exploring some of the new exhibits, or you may decide to return on Wednesday evenings when attendance to the Museum is free. The coffee mornings provide the best informal way to meet other members, connect with kindred spirits, or suggest themes for future socials. If the present gathering cannot satisfy your curiosity, the following ladies are always ready to answer questions regarding the Newcomers’ Club and our activities:

Michelle Lacroix 738-7123 Hana Semerad 738-0266

AROUND TOWN

See The City of St. John’s Welcomes You site for all the cultural events January offers. Try to welcome
in the new year watching the fireworks at Quidi Vidi. Living as we do in the most easterly location in North America, New year arrives here first. Although the festive season is over, January offers many diversions on stage. The Rising Tide Revue 09 takes centre stage at the Arts and Culture Centre on January 7-10 and 13-16 before it tours the remaining five provincial A&C Centres.
Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers perform on the evenings of January 26-30.
c2c theatre presents A Beautiful View by Daniel MacIvor on the evenings of January 20-24

Newfoundland Corner by Hana Semerad

If the wind blows south on New Year’s night a warm and sunny year will follow

CFA’s relocating to the Rock from snow free places usually hope for white Christmas, and this year they rewarded early; snow started falling on Sunday, December 6, and by the time it stopped falling on Monday, St. John’s residents without snow blowers had ample opportunity for rigorous exercise, as they were attempting to clear their driveways of 39.4 centimeters, a record daily accumulation. Under similar conditions in the 1800’s the locals would have sported confirmations, ladies would have needed more than one cloud and cod socks would not have done.
January’s arrival did not used to mean the end of celebrations and merriment. You could be visited by idle janneys through Old Christmas Eve, when, it was believed, the cattle fell to their knees and prayed. Old Christmas Day falls on January 6th, the day recognized on the Gregorian calendar as start of Epiphany season.
New Year celebrations leave many just able to navigate, perhaps with their heads feeling right logy. The season of overindulgence is behind us. We need moderation, no more duffs for a while, or at least till Easter. We need clear heads to be able to keep our eyes on the weather of the first 12 days of January, because the weather for the first 12 days of January indicates the weather for the next 12 months. Mind you, even clear heads will not be able to change what nature has in store for us, so why not forget the monitoring of conditions in the first part of January and make the best of it. After all, as Newfoundlanders are fond of saying, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes, it is likely to change.”

The following are definitions of colloquial expressions from the Dictionary of Newfoundland and Labrador by Ron Young used in this issue of the Signal

Confirmations – button-up shirts and ankle-length drawers sewn together to make one garment. Often they were made of flour sacks
Cloud – a lady’s shawl, scarf or head covering
Cod socks – also cossocks – long rubber boots cut off at the ankles
Idle janneys – mischievous or naughty mummers
Old Christmas Eve – January 5th
Old Christmas Day - used to be celebrated on January 6th before the calendar changed in 1752
Just be able to navigate - intoxicated
Heads feeling right logy – having hangovers

DECEMBER 2009

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MORNING COFFEE
Wednesday December 2nd, and 16th at 10:15 am our Morning Coffee at The Rooms Restaurant on the 4th floor of The Rooms Museum. January 6th 2010 will be our first coffee morning in the new year. You will always find a friendly contact at one of the Wednesday coffee mornings. The coffee mornings provide the best informal way to meet other members, connect with kindred spirits, or suggest themes for future socials or new activities. If the present gathering cannot satisfy your curiosity the following ladies are always ready to answer questions regarding the Newcomers’ Club and our activities:
Michelle, Anne, Hana
AROUND TOWN
See The City of St. John’s Welcomes You site for all the cultural events the season offers. St. John’s is home to many musicians, so you should have your fill of live singing and Christmas carols. Handel’s Messiah performed by the Symphony at the Basilica is an annual treat, this time on December 11th, and 12th. At 4:00pm on December 5th you may participate at the Festival of Music and Lights taking place in Bowring Park. You will find live performances of Scrooge, Grinch and need not even miss the obligatory Nutcracker ballet performed at Arts and Culture Centre on December 17 – 20. The Mummers Festival Parade is a welcome addition to the season’s festivities, taking place on the afternoon of December 20th
ending at The Rooms. Try to welcome in the new year watching the fireworks at Quidi Vidi.

NEWFOUNDLAND CORNER by Hana S.

If Ducks Do Slide at Hollandtide (November 11) At Christmas They Will Swim
Most of our club members are CFA’s or come from away, far as ever a puffin flew. Newcomers from Finland or other Scandinavian countries are used to harsher temperatures than those of Newfoundland and Labrador winters, and they could give us lessons in enjoying the great outdoors even when snow makes the world look practically monochrome. Others come from the southern USA and are eagerly anticipating fairy tale snow fall culminating in Norman Rockwell Christmas. While the desired effect cannot be guaranteed, by rights, snow, and lots of it, will materialize sometime before next May.
As to the old fashioned Christmas customs, The First Annual Mummers’ Parade may illustrate some local lore. One thing is certain, Christmas was always a very special time for families, the one time other than for wakes that you would be welcome in a parlour, rather than in the kitchen for a kitchen party. Singing and music always played an important part in all celebrations, with the fiddle and spoons being the most popular instruments, the mouth organ (harmonica), and later accordion and the guitar.
Two days in December we CFA’s may not be so familiar with, are December 23rd, and December 28th. Tipsy Eve 23/12 was probably the only day the wives gave their blessings to their husbands to drink as they went from house to house and sampled homebrew, moonshine or berry wine. Holy Innocents Day 28/12 was long considered as the unluckiest day in some parts of the province; it was believed no job started on this day would be completed successfully.
As today, gifts were exchanged, mostly homemade. The adage, Take gifts with a sigh – most men give to be paid, meaning, there is an ulterior motive to most things, seems to be a little too skeptical and a little out of character for the friendly Newfoundlanders. The new year used to be welcome as it is now, on December 31st at Midnight, albeit not with Chinese firecrackers, but at the time of muzzle loader by firing guns into the air. People in outport communities opened the back door to let the old year out and the front door to let the new year in. Let’s open the front door wide to welcome the year 2010 and let’s hope it brings us only glad tidings.

The following are definitions of colloquial expressions from the Dictionary of Newfoundland and Labrador by Ron Young used in this issue of the Signal

If Ducks Do Slide at Hollandtide (November 11) At Christmas They Will Swim – If the weather is cold enough to freeze the ponds over by 11/11, it will warm up enough by Christmas to thaw the ice. It was barely 4 degrees C and very windy on Remembrance Day, and as far as I know, only the water in my watering can outside froze, so we still do not know what to expect on Christmas Day.
far as ever a puffin flew – a long distance
by rights – strictly speaking
kitchen party – entertaining was done in the kitchen because that was usually the only heated room in the house
Tipsy Eve – the name was probably borrowed from St. Tib’s Eve; there is no such Saint, so promises made would never be fulfilled. "You’ll get a new sled on St. Tib’s Day…"
Holy Innocents Day – the children of Bethlehem under the age of two slain on the order of King Herod in an attempt to kill Jesus, the newborn King.

NOVEMBER 2009

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COFFEE MORNINGS

Wednesdays, November 4th, and 19th, Coffee at The Rooms. The first coffee morning in October proved so successful, we had to push 4 tables together to accommodate all 17 guests. Attendance fluctuates by necessity due to our busy schedule, and this certainly was our record high. We may have to stick to The Rooms Coffee shop layout, and play musical chairs, seated 4 at each of the tables and moving all facing out toward the harbor to the neighboring table every 10 minutes (somewhat like speed-dating) in order to be able to get to know our latest arrivals.
You will always find a friendly contact at one of the Wednesday coffee mornings, which provide the best informal way to meet other members, connect with kindred spirits, or suggest themes for future socials or new activities. If the present gathering cannot satisfy your curiosity the following ladies are always ready to answer questions regarding the Newcomers’ Club and our activities:

Michelle Lacroix 738-7123 Ann Graham 739-0416 Hana Semerad 738-0266

CRAFT GROUP

All activities of this group will resume on November 5th , 12th, 19th, and 26th . The crafty individuals will be meeting on Thursday afternoons at 1:00pm for the month of November only at the Community Room of the Sobey’s at 10 Elizabeth Ave. Everyone is welcome with their own project, to join the group in learning the craft of the moment, or just to check out the competition and to talk. Call Estella for details at 579-7713 or kobi@nf.sympatico.ca

BOOK CLUBS

Tuesday November 17th, at 1:00 pm Daytime Book Notes at the home of Michelle Lacroix in St. John’s. Call her at 738-7123 if you are planning to attend, and she will let you know how to get to her place. We have enjoyed Ann Graham’s hospitality last month, and all agreed Butler’s NaGeira was an interesting spin of the popular Newfoundland legend from the earliest settlement in the New World, which earned the book a respectable rating of 6.5. This month, we will be discussing The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
For a long time, some of our members regretted not being able to join the book club due to their busy daytime schedules, so we are very pleased to announce that Trudy Ivey started an Evening Book Club. All wanting to participate in Evening Book Notes on November 20th at 7:30 PM are to call this month hostess Candice at 738-4258 or Trudy at 726-3649. The book discussed will be Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.It is a bestselling novel about a missionary family’s move from Georgia to the fictional village of Kilanga in the Belgian Congo of 1959. Come prepared with suggestions for future meeting. The evening group will have a table of gently used books to which you can contribute your old favourites for exchange. The book jackets pictured below should help you locate our future texts on book shelves of libraries and bookstores

NEWFOUNDLAND CORNER by Hana Semerad

Bright Northern Lights above the hill, A fine day, then a storm foretell

Some years ago in the summer, I was very surprised to see the Northern Lights above the Trans Canada Highway in the vicinity of Kingston, Ontario. The spectacle was breathtaking and in its colourful display easily matched the masterstrokes of Van Gogh’s Starry Night, yet it seemed more unbelievable than the art work, occurring as it did, to my mind, rather too far South to be called Northern. As in the above saying, the day was fine, and the phenomena sure did not foretell a storm that should follow. It seems the last two weeks showed nothing but slate gray water laden sky, so storms may arrive here unheralded by brilliant display. It should feel fallish, but the temperatures match winter better than autumn. We need septembers
again, and nor’westers to struggle against snotty southeasters whenever we brave the great outdoors or attempt to hike up Signal Hill. The paths and roads turn slubby and make us look slommocky as the winds force us to curwibble. No wonder, there is a place called Blow Me Down in Newfoundland, wait, wait, I am there…
Maybe we’ll have no weather, no wind on November 5th, Bonfire Night. To the British it is known as Guy Fawkes night, during which the likeness of Guy Fawkes, Britain’s notorious traitor, is burned in effigy. There is a Newfoundland twist to Bonfire Night. Most of the youngsters gathering boughs, driftwood and other items to fuel the fire had no inkling about Fawkes’ significance, they just liked bonfires, so they went bucking, which was considered one of the rites and rituals of Bonfire Night, a night of fun, running through the smoke and dancing with girls. This was harvest time, so potatoes were thrown in the fire, turning into black balls. When baked, the charred potato skin would be split open and the soft white flesh scooped out to be eaten. For the children, Bonfire Night provided almost as much enjoyments as Christmas. Newcomers should check if a bonfire is planned at Middle Cove, and if the cold weather persists, we should revive the custom.
The following are definitions of colloquial expressions from the Dictionary of Newfoundland and Labrador by Ron Young used in this issue of the Signal:

fallish - feeling of autumn in the air
nor’westers – heavy hooded oilskin coat
snotty southeasters – a southeast wind that brings rain and sleet and is sure to swing around from the northwest and blow twice as hard and twice as long
slubby – slimy and slippery
slommocky - having an untidy appearance
curwibble – a sudden change in direction, staggering movement
bucking – essentially stealing, obtaining without permission
Blow Me Down – one of 30 localities by this name at NL, fishing village in a cove at the tip of Port de Grave Peninsula, first reported in the Census of 1857 as an independent community of 169 people, 31 families, adherents of the Church of England. The name was used as early as 1774 , then as Blowmedown Cove

AROUND TOWN

FINE CRAFT & DESIGN FAIR
November 4 - 8 and November 11 - 15, 2009
Arts & Culture Centre
Wed., 4pm-10pm, Thurs., 10am-10pm, Fri., 10am-10pm, Sat., 10am-10pm, Sun., 10am-6pm

FAIR INFORMATION

New Location: Arts & Culture Centre
The Fine Craft & Design Fair will be set up in the gallery rooms on the second and third floor of the Arts & Culture Centre, as well as in the lobby outside the theatre.

Cabot Quilters are holding their annual fundraising auction on the evening of November 17th, at St. Peter’s Hall in Mt. Pearl. Many lovely gift ideas. For details call Andrea 754-5799

The Newcomers bare bones overview of activities for the month of October and beyond

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Coffee at The Rooms
Wednesday, October 7th, and 21st.
Our coffee mornings popularity is growing, and one table is never enough. We stretched to three at our last meeting. At least one old timer is always present. Initiative of all members to come forward with possible themes, programs, or talks for our monthly socials is encouraged. Attendance is of course completely voluntary and if everyone is happy with the informal structure of these mornings we shall merrily make do with the pleasant venue at The Rooms. If the present gathering cannot satisfy your curiosity, the following ladies are always ready to answer questions regarding the Newcomers’ Club and our activities:
Ann G. 739-0416 Basia 726-1611 Hana 738-0266

Craft Group
All activities of this group will continue at the home of Estella through the month of October. The crafty individuals will be meeting on Thursday afternoons at 1:00pm. Everyone is welcome with their own project, to join the group in learning the craft of the moment, or just to check out the competition and to talk. In November, when a planned project requires more table space, the group will continue meeting on Thursday afternoons, however, the location will be the Community Room at Sobey’s at 10 Elizabeth Ave. Details: call one of the numbers above to get Estella's contact info.

Book Notes
Tuesday October 20th at 1:00 pm at Ann’s. All are welcome to come to the meetings. Call Andrea for details.
Good discussion of the mystery Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie in September. Some liked the book, others did not. It was an easy read and Flavia was an entertaining character although hard to believe she was only 11. Most were waiting for her mother to make an appearance and would like to see her show up in the next book scheduled for publication in March of 2010. Many thanks to Carol for hosting.

Other titles the group plans to discuss:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows.

Meeting dates and books are as follows:
Tuesday November 17, 1:00pm at Michelle's The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Tuesday December 15 1:00pm at Pam's Galore by Michael Crummy
Remember to invite a friend or neighbor if they are interested.

AROUND TOWN
The Annual International Women’s Film Festival is celebrating 20 years of existence. This weeklong event is a wonderful opportunity to see many genres of films from all over the world. Screenings take place in large movie theatres as well as smaller auditoriums, and many interesting discussions develop afterwards. It is possible to register for workshops. Apart from this visual feast, there is many a tasty offering available for you palate at the Wine Fest. See The City of St. John’s Welcomes You site for all the cultural events the season offers. Scope and The Telegram newspapers as well as the Roger’s community listings provide information about local clubs and places of interest.

Newfoundland Corner by Hana S.

When the Winds of October Won’t Make the Leaves Go,
There’ll Be a Frosty Winter with Banks of Snow.

Everywhere I go, I keep looking at the deciduous trees to check if the leaves are dropping, and so far they seem to dry up but hold on. Well, it is only the first of the 31 days of October so there should be ample opportunity for gale force winds to strip the trees bare and prevent the tons of snow we would have otherwise. We should also worry, because the moon changes from Saturday (October 4th ) to Sunday, when it becomes full at 6:00 am, an occurrence usually heralding bad weather.
What could we be thankful on Thanksgiving, then? Halloween or Colcannon dinner? The custom of trick or treating was introduced in Newfoundland by American soldiers stationed here during WWII. Earlier, the last night of October was known for the dinner made by boiling meat and seven vegetables in one pot, and the game of Snap Apple. On Colcannon Night, lovers used to place a pair of walnuts side by side in the fire; if the walnuts stayed together as they burned, it meant the couple got it blistered (knocked, or scalled), but if they separated, the couple was in for a rocky relationship.
Should the predicted inclement weather materialize, do not let it get you down. There is so much happening in St. John’s in October, you will not be able to see and do it all. So pierce a crow’s eye but do not help Larry.

The following are definitions of some colloquial expressions from the Dictionary of Newfoundland and Labrador by Ron Young which Hana used this issue of The Signal:

Snap Apple game – trying to get a bite from an apple suspended on a string, swinging
Got it blistered, knocked, scalled (scalded) – things going great, all well, couple should be happy
Helping Larry – doing nothing. Larry as a nonexistent friend people “help”, an excuse for being idle
pierce a crow’s eye – to do something impossible

Last Words
Here is hoping your Thanksgiving turkey turns out as photogenic as the one on the cover of the newsletter print edition, possibly our last, Newsletter issue. It is most satisfying to find new faces at the morning coffees and to have large turn outs for the book club and crafts as well. Nevertheless, with no new Executive Board, no membership fee and no planned social event for this month, we can hardly call ourselves a club.
Rather, we are a network of women, who help one another to settle in comfortably and to make the most of living in St. John’s. Perhaps we should keep it simple, and share information and ideas at every opportunity as we meet for coffee, book club or crafts.

September 2009

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September Social, Monday, September 28^th, at 10:00 am at Hana’s home (Please call for address). If the growing number of violent assaults in our capital worries you, take this opportunity to allay your fears by attending this special presentation of WiseWalk.

Our guest Dave Jackman will talk to us about some simple but effective ways of projecting an aura of confidence, when we walk alone, and possible evasive maneuvers to get out of threatening situations. After the presentation we shall go for a walk in the neighborhood and practice what we have learned in theory. Do wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes.

Dave Jackman, the founder of Kenpo Karate in NL (1970), has been teaching Martial Arts longer than anyone in Newfoundland’s history. His Wise Walk Self-Defense method has been taught in the US plus in many local businesses and learning institutions.

Coffee at The Rooms,
Wednesday, September 9th, and 23rd. Our first coffee welcomed two newcomers both relocating from Houston, one originally from Newfoundland. They were eager to meet other members, so please, give them a call.

You can reach Nancy H. and Naomi H. through a call to Hana.

You will always find a friendly contact at one of the Wednesday coffee mornings, which provide the best informal way to meet other members, connect with kindred spirits, or suggest themes for future socials or new activities. If the present gathering cannot satisfy your curiosity the following ladies are always ready to answer questions regarding the Newcomers’ Club and our activities:
Ann G. 739-0416 Basia 726-1611 Hana 738-0266

Craft Group
All activities of this group will resume on September 17th at the home of Estella P. The crafty individuals will be meeting on Thursday afternoons at 1:00pm. Everyone is welcome with their own project, to join the group in learning the craft of the moment, or just to check out the competition and to talk. Contact details: Hana S.

Book Notes
Tuesday, September 22nd at 1:00 pm at Carol’s.
All are welcome to come to the meetings. This month we are reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.

Call Andrea D. for details and other titles the group plans to discuss.

SPECIAL EVENT
At our last coffee morning, Nancy and Naomi, our two latest arrivals mentioned they were interested in going to see David Copperfield, the popular magician at Mile One, and would anybody else be interested?
We checked the possibilities and decided to try to get a block of seats for the Newcomers. If we get at least 15 members, friends and family interested, we can get a discount at time of purchase.
David Copperfield Matinee on Sunday, November 8th, at 4:00pm Tickets cannot be reserved prior to purchase, they are sold on first come first serve basis. If you are interested, let Hana know and bring $70 per person to Newcomers’ next coffee morning on September 23rd. That would cover the price ++ for the best available seating. Naturally, Hana will refund any money saved and/or difference resulting from unavailability of prime seats. We have been assured all seats in the house provide good view.

Newfoundland Corner
by Hana S.

If St. Matthew’s Day is bright and clear, it means good weather for the coming year.

I always liked Septembers. They are like a second chance for a new beginning in one calendar year. If you did not live up to New Year’s resolutions, you can try it again with the onset of another school year. One of mine was to start my days with a brisk walk. As much as my dynamic duo of dachshunds loves to accompany me, today was a different story. There was no shifting them outdoors while it poured, but we braved the wind mid morning. I, all mops and brooms, they, with their floppy ears practically inside out, a sight to behold! What would we have given for a return to sunny Sunday of berry picking a mere week ago. My favourite are blueberries.

I hope at least some of you had a chance to go to Brigus for the Blueberry Festival in August, if you did not have a chance to pick some yourselves. I was warned by old timers not to pick the immature berries, “ they’m red ‘cause they’m green, that’s why they’m not blue”. That explains why blueberries are red in colour before they ripen, so be careful next summer. I wonder, though, maybe nobody will be picking berries any more, now that we are all on the pig’s back. Long may it last!

Surprisingly the beautiful summer brought along some weatherish days as well as some real weather. And yet, it was not enough to call off the water ban in our fair city. I would really like St. Matthew’s Day picture perfect, but what if a nice day on his Feast Day, September 21st will mean even lower water level at the reservoir? We’d better review Alexander Graham Bell’s experiments with desalination of sea water to make up the difference.

AROUND TOWN
See the City of St. John’s Welcomes You site for all the cultural events the season offers. The Scope and The Telegram newspapers as well as the Roger’s community listings provide information about local clubs and places of interest. Not to be missed is the MUN Cinema Series which features selection of films not readily available on tapes, DVD, or not offered through general cinematic release in North America.

The following are definitions of some colloquial expressions from the Dictionary of Newfoundland and Labrador/ Ron Young/ which were used in the above byline septembers – months, or in NL slip-on, rubber workshoes made by cutting the tops off the knee-high rubber boots worn by fishermen after a season of fishing (ending in September) all mops and brooms – unkempt hair weatherish – sign of impending storm weather – bad storm with high winds and heavy precipitation.

Morning Coffee

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at The Rooms Café on Wednesday, September 9th at 10:15am will be our first chance to catch up on news and plans for the Newcomers’ Club of St. John’s. (No need to buy an admission ticket. Just walk up to the Café).

Hoping to see some new faces and some old ones as well.

June 2009

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Wednesdays June 10th and 24th , July 8th, 22nd, August 12th and 26th at 10:15 am Morning Coffee at The Rooms, the easiest meeting place for true newcomers.

You will always find a friendly contact at one of the Wednesday coffee mornings. The coffee mornings provide the best informal way to meet other members, connect with kindred spirits, or suggest themes for future socials or new activities. If the present gathering cannot satisfy your curiosity the following ladies are always ready to answer questions regarding the Newcomers’ Club and our activities: Ann G. 739-0416 Basia 726-1611 Hana 738-0266

Craft Group
All activities of this group will resume in the second part of September. Details will be in our September issue of the Signal.

Book Notes
Tuesday June 9th at 10:00 am End of the Year Pot Luck Lunch at Andrea’s. All are welcome to come to the meetings. Call Andrea for details.

June Social
Monday June 15th at 6:30 pm. As always, our June general meeting takes place in the
evening. This year we are pleased to hold the dinner at the historic Crow’s Nest (709) 753-6927 where we will gather at 6:30pm prior to a tasty sit down dinner catered by Red Oak Catering at 7:00pm.

Please call Basia to reserve the main course of your choice. The Newcomers’ Club will treat all diners to a complimentary glass of wine and cover the cost of gratuity for the always impeccable service.

All participants are asked to bring a wrapped small inexpensive item suitable for Small scale patio or urban gardening which will be raffled off at the end of the evening. Seeds, gardeners’ gloves, planters, hand lotion, anything that will make it easier to create a small summer wonder in our backyards during the all too short summer season will be appreciated.

AROUND TOWN
See the City of St. John’s Welcomes You site for all the cultural events the season offers. The Scope and The Telegram newspapers as well as the Roger’s community listings provide information about local clubs and places of interest.

Not to be missed in June is the Newfoundland Screech Comedy Festival from Wednesday, June 10th to Sunday, June 14th, as well as 2 performances of Cirque du Soleil June 26th and 27th.

The dinner theatre fare at the former Masonic Temple is always enjoyable and continues throughout the summer.

You must catch at least a glimpse of pods of whales following the caplins, as well as icebergs in June.

Every two years the City of St. John’s plays host to Festival 500 which features performances by many national and international choirs at various venues in the city from July 5th to 12th. If you prefer Jazz, check out the Jazz and Blues Festival.

In August you will have a chance to enjoy a day at the pond, cheering for your favorite crew at the Annual Royal Regatta, planned this year for Wednesday August 5th, weather permitting.

Shakespeare by the Sea (and in the Park) will keep you busy week ends at the amphi-theatre of the Bowring Park. We have not even touched on out of town possibilities, so be adventurous and google away.

Lunch and May Social

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Our lunch this month takes place at the new Chinese restaurant, Bird's Nest, 16 Stavanger Drive. We have reserved a small room for our group, this coming Friday, May 22nd at 12:00 noon.

Our social takes place on the following Monday, May 25th at 10:30am at Presentation Motherhouse at Cathedral Square. There is parking in front of the Motherhouse as well as in front of the Basillica next door, or the nearby Rooms. No admission is charged by the Presentation Sisters, however, they kindly offer one sister as our tour guide, and our small voluntary contribution would most likely be appreciated.

Any questions will be answered by Hana at 738-0266

Activities in March and April 2009

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Wednesdays - Morning Coffee at The Rooms

March 4th, 18th
April 1st, 15th and 29th at 10:15 am

You will always find a friendly contact at one of the Wednesday coffee mornings. The coffee mornings provide the best informal way to meet other members, connect with kindred spirits, or suggest themes for future socials or new activities. If the present gathering cannot satisfy your curiosity the following ladies are always ready to answer questions regarding the Newcomers’ Club and our activities:
Ann G. 739-0416, Jamie 722-5915, Basia 726-1611, Hana 738-0266

Thursdays - Craft Group

March 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th
April 2nd, 9th , 16th, 23rd, and 30th join our at 12:30 pm

at the home of Estella P. The meetings last about 2 hours.

Book Notes

Tuesday, March 10th - at 9:30 am
at Randi’s. The book for this month is Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea.

Tuesday, April 21st. - at 9:30 am
at Carol F.'s, 15 British Sqr. The selection for April is Elizabeth Murphy’s Imperfect Librarian.
All are welcome to come to the meetings.

MARCH SOCIAL

Monday, March 16th at 11:00 am at Basia’s.

The theme for our March Social is (not quite surprisingly) all things Irish. Basia’s main course will be waiting and supplemented by participants’ delectable potluck contributions inspired by St. Patrick’s Day traditions. Please, wear something Irish and share stories of Irish luck, lore and customs connected to St. Patrick’s Day.

APRIL SOCIAL

Monday April 6th

Details about the Club’s Monday April 6th Social featuring a talk by one of our own, Jamie Stockton, will be finalized by April Fool’s Day, and you can find out about the plans at the first Morning Coffee of April.

AROUND TOWN

See the City of St. John’s Welcomes You site for all the cultural events the season offers (and Winter Spring Active Guide) . The Scope and The Telegram newspapers as well as the Roger’s channel feature listings of events planned by various institutions and societies. Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club opened on Kenmount Rd. and may be worth a visit for some much needed humour. The Kiwanis Music Festival takes place in March and should be as enjoyable as ever.

The Torbay Museum and Torbay Recreation will be holding two workshops:

March 28th - Who Are You - The Newfoundland Genealogical Society is conducting a workshop on how to start researching your family history. Kinsmen Centre 1 – 4 pm. Free.

April 25th – Revisit an old traditional cloth making. Renowned felter Bonnie Johnstone is coming from the Southern Shore to teach felting. The project will be a wall hanging to take home. Kinsmen Centre, 11am - 5 pm. Cost is $30.

IMPORTANT LAST WORD

The weather was truly unpredictable this month and provided ample opportunities for exercise, mainly that of heavy lifting… The falling snow was rarely of the pleasing powder variety, but mostly rather wet and heavy. Students missed a lot of school making their scholastic February even shorter, and the Newcomers missed out on one of their two monthly Coffees at The Rooms, due to the Museum’s closure. Our newest members may not be familiar with the possibility of experiencing all four seasons in one day… Please, never underestimate the weather warnings and always check if the venues of our meeting are actually opened prior to leaving your cozy homes.

Activities January 2008

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We are still alive and kicking, but there was just no time to update the site. So finally some news on our activities for this month:

January Social, Thursday, January 8th at 10:00 am is scheduled at an unusual time because our guest speaker is only available at this particular time and date. Do not miss this opportunity to learn about yoga and its benefits for mind and body. Be inspired and change your life for the new year.

Thursdays January 15th, 22nd, and 29th join our Craft Group at 9:30 am at the home of Estella

Book Notes:There will be no book club meeting this month due to the unavailability of the chosen book. All are welcome to come to the meeting on February 17th (details to follow in the next month’s listings), when we shall discuss both Perfect Night to Go to China and Cloud of Bone.

Wednesday January 7th, and 21st at 10:15 am Morning Coffee at The Rooms.
You will always find a friendly contact at one of the Wednesday coffee mornings. The coffee mornings provide the best informal way to meet other members, connect with kindred spirits, or suggest themes for future socials or new activities. If the present gathering cannot satisfy your curiosity the following ladies are always ready to answer questions regarding the Newcomers’ Club and our activities:

Ann 739-0416 Hana 738-0266

AROUND TOWN
If the present global economic climate gets you down, one effective remedy may be a ticket to the Revue 2008 staged at Art and Culture centre. The show has decades old tradition, and travels through all 6 provincial A&C Centres to sell out crowds. Your chance is on any of the following dates: January 9, 10, 11, 15, 16 and 17. For other shows, concerts and happenings check out the free publications, the Rogers community TV Channel and The City of St. John’s Welcomes You web site.

According to the poet Samuel Butler (1612-1680), “Great actions are not always true sons of great and mighty resolutions.” It stands to reason then, even if you are one of the few who did not make any resolutions for the New Year, you may still accomplish something wonderful. Most of us break the resolutions we make under the influence of the bubbly, anyhow.

Have a great year, Newcomers!

Craft Morning

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When?
Every Thursday morning from 9.30 am till noon.

Where?
In the upstairs Community Room at Sobey's on Merrymeeting Road.

This year again we would like to have a craft group. Last year we worked on some fun projects and this time we will carry on with more "crazy quilting" along with other interesting craft activities, like plain quilting, embroidery or possibly some beading. Working with cardboard, paper and lots of glue too for notebook making. Michael's has supplies for small or large notebook making but if you do not want to purchase these, shoebox cardboard is very usable too for this.
We hope to see you at our first craft meet on the 18th September.

Upcoming Events

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September 8th. Welcome Coffee at 9:30 am. A social to welcome New members and renew friendships after summer vacations.

September 9th. Book Club at 9:30 am.

September 17th. Morning Coffee at the Rooms, 4th Floor, 10:15- 11:30 Open to any Newcomer.

September 22nd Hike and Hot Tub Social, 10:00 - 2:30 in Bay Roberts. An opportunity to go for an easy hike with beautiful vistas, light refreshments and enjoy the Hot Tub (hope for good weather). RSVP. Car pooling.

September 26th - Out For Lunch. Place to be announced. Call Charisse.

October 1st and 15th Morning Coffee at The Rooms 10:15 - 11:30.

October 20th - October Fest Social more details to follow.

Coffee Morning

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It's Coffee Morning again and this time we even might have one out-of-town member to meet up with. One of our regulars will be at the Café for all of you who are free on Wednesday morning, 30th July, to join her at the Rooms Café for a coffee.

She will be there between 10.15 and 11.30

Hope some of you will make it.

If you are new in town and want to meet up with a friendly group of other newcomers, come along to this informal meet-up. We'd love to see you there.

DINNER THEATRE AT THE MASONIC TEMPLE

2008-07-16T09:16:00.002-02:30

Spirit of Newfoundland has a new home at the Masonic Temple.

The Newcomers' are invited to book tickets for their new production

PACING MASON
on Friday, July 25

Anyone interested can contact the company directly at www.spiritofnewfoundland.com or call 579 3023 for more detailed information.

A table for 10 has been tentatively reserved for the evening; when booking your seats, please, mention the Newcomers'. If you can’t make it for this particular performance, you have more chances all through the summer. The popular company offers two other dinner theatre shows to satisfy even the most discerning audiences.

The menu is provided by the expert chefs of Restaurant 21. Visitors welcome.

Out to Lunch

2008-07-05T12:42:00.003-02:30

Let's get together for lunch on Wednesday July 9th, 12 noon at the Spa At The Monastery, 63 Patrick Street. They have a lovely little restaurant with a nice patio if the weather cooperates.

Please RSVP to Andrea D. by Monday July 7th. or e-mail Ann G. Her e-mail address can be found in the blog header.

Coffee Morning

2008-07-05T12:37:00.004-02:30

The next Newcomers' Coffee Morning will take place on Wednesday, July 16th at The Rooms–Café, from 10:15am to 11:30am.

Ann G. will be there to welcome you. She is looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible.

Check this post for links to The Rooms.

Keeping in touch

2008-05-16T19:03:00.004-02:30

Our monthly Coffee Mornings found a permanent host in The Rooms restaurant. No need to pay admission and free parking for 3 hrs. Our next Coffee Morning takes place on May 28th at 10:15 AM. Bring your friends, visitors from away or potential new members. Look for further dates in our June Newsletter and blog updates.

SUMMER ACTIVITIES AND TRAVELS

2008-05-16T18:03:00.003-02:30

The St. John’s Haunted Hike starts up again in June and runs through September. This is an “ambulatory theatrical tour through the historic and haunted streets of St. Johns downtown core, with old-fashioned storytelling at its dramatic and spine-tingling best”. Call 709-685-3444 for more information or visit .

Cathedral Crypt Tea Room: The Cathedral Crypt Tea Room will be open from the first week of July until the first week of September, on weekday afternoons from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. The Crypt is a pleasant place to relax and enjoy a Newfoundland tea after sight-seeing around town. The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is itself a beautiful historic building and is open for viewing during the summer months. It is located on Gower Street between Cathedral Street and Church Hill. Enter The Crypt through the parking lot at the back of the church.

Shakespeare by the Sea: All shows are in the St. John’s Cabot 500 Theatre, Bowring Park. The theatre is located behind the playground in the west end of the park, just west of the swimming pool. All shows are weather dependent. Please call 576-0980 on show day for weather related inquiries or visit their website.

Random Passage Movie Set: The movie set for Random Passage at New Bonaventure, 14 km. from Trinity, is well worth a visit. There are tour guides who will explain how it was constructed,etc. The site provides a fascinating and realistic insight in to early outport life. There are signs along the highway from the Trinity turnoff. You park at the Church and it is a short walk to the site.

L’Anse aux Meadows: There you will find a Viking village called Norstead, where you can see how the Vikings lived. It is wonderful to be able to go inside the houses and interact with the Vikings. They have a blacksmith, carpenter, and a boat builder to name but a few citizens, and you can chat to the Chief and his wife, or the weaver. You can also taste delicacies cooked the way their forefathers did such as mussels and caribou stew. The Vikings proved to be very friendly and it was a great way to bring history alive.

Middle Cove Beach A great place for a morning or afternoon get away, or a spur of the moment picnic. This is a pebble beach approximately 10 minutes (driving) from St. John’s, in between Torbay and Logy Bay on Route 30. With a spectacular ocean view and nestled between cliffs that are home to various seabirds, it’s a natural wonder that’s close to home. There have been many sightings of whales there as well. Pack up the kids, some food and drink, pails and shovels, and an extra set of clothes. Around 15th August there will be a pottery event on the beach. Check your local newspaper for the exact date. Clay pieces will be baked in kilns erected on the beach and are for sale then. Have fun!

Baccalieu Trail to Brigus, Spaniards Bay, Salmon Cove & Northern Bay Sands:
Travel on the TransCanada highway west for about 1 hour to route 70. Travel north about 14 kilometres to the Brigus turnoff. Historic Brigus is the birthplace of northern explorer Captain Bob Bartlett. His former home, Hawthorn Cottage, is a national historic sight and well worth a visit. Brigus also hosts the blueberry festival each August. In Spaniards Bay pottery enthusiasts will enjoy a stop at Fairy-Tale Pottery located on the main highway. If you have a full day to spend, carry on to Harbour Grace, headquarters for a famous pirate of the 17th century, Peter Easton. In 1932 Amelia Earhart left Harbour Grace to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. You will also find the oldest stone church in Newfoundland here.

Signal Hill Tattoo, starting July 2
This Pageant features military drills, music and manoeuvres of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot, c.1800. Performances on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturdays and Sundays at 11am and 3 pm.

Railway Coastal Museum, 495 Water Street, Web Site: www.railwaycoastalmuseum.ca

Newman Wine Vaults, Water Street, 739-7871
This place is just past downtown going west towards Mount Pearl. University students give a tour and historic talk on the shipping trade that brought fermented wine to Newfoundland for storage. Very interesting and samples too.

Sights along route 10
Bay Bulls & Witless Bay: Drive along route 10 south of St. John’s for about 1 hour for some excellent hiking, whale and bird watching .
The Colony of Avalon: A favourite of our family is the Colony of Avalon located in the town of Ferryland, a one hour drive south from St. John's. There is an Interpretation Centre, Gardens of plants favoured in 17th century, a Conservation laboratory and our favorite, the Archaeological Dig. The dig consists of six sites uncovering the remains of the English colony founded in 1621 by Sir George Calvert, who later became the first Lord Baltimore. Visitors can view archaeologists and the field crew as they uncover legacies of the past.
The Cape Race Lighthouse: An impressive old lighthouse in a beautiful location which went into operation in 1856. Visitors can still enter and climb around the stairs that wrap around the walls up to the light. Did you know… Cape Race was the only land based point to receive the Titanic’s distress call.
Avalon Wilderness Area: Home to a herd of over 5,000 Newfoundland caribous.

Summer Swimming Holes

Topsail Beach is a Provincial Park about 20 minutes from town, straight out Topsail Road. When you get very close to the ocean watch for a sign on your right to lead you down to the water. There are washrooms and a small playground, a pond swimming area which is great for air mattress floating as well as ocean swimming. Fairly easy to keep an eye out for kids but you always have to be careful of the tides. The beach/ sitting area is rocky but not uncomfortable. There is no shade to be found to escape the sun but because you are on the ocean the breeze keeps you cool.
Butter Pot Provincial Park is also a campground only 20 minutes from town, west on the TCH. The exit is well marked and there is a small per vehicle day use charge. The pond has a sort of sand beach and a grassy area to spread your blankets. Many people show up with there coolers and BBQ’s and settle in for the day. Can sometimes be a little crowded. A good place to go if you want to do a bit of hiking before you enjoy the water.
Marine Drive Park is located on Pouch Cove Line, route 21, about 30 minutes from town. This park has a per person day charge. There are water slides, boat rentals, playground , picnic tables, washrooms and a canteen. The fresh water lake has a beach with some sand and the surrounding area is grassy. This park can also get a little crowded and therefore stressful if you are trying to keep an eye out for your kids. The kids enjoy it here but it can get pricey with the waterslides, boats and canteen.
Holyrood Park is located on the Holyrood access road, exit 36 off the TCH, about 25 minutes from town. You will pass the Willows golf course on your right and just further on your left is the swimming area. The admission charge is $1.00 per person. This is actually a dammed up river with a bridge to access both banks. The area is grassy and offers some shade. One side is shallow and great for small children; the other side is deeper with a dock area. This is a relatively small swimming hole and therefore easy to keep track of your kids. Never very busy, this is my favourite swimming spot.

The CAPLIN are coming!
We are soon approaching caplin and whale-watching season here in Newfoundland. Caplin are a small, silvery fish who spend most of their lives offshore but come inshore to spawn. Spawning takes place on beaches in June and July. This is truly a sight to behold as thousands of sparkling silver bodies throw themselves onto the beaches. Wildlife is attracted to this food source, such as other fish, seabirds, eagles and ospreys. Perhaps most notably for us, whales are attracted to one of their major food sources, so once the caplin arrive you know the whales won’t be far behind!
The caplin arrive on our beaches during typical “caplin weather” ie foggy, misty, dank, damp days in early morning or evening. Wander along to places, such as Middle Cove, and you will see many people on the beach harvesting the fish. It’s a great time to take the kids fishing - a sure-fire success for them.
Traditionally caplin were spread on gardens as fertilizer but they were also eaten. They taste good fried whole in butter. Dried salted caplin are a traditional Newfoundland snack roasted on a stick over a campfire. I have also heard of people stringing them up along washing lines to dry and then pickling them in the juices left over from the saltfish.
Newfie saying: “Foolish as a caplin” meaning “a very silly person”.

Whale-watching
Soon after the caplin arrive on the shores of Newfoundland, the humpback whales arrive in the surrounding waters. In the northwest Atlantic, the humpbacks winter in the Caribbean, where they mate and calve. A newborn will typically weigh around 2 tons and measure 5m in length. When it is weaned, around 11 months, it will be about 8-9m long and will be fully mature at 11m, by which time it will typically weigh around 30-40 tons. A female humpback usually calves every 2 years and can live for 30 years. In April the whales begin their journey north to the feeding grounds around the waters of Newfoundland . Around the Avalon, sightings are very common from June to August.
Whales are fascinating mammals to watch. They breach (leap into the air), lobtail (strike their flukes on the surface of the water), they lie on their sides and roll over, waving their huge flippers in the air. The undersides of the flukes have unique patterns of black and white, so it is possible to recognise individual animals. There are many opportunities to whale-watch in Newfoundland. There are numerous vantage points all around the coast and some of us are lucky enough to be able to watch from our own homes.
Whale-watching boat trips can be taken Bay Bulls with : Gatherall’s tel. 334-2887, O’Briens tel. 753-4850 or Mullowney’s , tel. 1-877-783-3467. You could even try sea-kayaking with Stan Cook, tel. 1-888-747-6353.

May 2008 Newsletter excerpt

2008-05-08T08:36:00.005-02:30

Newcomers Annual Year End Dinner A Garden Party

At The Bungalow, Bowering Park Monday, May 26th 2008 6:30 pm Reception 7:30 pm Dinner
Cost: $ 35.00

In keeping with tradition our final social of the 2007-2008 Newcomer year will be an evening filled with friendly faces, good food and a few surprises. This year’s theme is “Garden Party” and our venue is the beautiful Bungalow in the heart of Bowring Park.

The park was officially opened on July 15, 1914 with the planting of a Linden tree by the Duke of Connaught. All are invited and encouraged to attend this social as we often don’t get a chance to see much of each other over the summer months lovely dinner will be prepared by Red Oak Catering and the menu selections are on a separate page at the end of the Newsletter. Each guest will receive a complimentary drink ticket and a cash bar will be available. Mark the date on your calendar, find a sitter if needed and spend an evening with friends.

If wish to attend, please RSVP to Andrea D. no later than Monday May 21st. Be sure to enclose your cheque for $35.00 made payable to Newcomers’ Club of St. John’s together with a copy of your menu choices.

Message from the President

Hooray, hooray it’s the first of May!

Isn’t it wonderful to have virtually all the snow gone and the early flowers blooming? Now the green grass is starting and buds on the trees are starting to swell. Spring is officially underway. We surely were blessed with wonderful weather for our April Social at “On Ocean’s Edge”. Thank You to Andrea Deutsch and Basia Price for the sweets and everyone who lent helping hands. This year’s May Social will certainly have unique undertones with no new Executive to introduce or to take over. The future of Newcomers’ will be interesting to see exactly how it plays out beginning in the fall. I still have hope that the familiarity we all enjoy will be missed, and a group of members will take over making sure ladies meet new friends and get to know St. John’s. I hope to see all our members at the last Social on May 29th. It sounds like a fun spring evening and will end the year in a big way

Ann Graham, President

St. John’s Newcomers’ Club Cruise

June brings along warmer and sunnier days, as well as pods of whales. Gatherall’s offer wonderful 1 ½ hr large catamaran cruises ideal for puffin and whale watching leaving from Bay Bulls to Gulls Island.
Newcomers’ Club is organizing a cruise either at 9:45 am on Saturday June 21, or June 28, 2008.
All family members and or visiting friends are welcome. More details at Gatheralls
In order for our group to receive a discounted rate, we need 30 participants. If you are coming to our May social, consider registering for this June event. Otherwise call Hana with your preferred schedule by May 27th, so that we can reserve the cruise. We will go on the day majority of our members prefer. It could mean going out with a bang in case no new executive is voted in at the end of May, or a lovely start for the summer and planning for Newcomers’ future. Hope to see you all.

Morning Coffee

Wednesday May 14th, 10:00 – 11:30 am

At the provincial Museum“The Rooms”- Café.
Join Newcomer friends for a visit and purchase a
coffee or tea and snack if you desire. This location
should simplify issues with arranging a hostess
each month. Invite any new friends or neighbours
to St. John's to our informal get together.

If you are new in town and feel kind of lost or just in the mood for meeting people,
this is a time you should mark in your calendars.

Interest Groups

Community Volunteers

The National Quilting Conference ‘Quilting on the Edge' is being held at Memorial University Campus from June 2^nd through until June 8^th 2008. The organizers are looking for volunteers to help with the conference.

Get Together Crafts
As always, we meet every Thursday morning from 9:30-12:00 at the Sobey’s community room on Merrymeeting Road.

Please join us! Bring your own project or get inspired.

Out to Lunch

May 23^rd 12 noon

The Pantry, 70 Clinch Cres.

RSVP by May 21^st

The Pantry is a lovely little spot just behind the Janeway Hospital with all proceeds going to programs of the Autism Society. We booked this restaurant earlier in the year but had to cancel because of snow. Perhaps this time we’ll be blessed with a hint of green in the trees and a few spring flowers.

Moms & Tots

Summer is the best time of the year in Newfoundland, please let me know if you are interested in meeting between June and August. Since I will be here, we can still meet at parks and beaches!

By being a convener, an executive and interviewing for Meet the Member, I have met many people. I was shy at first but in the end I enjoyed meeting many nice people. I met a lady for coffee for the first time to interview her.

She is now my very good friend. I encourage people to get involved and make the best of their time in Newfoundland.

Asuka D.

Book Notes

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

Wednesday May 7^th 9:30 am

The Road by Cormac McCarthy received a rating of 7.2 with 8.5 as a high and 5 as a low. The bleakness of the post apocalyptic setting makes for a rather dark read but not necessarily depressing. Father and son hold on to the belief that there are other “good guys” on the road. The writing style also mimicked the “sparseness” of the book. The ending was good as it gave hope and some closure to the story. Most found it to be hard to put down once they got started.

*Please note that May’s meeting is on a Wednesday and not a Tuesday. See you then.

Newfoundland Corner by Hana Semerad

Mists in May, heat in June

Well, the number of canceled flights in the Atlantic region on March 18^th is sufficient proof it was no Sheila, but rather Patrick and Sheila, so the foggy and wet days of last week end of April should not be a great shock to us. The return of the cooler temperatures is due to the higher than usual number of icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. I hope you were able to see the spectacular berg in Pouch Cove (see Tony’s photo below), whose sharp peak looked like a sail of a tall ship from the approach via Torbay. However, the few sunny and warmer days last week did help clear nature of most of the snow piles, our lawn’s colour is changing from drab bleak dirty brown to tweed speckled with green of new grass blades. Even some courageous tulip bulbs survived the yo-yo effects of thaws and timidly push new plants through the softened earth. Pretty soon may poles will appear, and the mayflowers, which will encourage a lot of grassing among the many teenage Grade XII Prom attendees.

The seniors adhering the local traditions will try to collect May water obtained by melting snow that falls in May, used for medicinal purposes; people will try anything to make the notion of actual snow fall in May more tolerable. Sorry, unless it can restore eye sight to the blind it will not do as an excuse for winter’s overstaying its welcome. Let us hope that if there is any more snow in May, it is but a light dusting not requiring any more muscle power, or worse yet the use of a snow blower, and we will be able to sweep the snow away with a broom In any case, be very careful and use your old broom. Under no circumstances are you to buy a new broom in May, to find out why go to your usual source quoted below, or wait for the June newsletter.

The following are definitions of some colloquial expressions from the Dictionary of Newfoundland

and Labrador which Hana used in the April Newsletter:

If the first days in April be foggy, rain in June will make the grass boggy – Foggy weather in early April indicates a rainy June.

floption – state of confusion

get out and push – that’s unbelievable!

dwy – snow, snow flakes

far as ever a puffin flies – a long distance

February Social

2008-02-11T20:12:00.000-03:30

February 18th

Accept an invitation of the
Anna Templeton Centre for Craft, Art, and Design
at 278 Duckworth Street.
Tour and explore this architectural jewel built in 1849
and renovated in the fall of 2007.
The Centre was designated a National Historic Site in 2001.

If you are new in town or a member of the club:
Join us for a glass of punch, a few nibbles and good company and conversation.
After the tour and social, the Centre will be offering an introductory workshop to hand felting. Work with loose wool fibers and learn to create a sheet of felt. This soapy technique easily turns raw sheep wool into beautiful fabric, warm and cozy. It can be used to make hats, mittens, scarves, purses and decorative touches.

Social 9:30 – 11:00
Workshop 11:00 -12:30

Cost: 5$ for the social, $15 for the workshop, includes materials and taxes.
Advanced registration required.

RSVP to Sharon by February 15th indicating attendance or to the president (phone # in the header).

December 2007 Social

2007-12-02T19:03:00.000-03:30

A Night Just for You

at the Ryan Mansion

Take a few hours to rejuvenate your soul
by celebrating the season with friends by the fire.
Join us at the historical Ryan Mansion, 21 Rennies Mill Road,
for drinks and song and a few nibbles on
Monday, December 10th,

from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m

The evening is15$ person. Please, respond by December 7th to Sharon L.

Some driveway parking in front and back of house. Additional parking at Rawlins Cross.

Manuels River Walking Trail

2007-11-25T19:41:00.001-03:30

In case you are looking for a nice trail that brings you to the ocean in about an hour, try the Manuels River trail in Conception Bay South. It is a relatively sheltered trail and there is lots to see along the river until you arrive at the ocean in Worsley Park.

You can find a description of the trail here: Manuels River Natural Heritage Society.

Halloween at the Moms and Tots interest group

2007-11-24T18:23:00.001-03:30

Sorry, for not updating on a more regular basis lately.

Before it is time to post the invitation to the December Social though, at least here are two Halloween photos from our Moms and Tots interest group that Asuka kindly provided.

September 2007 Social Announcement

2007-09-02T16:44:00.001-02:30

Wine, Cheese and Good Company

At Sharon’s home

Monday, September 17th, 2007, 6:30 p.m.

Please join us for an evening of

wine, cheese, good company and sunshine (hopefully)

as summer draws to a close

and our Newcomers’ Club schedule heats up!

Please bring your ideas of things you would like to do,

explore, visit or experience this year in Newfoundland.

We are always up for an adventure or an “evening in” with good friends.

Newcomers' Club Membership

2007-09-02T16:43:00.001-02:30

Annual Membership 2007-2008

The annual fee for Newcomers is only $25.00 and the membership form is included in the newsletter. Newcomers’ welcomes all of you that are new to St. John’s and interested in joining the club. Membership forms can be obtained and payment can be handed in at the September Social.

Message from the president

2007-09-02T16:37:00.000-02:30

As I sit at my desk jotting down thoughts, I find myself in a state of denial. It does not seem possible that September is here and it is time to think of settling into our fall routines. I always feel somewhat like a squirrel, scurrying around trying to finish outdoor projects, and preparing our “nest” for family and the upcoming colder weather.

Now is a good opportunity to think of our personal time and decide where we want to focus our attention. Take note of the interest groups, including the new ones being offered this year. Make sure you sign up for any you are interested in so you will be notified of upcoming activities. The sign up sheets will be at Hi Tea, as well as our kick off Social.

Although I don’t want to rush the month away, I am truly looking forward to the Social, it will be an enjoyable, informal evening where you can catch up with old friends and make new friends too. This will be an evening not to miss.

There are lots of new ideas and locations for the Socials for the year. I won’t spoil the surprise, but be sure to reserve the evening of October 9^th for an all new activity to the Newcomers’ Club. One I am positive you will all enjoy.

Hope to see you on September 5^th at Hi Tea, and the 17^th at the Social, so we can visit and get the year off to a great start.

Ann G.

President, St. John's Newcomers'Club

Interest Groups September 2007

2007-09-02T16:33:00.000-02:30

There is something special about September; it always feels like it should be the first month of the year. Many of you are now looking for something to do now that you are back from your holidays or entertaining family and guests who have come to visit you here in Newfoundland.

It’s time to get back on track after the long and lazy, hazy days of summer!

Whether you are new to Newcomers or have been a part of the group for awhile, we would like to ‘WELCOME’ you back for the 2007-2008 year and would like to share some news about some of the Interest Groups that will be up and running this year.

GET-TOGETHER CRAFTS convened by Estella will commence on Thursday, September 13^th at the SOBEYS’s on MerrymeetingRoad from 9:30 AM to Noon. The Craft Group plans to meet at the same location and same time every Thursday from September 13^th until the end of May 2008.

The kick-off event will be an introduction to Crazy Quilting techniques demonstrated by Estella. It will also be a time to be involved in the planning of future activities put on by the Craft Group. Estella has some other interesting craft ideas that she would like to share with everyone but is also looking for other crafters’ ideas too. So come out and learn about this fun group at their first meeting on September 13^th!

BOOK NOTES convened by Andrea D. commences on Tuesday September 11^th at Andrea’s home and the first book everyone will be digging into is Human Beans by Ron Pumphrey. Other book selections and home venues will be chosen after the sign-up sheets have been reviewed from the September social; this way a new member will also be able to have some say in the book choices for the coming year. If you love to read but also enjoy sharing your thoughts with others then BOOK NOTES is the interest group for you!

GOLF GROUP convened by Vivien and assisted by Anne P. has been going strong all summer and the ladies will continue to swing their clubs at the CLOVELLY Golf Course on Stavanger Drive, St. John’s during the month of September and quite possibly, even October (weather permitting) every Tuesday morning. Tee-Off times will be emailed to you a few days ahead. If you are not on the Golf Club email list but want to be or want to know more about the Golf Group then contact Vivien or Anne right away. FORE!

TENNIS GROUP convened by Sandie would like to hear from Newcomer members interested in swinging your racket at the Greenbelt Tennis Club http://www.greenbelttennis.com

The Club is located at 114 Newtown Rd in St. John’s and where already, a few Newcomers have been playing tennis for a few years now! The club has 4 outdoor courts and 6 courts under the bubble; so, if tennis is your game then contact Sandie today and find out how you can get involved with this ‘swinging’ group’ this coming season!

WINTER WALKERS – “this is not just a walk in the park!” convened by Anne P. will commence Tuesday, October 2.

If you want to join a group of ladies who like to take to the local trails and Memorial University’s THE WORKS indoor track (on inclement weather days), then this is the group for you. Often after an invigorating walk the ladies will take the time to go for some refreshments or a light lunch! Dust off your walkers and pump up your cardio by joining these walkers every Tuesday starting in October.

The first ‘hike’ of the season will meet in the Holiday Inn car park at the corner of MacDonald Drive and Portugal Cove by 9:30AM SHARP!

If you require more details please do not hesitate to contact Anne

**TWO NEW INTEREST GROUPS starting up in the fall will be “Out To Lunch” and

“Mom & TOTS”

*OUT TO LUNCH convened by Andrea D. is an interest group that was popular a while back now and is returning due to popular demand! Take time to enjoy the local fare in and around St. John’s. One day a month the group will meet for good food, company and conversation. To get your name into this group call Andrea right away and find out more about the first luncheon of the year.

*MOMS & TOTS convened by Asuka is a new group designed for the ‘at home Mom’ with pre-school children looking for a day out with other Moms and their children. Asuka plans on hosting the first gathering at her home sometime in October and then with the help of all the Moms, plan other events and outings for once a month. If you are a Mom looking to meet other Moms with their children, then call or email Asuka now!

‘We trust that many of you will want to come out and be a part of one or more of these groups!’

In the meantime, we are still seeking out a member who may be interested in convening the COUPLES’ ACTIVITIES GROUP. This was a group that attempted to bring not only the Newcomer women together for an evening event but their spouses or significant others too.

We are also still looking for a member who may be interested in convening the COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS GROUP. Over the years, this group has helped with the Naomi Centre, various Cancer Society events, Make Christmas for a Needy Family.

Here’s an opportunity for the ladies in Newcomers’ to give back to the community they are living in. We are sure many of you will want to help with the countless projects we have been known to support in the past BUT we are really in need of someone who is passionate about taking on this group and guiding the other members along.

Please contact me right away regarding either of these two interest groups by email through our president.

Finally, if you are interested in convening an Interest Group that doesn’t yet exist, then we are interested in YOUR input too.

Over the summer, a list called LOOK WHO SHARES YOUR INTEREST was sent to all current NEWCOMER members. On this list were over 25 other interest group ideas that members had said they were interested in participating in with other members. These are interest groups just waiting to blossom but will only start running if one of our members decides to become its convener!

“So, what does a Convener do?” you may be asking yourself.

The Convener’s role is to see that the Interest Group meets regularly.

The Convener plays an important role in the success of the Newcomer’s Club!

The Convener is responsible for the organization of the interest group by setting up the dates and times for their meetings with the help and input from the interest groups’ members. Think of yourself as the ‘Captain of the Team’ but the ‘Team’ is also there to help you run and organize the interest group too. Remember that the Convener can always contact the Second Vice-President at any time for assistance in setting up the Interest Group too. You are never alone and on your own!

The Convener is responsible for a newsletter advertisement each month from September to May that promotes and gives details about their Interest Group.

Sign Up Folders will be set up at the first Newcomer’s Social of the new season on Monday September 17^th and they will also be available at all monthly meetings for any Newcomer member that may be joining during the year.

In the meantime, feel free to contact the Conveners of the Interest Groups highlighted in this month’s Signal right away if you want to know more now; no need to wait until September 17^th to join an Interest Group!

I look forward to hearing from some of you soon regarding your interest in becoming a convener and I look forward to meeting many more of you at some of the already up and running Interest Groups and other special events in the coming year!

Happy September!

Brenda J. B.

2^nd Vice President, St. John’s Newcomer’s

May Social Announcement

2007-05-27T19:28:00.000-02:30

Year End Dinner

At The Keg, 135 Harbour Drive

on Monday, May 28, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.

Here we are again at the end of another “Newcomers year” and I for one can’t believe how quickly the time has gone.

Unfortunately, this function will be the last event for me personally, as my family and I are relocating to Houston, Texas.

Newcomers has been a great experience, and I have met so many wonderful people that I will never forget. Chances are good that we will be back someday, however, so you never know!

I sincerely hope that everyone will be able to join us for our Year-End Dinner which will take place on May 28^th at the Keg, at 6:30 p.m.

There will be no regular Social fee charge as we will be ordering individually off the menu.

You can check out the Keg’s great menu choices at Keg Steakhouse Dinner Menu.

To go along with our Newfoundland theme we will be having games, prizes, and traditional Newfoundland music. It promises to be a really fun evening- so mark your calendars! This will also be a great opportunity to say goodbye to those members who are moving on to other locations.

Please RSVP to me by May 21, 2007.

Don’t miss it!

Heather B.

1^st Vice-President

April Social

2007-05-27T19:22:00.000-02:30

Sorry for the tardiness in putting in the pictures for the last social.

We enjoyed each others company as always, savoured the delectable lunch and were enlightened about caloric intakes of our favourite beverages.

April Social Announcement

2007-04-22T21:59:00.000-02:30

Lunch and Learn:

Rethink Your Drink

At the Blackmarsh Road Dominion
Monday, April 23, 11:00-1:00 p.m.

Cost: $12.00 in advance

Think of your favourite beverage. Maybe it’s a steaming cup of coffee on a cold morning, a glass of orange juice with your breakfast, or perhaps an ice-cold Coke after a hard workout.
For me it’s a Starbuck’s Java-Chip Frappucino Grande!

Which drink do you think has the most health benefits? Water? Tea? Carrot Juice?
Join us for our April Social Meeting, as we enjoy a delicious lunch and explore the wide world of beverages. You will be amazed at how much our drink choices affect our health and well-being, and you may never look at your favourite drink the same way again. ☺

Due to the nature of this event we had to have RSVP’s and your payment by April 19th.
If you did not respond in advance, there will be no meal prepared for you, but you are still very welcome to attend.

In case you need directions on Monday or are lost, you can call 746-8897. If you need a ride, please contact Heather. She will be able to tell you who from your neighbourhood or area will be attending and could help you out.

March Social

2007-04-22T21:41:00.000-02:30

Here are a few pictures from the March Social, just in time before the April one.
Brenda was filling in for Karen as membership person. Once you had paid your dues, you could sample the goodies and socialise. Andrea made a very nice cake which had -of all ingredients- olive oil in it paired with grapes. As odd as this sounds, it really was delicious.

Luckily Carol-Ann was well enough -after a bad cold- to facilitate the meeting together with Andrea.

Everyone was brooding over the questions posed about how we would react in certain situations, what we felt would be the closest description etc.

To Carol-Anne's surprise it turned out that all four colours are represented fairly evenly within our club, which should make for quite a dynamic group.

At the end of the interesting session, each colour group had to select a song that would fit the mood of that particular colour. So we even got to listen to musical performances.

It was a fun morning. A big "Thank you" goes to all who helped organise this meeting.

March Social Announcement

2007-03-25T18:57:00.000-02:30

DISCOVER YOUR TRUE COLOURS

Are you an Orange?? A Green?? A Blue? A little of each??

If you want to know what I am talking about, join us for a morning of personal discovery by taking the

True Colours Personality Survey.

For over 26 years, True Colors has provided people with insights into the behavioural styles and personality types of themselves and others. During this fun and interactive session you will learn about your own preferences and ways of operating as well as gain insights into why other people behave as they do.

Our special guest and facilitator, Carol-Ann Hennebury will lead on the journey to discover our "true colors". Not only will our personalities be revealed but we will also see how other view us. It promises to be a very interesting morning!

Cost: $5.00 at the door. Members and prospective members welcome.

Note: The venue is the community room at Sobey's on Torbay Road.

February Social

2007-03-25T16:24:00.000-02:30

After we had to postpone the February Social for a week because of the snow storm, we still had a hard time finding the venue Uptown Salon on Hamlyn Road. It was not the blowing snow which made it hard, but the metres piled so high that the sign pointing to the salon was almost completely buried in snow.

But those who persevered through all the slush and snow were rewarded with a fabulous evening thanks to the preparation by the exec involved and all the wonderful staff at Uptown Salon.

Following are a few impressions of the spacious salon, its products and the ladies who took part in the social.

The Uptown Salon girls offered us some fantastic hair treatments as well as a make-up session. Two brave members gave the make-up a try. Here is one before picture, the after picture somehow got lost, then a few while pictures and an after picture (here the before pic was too blurry)

Some of our members took the opportunity to try hair pieces with impressive changes to their hair styles:

Uptown Salon is located on 169 Hamlyn Road in the Cowan Heights area.
For appointments call 747-7027.

February Social Postponed

2007-02-19T16:30:00.000-03:30

Hello Ladies,

We are sorry to say that due to the weather warning for later today, the executive has decided to postpone the meeting tonight.

The good news is that we have arranged for the meeting to happen at the same time and place next Monday 26th Feb.

See you all next week.

Mine Quest in Bell Island

2007-01-31T16:21:00.000-03:30

Adventurous people have arrived on this part of the island and are exploring the flooded parts of Bell Island's former iron ore mine, (by the way the biggest underwater mine of its time.)

Between Jan. 29 and Feb. 9, a team of international cave divers from Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and Egypt will carry out an exploration project in the abandoned and now flooded iron ore mines in Wabana, Bell Island.

The project follows an initial dive made last July and is mounted by Ocean Quest Adventure Resort of Conception Bay South, in association with the Bell Island Heritage Society. It will provide information on the integrity of the mine shafts underwater, hazards, artifacts discovered and overall suitability for establishing a full-time cave diving operation in the mine.

Quote from the Bell Island website,with lots of information about Bell Island's history.

Rick Stanley, whose brain child the exploration is, is owner and operator of Ocean Quest a Foxtrap based Newfoundland diving company.

The divers keep a nice blog with photos about their progress.

To get to Bell Island you have to take the ferry from Portugal Cove where someone has mounted a webcam on their deck which shows the ferry terminal and Belll Island in the background: Charlie's Deck.

January 2007 Social

2007-01-23T22:26:00.000-03:30

If you were expecting pictures of our members in Lotus pose, rolling on their backs, or trying to balance themselves like flamingoes on one leg, then -well- then you will be bitterly disappointed.

We did have a lovely, relaxing morning at The Lantern with Sheila Leonards and Amy Krug (a Newcomers' member) as our instructors in Tai Chi Chih and Yoga, respectively. Despite the bad roads about 15 members made it to 35 Barnes Road and enjoyed socializing, meeting new and old members, and of course the well presented introductions to Tai Chi and Yoga. Everyone joined in the excercises and I believe that some have secretely renewed their resolutions to exercise more. (Well, at least I have. The editor.)

Since our venue, the Lantern, is located behind the Basilica Cathedral, I took one picture of the cathedral and one of Signal Hill from the cathedral's parking lot to give you a taste of what a gorgeous day this was in St. John's.

Sorry, for the temporary disappearance of the photos. I have no clue why this occurred. Hopefully these will stay put.

As an aside: Sheila's webpage is hosted at Envision, the "virtual resource centre for the voluntary sector".

New feature: Guestbook!

2007-01-20T22:42:00.000-03:30

Dear readers, now you can sign our guestbook at the top of the sidebar.

New Website for Expatriate Women

2007-01-20T20:15:00.000-03:30

Last week a new website for expatriate women was launched:

expatwomen.com

This is their welcome message:

Welcome to Expat Women – a new web site designed to help all expatriate women living outside of their home country. Whether you are a seasoned expat woman or this is your first experience living overseas, we have something for everyone. Our goal is to become the #1 site for Expatriate Women worldwide.

In case you would like to become a mentor for the area you are living in, contact Jill or Andrea from Expat Women via their website.

There are some useful links on expatwomen.com even for those who have relocated in their own country.

Another well known website of interest for newcomers is the worldwide directory of newcomer clubs NEWCOMERS AND MOMS CLUBS WORLDWIDE DIRECTORY.

Happy New Year

2007-01-01T13:13:00.000-03:30

Happy New Year!
Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit!
Akimashite Omedetto Gozaimasu!
Godt Nyttår!
Bonne Annee!
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!
Ein gutes Neues Jahr!

(Mail us or add in the comments section New Year wishes in your language!)

December Social 2006

2006-12-13T21:29:00.000-03:30

The December Social took place in the Casbah restaurant just next to the Anglican Cathedral. After walking through what seemed at first like a maze, the Newcomers' Club members entered a cozy, festiveley decorated room with a warm fire burning in the fire place.

Some of the executive had prepared door prizes, tiny and beautifully presented table gifts and luscious red centre pieces. Someone had hauled boxes with books for the book table. Karen had brought the list of member interests as well as the membership info. There was a table with sign-uo sheets for interest groups. Our president Andrea handed out a questionnaire which is supposed to give the executive a better idea to which charity the membership wants the proceeds of the cookbook sales to go. Colleen had brought a short list for our Christmas family's presents. And in between all that we talked, ate and were merry.

Monday night was also a time to say farewell to another of our members. Gerd is leaving to go back to her native Norway.

June had also come up with a little guessing game. Would you have guessed the right amount of Christmas ornaments in this box?

The food the Casbah's chef dished up was as tasty as the portions were huge. So full was everyone that, had the desserts not looked so enticing, I am sure many would have skipped them.

We all had a great time socializing thanks to the organisational talents of our first vice president June and everyone else involved in making this a very enjoyable evening.

November Social 2006

2006-11-20T15:47:00.000-03:30

Today June invited us all into her beautiful home in St. Philip's for a morning of socializing and enjoying the presentation that Don Moores from Home on Water Street had prepared for us on the topic of hostess gifts during Christmas time.

Don brought along a whole array of wonderful stuff that they sell at his store. Soaps, candles, preserves an so on. Unfortunately I could not remember all the names, but I remembered one brand, because Don mentioned it was Prince Charles' company.

The line is called Duchy Originals and all profits generated from the sales go to the The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation.

There also were two door prizes. One lucky winner was Randi.

Don was presented with a token of our appreciation: a bottle of wine and our very own compilation of recipes in the "Friends in the Kitchen" cookbook. (There still are some available through June. They also make great gifts to send.)

We also had some beautiful little baby visitors, whom we all so enjoy, but while Mathew and William are already too quick for me to capture with my camera, Asuka's adorable little girl could not run from me yet. She is five months old.

Thank you, June, for hosting this event, decorating your home for the theme, turning the music on softly and making everyone feel welcome.

Webpage Statistics

2006-11-18T12:06:00.000-03:30

Just for your information:

We have had increasing visitor numbers to our webpage, although at the moment we seem to get just one visit per day. Here you can see the development over the past twelve months.

(By thye way, klicking on graphics or pictures enlarges them.)

Below you can see where our blog readers predominantly come from:

How did people come to our website? Many simply are members and check from time to time if there is any news here, others come via the National Newcomers' Website and others again through a directory that lists worldwide Newcomers' Websites.

Some visitors just come here by accident looking for the weather forecast for Newfoundland or the Jumping Bean coffee company or through links sent in emails.

How do I know all this? I installed a little webcounter to monitor activity that would give me an idea if the website is worthwhile keeping.

Hope you still think it's worthwhile, but with more articles from YOU, our members, this would be an even more interesting place. Please, do send in some pictures or little articles from the interest groups you are participating in. It would be great fun to read about the hiking adventures or golf practice or .... and make more people interested in joining.

Pia

Search Engine Top Entry

2006-11-18T11:57:00.000-03:30

Finally, after much tweaking and telling the search engines we are here, a Google search for Newcomers'Club St.John's now comes up with our Blog at the top o'the pile. It was about time.

Sister Blog from Sakhalin Island

2006-10-24T08:02:00.000-02:30

Ladies,

Check out our sister blog which Peggy initiated at Sakwives. It is called:

Yuzhno Today

This blog establishes a public forum by which information may be passed between the ENL spouses in Yuzhno.

With interesting Pictures from the island!

Enjoy!

Blog Updates

2006-10-23T21:25:00.000-02:30

Dear Ladies,

I do not have the time to put the complete newsletter on the Blog anymore, but will continue to publish contributions about interest groups, socials, books we read in the book club etc.

In case anyone wants to see more published on our webpage you are welcome to do so and I will be more than happy to show you how this is being done using the blogging software.

For questions or comments, please email me or give me a call. My contact information can be found in the newsletter.

Pia

October Social 2007

2006-10-23T21:10:00.000-02:30

On Monday, October 16th, we met for our monthly Social at the Mount Pearl Dominion for a "Lunch and Learn" event about Grain Power.

The menu included:

Marinated shrimp and vegetable skewers
Black bean millet salad
Quinoa fiesta salad
Cherry crumb cake with Kamut

Most of us did not seem to care too much for the cherry crumb cake but the salads were wonderful, and I had the impression we all enjoyed learning about incorporating healthy whole grains into our daily diet.

September Social 2007

2006-09-24T11:10:00.000-02:30

Last Monday we kicked off a new season with the Newcomers' Club in style at the Newman Wine Vaults.

About 30 Newcomers attended the reception, joined the Newcomers' Club, munched on delectable cheeses and other goodies and signed up for our interest groups.

At the entrance everyone was greeted by Karen and Colleen who collected fees and distributed name tags with numbers for the door prize. Given the venue guess what that could have been!

After everyone had mingled a bit and gotten (re-) acquainted with the other members our president Andrea welcomed us and outlined the program for the coming year. Then 1st and 2nd Vice-President, June and Gaye, community liaison person Colleen and newsletter co-editor Pia each talked briefly about their respective topics. Finally a Newman Wine Vaults volunteer gave us some interesting information on the history of Newman Port and the Vaults followed by some port sampling.

On a sad note: Our long time member Connie is leaving the province. We know how hard it is for her and wish her all the best for another new beginning.

As the German poet Hermann Hesse wrote in one of his poems:
In every new beginning there lies a kind of magic.

Thanks for preparing this delightful evening! We hope everyone enjoyed coming.

(Note that the Vaults can be rented as a venue for all kinds of private funtions.)

Pia

Book Notes September

2006-09-13T09:19:00.000-02:30

We were a smaller group than usual as a few people were not able to attend, (but nonetheless had a lively debate).

Pope Joan by Donna Woolkolk Cross drew very positive feedback from mostly everyone gaining an average score of 7.5.

General comments were that the story was "engrossing" and "an excellent read". Our group liked the idea of the intrigue that the story could be true. The book also made us more aware of the scale of political power within the church and the prejudice against women which continues to be an issue even today.

Critiscisms were few, only that some details were perhaps too "sanitised" and too "long " in places.

I think everyone would recommend this book to a friend.

Then next meeting will be at Pia's house on Tuesday 10th October. Our book for October will be:

Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz (an egyptian Nobel prize laureate, 1988. It is available on Amazon.ca $14.70 and can be ordered from any bookstore.

(A note on shipping times though; this book seems to require a 10 - 14 day shipping period, whereas "Sylvanus now" and "the Josephine trilogy" need just 24 hours. Maybe we should reconsider our choice for October. Pia)

(More Links will be added to the other books below, when I have a bit more time. Pia)

Our choices for the next two months are:

Nov: Sylvanus Now by Donna Morrisey(a local author) available in town or from Amazon $18.24.

Dec: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B by Sandra Gulland. This is the first book in the Josephine B Trilogy. This is available seperately or combined in one paperback. Although we are only going to read the first part as this is for our December choice we have been recommended to buy the combined book as people who have read it are sure that we will want to read the next two parts.

Finally here is the list of other books that we are still considering for future choices:

Uncle Tungsten- Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sachs.

Death Under Glass by Rachel Kimor-Paine.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss.

Ahabs Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund.

Mrs Kimble by Jennifer Haigh.

Purple Hibiscus by Chinamu Adiche.

Please feel free to make other suggestions which I will add to the list.
Caroline

September Social 2006

2006-09-02T14:08:00.000-02:30

Wine, women and song…

What a great idea for a party!

‘The practice of sending shipments of port wine to Newfoundland began about 1679 when a Newman ship left Portugal bound for England and was chased by…’

Now if you want to know more, you’ll have to join us on

Monday, September 18 at 7:00 pm

For the

Opening Reception and Membership Registration

of the

Newcomers’ Club of St. John’s

at the

Newman Wine Vaults on Water Street

RSVP: June A., by Friday, September 15th

Message from the President

2006-09-02T14:06:00.000-02:30

What a glorious summer we are having! While the rest of Canada is suffering through the hottest weather on record, the increased heat has made Newfoundland the perfect place to be. I missed not seeing the icebergs but the whales are out in abundance this year. It’s unfortunate I didn’t have any company this summer but we were not expecting to still be here. We are thankful, especially my children, to be spending at least another year in St. John’s.

I hope you all have had an enjoyable and eventful summer. It’s a time when most of us head “home” to reconnect with friends and family. As I write this the rest of my family is packing for our vacation to Calgary and BC. I feel blessed that I have so many good friends and family that want to visit with me but it does make a vacation stressful when there are only so many hours in a day. Lucky for me my siblings (there are 10 of us made up of full, half and steps) are organizing a family reunion at Fairmont Hot Springs. What a great way to see everyone without putting a strain on your time.

It’s always difficult to say good-bye to friends we have made through Newcomers. Best wishes to the many that have moved this summer to new locations: Helen Martin, Marie Hanni, Peggy Taylor, Kelly Percifield, Morag Ritchie, Rhonda Lyons, and Beryl Pringle. I’m sure as I write this there will be someone I have missed but good luck to you all.

I look forward to visiting with all returning Newcomers at the September Social which is being held at the Newman Wine Vaults. This is a casual, fun evening that gives you a chance to meet people and learn what Newcomers has to offer so please invite a “new to the area” friend or neighbor.

We on the Executive are working together to ensure that we all have a very successful Newcomers’ year. You are encouraged to participate in the various interest groups, volunteer projects and special events.

Andrea Deutsch
President

Newcomers's Cookbook

2006-09-02T14:05:00.000-02:30

Cookbook sales will continue, however the books will not be available until the October Social.
They are $10 each and make great gifts for Christmas and birthdays.

For more information, please contact June A.

Membership Fees 2006-2007

2006-09-02T14:04:00.000-02:30

The membership fee of $25.00 for 2006-2007 is now due. The fee must be paid by November 1^st if you wish to receive the newsletter and participate in activities. Only paid members may join the Newcomers’ Interest Groups. Please fill out the membership form attached at the end of this newsletter and bring to the September Social.

Message from 2nd Vice President on Interest Groups for 2006-2007

2006-09-02T14:02:00.000-02:30

Welcome back everyone I trust you all had a great summer! We will be offering most of the Interest Groups again this year although there are quite a few groups needing a Convener. I am asking any of you that are interested in helping with these groups to please contact me.

Groups offered this year again are: Book Notes, Computer Skills, Get Together Crafts, Golf Gang (Convener needed), Out to Lunch, Social Tennis, Gardeners’ Group (Convener needed), Couples’ Activity, Avalon Trail Blazers, Winter Walkers (Convener needed), Hi-Tea, Games Night (Convener needed), Film Club (Convener needed).

What Does a Convener Do?

Conveners play an important role in the success of the club by seeing that the groups meet regularly.

The Convener is responsible for the organization of the interest group by setting days and times for their meetings with the input from the interest group members. They are also responsible for a newsletter article each month, which details meeting information.

I will have all the sign-up sheets set up at our first meeting in September and they will be available at all monthly meetings. If anyone has any other interest groups that they would like to see being offered and are prepared to run these I would be most happy to set up a new group folder on or before the September meeting. Please feel free to contact me as listed above.

Gaye D.-L.

Interest Groups September

2006-09-02T13:43:00.000-02:30

Hi Tea
Convener: Andrea Deutsch, 754-5799
The first Hi Tea of the year will be held on Wednesday, September 27^th from 1:00-2:30 p.m.

This month’s hostess will be Andrea Deutsch.

Join us for tea / coffee and a light snack in a casual and welcoming setting. This is a time to meet new people or have a chat and a few laughs with old friends. Everyone is welcome. Please RSVP to Andrea if you are coming at 754-5799.

Community Volunteers
Liaison: Colleen S.

Naomi House – we will still provide our meals to Naomi House but only once a month, on the 2nd Monday of each month. We have volunteers for the first dinner in September but need volunteers to cook for the upcoming months. As in the past, we usually jointly share the cooking with one other member and organize to deliver the prepared food to Naomi House by 5pm. We cook for 12 young ladies. Their tastes are usually quite simple and they enjoy this special night where other ladies are caring for them. Many thanks from the staff at Naomi House.

CIBC’s Run for the Cure, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is hosting their fundraiser October 1. To register, fundraise or donate, visit CBCF'S website

Adopt a Christmas Family: as in years past, we have adopted a family at Christmas and made wonderful hampers and bought Christmas gifts. It is my favourite thing to do. We will be doing the same this year and I will give you more information as Christmas comes closer as to what we are looking for.

Book Notes
Convener: Caroline T.
Tuesday September 12th @ 9:30am, Caroline T,'s home
September’s book: Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

More links to the subject of Pope Joan can be found in this post on our blog.

Firstly a huge thank you to Roberta for convening the book group in the past year.

I'd like to suggest that we all give some thought before the meeting regarding our next book choices.
I'd like to ask that if you are going to propose a book can you research the availability and price and have that information ready for the consideration of the group. I am hoping this might help members to plan their purchases and organize sharing where possible.

Looking forward to seeing you all again soon,
Caroline.

Get Together Crafts
Convener Needed

The craft group meets every Thursday at Sobeys on Merrymeeting Road from 9-noon.

Our first meeting of the year will be on Thursday September 14th.

This group offers a wide variety of projects. Work at your own pace on projects you bring each week or try something different. Last year we worked on tole painting, card making, knitting and quilt projects. Everyone is welcome, no special talents are required; stop in even if it’s only for a cup of coffee and a chat.

Couples’ Activity
Convener: Ginny D.
Information to follow.

Newcomers’ Tennis
Co-conveners: Sandie F. & Roberta

Every Friday 9:00 - 10:30am
Greenbelt Tennis Centre
114 Newtown Road

Please join us for some social tennis and a coffee at the Greenbelt Tennis Centre. We are a very friendly group and welcome players of all levels. Our current format is to provide a one hour structured lesson starting at 9:00 a.m. with a local Tennis Coach, followed by a coffee and chat. Even if you don't have equipment we can provide that for you.

If interested please contact Sandie F. to discuss details (costs etc) and have your name added to the tennis email list.

Walkers' Group
Convener: Anne P.

Want to get out and about?
Want to stretch your legs?
Why not join the walkers group.

Anyone interested in joining me can call or email me. I will let you know what time and where once I know peoples’ preferences.

I am out of town most of September but will be in contact as soon as I return.
The weekly walks will begin in October.

Anne P.

Rave Reviews & Fundraiser

2006-09-02T13:32:00.000-02:30

The Ferry Last Stop Café

If driving from the airport direction, it is just a little way before the Bell Island Ferry turnoff and is a tall green/burgundy house on the right-hand side. The food is delicious and the menu varied. They are closed on Mondays. I believe their hours are 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. other than Sunday which is 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The phone number is 895-3082. They have just opened and the hours may change a bit, so maybe call to make sure what the hours are. The owner, Paulette, said they were going to be putting a sign out the front with the hours. She’s super friendly, as is the staff. It is well worth a visit. Margaret K.

(The hours as of September 9th are Wednesday to Friday 4:30 - 8:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 5 p.m. Times might still be subject to change. So call ahead. The owner says she will open for a group at other times of the week. She would need about two days advance notice. Pia)

Jumping Bean Café

St. Thomas’ Line, Paradise. If you are out for a drive on any Saturday or Sunday in the area of St. Philips, you can drop into the Jumping Bean Café and have a cappuccino or a tea and sit for a spell. This little café just opened a few weekends ago and is striving to have the best coffee on the coastal road. The owner is also selling better quality olive oils, balsamic vinegars, pastas and loose teas. The hours are 9am to 5pm every Saturday and Sunday. The Café is about 5 km from the corner of Thorburn Road on St. Thomas’ Line. June A.

Walk on Water

... is a new theme with some of the shopkeepers on Water Street, Dandelion Green’s Kim Thompson, Auntie Craes’ Janet Kelly and Details and Design’s Mary Andrews. On Sundays, there is a walk that starts at 10am. As well they do evening walks each Thursday. Visit Auntie Crae's Website for information.

Buy a Plant, Grow an Education

WAMUN's 10th annual plant sale and raffle will be held on Wednesday the 13th September 2006 from 8 am to 1 pm in the lobby of the INCO Innovation Centre.

Please note the change of location from previous years. We will be selling house plants and some garden perennials. This is our main fund-raiser of the year with all profits going to 4 annual scholarships at MUN.

All students, faculty and the public are invited to come and "Buy a Plant, Grow an Education". We have a great variety of plants at very reasonable prices to enhance your home, office or garden.

Raffle tickets on several great prizes (most not plant related) will be available at the plant sale in the INCO lobby and also in the Arts building Atrium on the morning of Wednesday 13th September. Naturally donations to our scholarship fund are always appreciated.

The Women's Association of Memorial University welcomes all women associated with the university family and helps them to participate in university and community life. The group provides social and cultural activities for the members of the association and raises funds for scholarships for students at Memorial. For more information on WAMUN visit their website.

2006-06-21T16:51:00.000-02:30

Chocolate Party

2006-06-21T16:43:00.000-02:30

Jaime and June came up with the scrumptious idea of a Chocolate Party to get some more chocolaty recipes for our newcomers' cookbook. We could sample heavenly ggod chocolate dishes and if you could not make it to yesterday's party, you can still get the cookbook with the recipes.

Our adorable baby visitors: William and Mathew

Book Notes

2006-06-16T20:37:00.000-02:30

As we like keeping our little traditions, we wrapped up the Book Club for this year with a good discussion on a book that left us divided in our opinion. (Vikram Seth's: An Equal Music)

This meeting was Roberta's last time as Book Club convenor with us.
Thank you Roberta for being our convenor, faithfully sending us reminder emails for the next meeting and summing up our discussions !

We had a potluck lunch, which always turns out to be fabulous, which was followed by a book exchange of gently used books.

And June even had a surprise for us. These lovely bookmarks:

If any of you decides to join this informal and merry group, get ahead with September's book:

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

Some information about "Pope Joan" in Wikipedia and in the Encyclopedia Britannica

Thank you also to Andrea who kindly hosted our meeting and to Caroline who has agreed to take over as convenor.

Message From the President

2006-06-06T13:29:00.000-02:30

My Dear Ladies,

It is mid May as I write this note. The daffodils are in full bloom, the tulips are ready to pop, and most lawns already have had their first mowing. It is Springtime in Newfoundland! That means my year as President of Newcomer's has come to a close.

By the time you read this a new President will have been chosen and plans for the 10th Anniversary year will have begun. It is hard to believe that Newcomers in Newfoundland is 10 years young! What a feeling it gives me to know that we have been a part of it! The success of the past 12 months is due primarily to the fantastic team of women with whom I have been honoured to share the leadership of our Club.

I want to thank YOU ALL for a job well done! It has been a VERY good year! I am especially grateful to you, Gaye who chose so many fun and informative Socials for all of us. I depended on your friendly and sensible self to carry us through. I am thankful to you, Mary-Ellen who faithfully managed our Interest Groups for the past two years. You came to the rescue many times when I got off track at meetings, and your friendship and support has meant so much to me.

Thanks, too, for those endless cups of coffee we shared. Heather, you came on board as Secretary after Mary left and made a huge contribution, and I will miss your enthusiasm. Good luck in your new home! We'll miss you. Maggie, I am happy that you enjoyed your job so much that you will continue to take on the Treasurer job again next year, kudos to you for a job well done! I owe a big thanks to Karen as well, for all the many hours of work you did in your role as Membership Chair. You, too, will tackle the role next year, and I know you'll do a great job again.

Caroline you've done a super job as Telephone Chair, and have been a true friend to me as well. Thanks for all the messages you sent to everyone this year, and thanks for offering to do it again! Big thanks go to Louise who helped get the word out to the public! Your efforts made a huge difference this year. I want to thank Ann and Jaime who selflessly supported a number of noble causes. Your teamwork has made a massive impact on the lives of many people in need for several years and that should be acknowledged. Good job ladies! Good luck in future endeavours!

Basia, thanks to you for providing us with surprises at every Social. Your thoughtful and creative spirit was particularly welcoming! I thank Helen and Pia for providing us with the most beautiful and informative newsletter in the whole world. Your dedication to publishing the Signal is second to none. Pia, the Blog Page you set up is a wonderful monument to our Club and I hope you will continue to use your talents in that regard. Helen, good luck in the future, enjoy your new home, and know you will be missed.

Finally, I want to thank June for all the support and guidance you have given me during this year. Your kindness and inspiration was greatly appreciated.

Thanks too for the support of the many faithful members. Without you we would have no Club. My congratulations to the 06-07 Executive. Good luck for the future. Thanks again to all for a very good year!

I am moving in a few weeks and after that I know I will miss St. John's and Newcomers and just hope that everyone will stay in touch as I move on. I have very warm feelings about all that I experienced while here in this wonderful place, and I wish to be able to visit in the future.

Peggy T.

Message From the Incoming President

2006-06-06T13:26:00.000-02:30

When my husband first hinted of a move to St. John’s, I simply ignored him. When the talk became more persistent, I told him there was no way I was moving to Newfoundland. We compromised, and agreed to a 2-year temporary contract that guaranteed us a return move to Calgary. That was 6 years ago this month and I’m thankful for each and every day I’ve spent here.

The strong sense of community and the breathtaking ruggedness of this province have won me over but it’s the people and the friendships I have made that make this a truly great place. I had heard about the Newcomers’ club and waited patiently all summer for the first Newcomers Social in September.

The women I met were friendly, interesting and down to earth. I signed up for many of the interest groups and found my days were quickly filling up with a variety of activities. Through these groups I met women who shared the same interests, I learned about the community, made friends, and was able to try new things.

This is what Newcomers is really all about the friendships, sharing interests and support. I would like to thank the outgoing Executive and the Interest Group Conveners for their hard work this past year and welcome the incoming Executive for volunteering their time and energy for next year. I’m fortunate to be working with such a wonderful group of people. We should have no trouble making the upcoming year a positive, fun and rewarding experience for all Newcomer members.

To those who are moving on, good luck and best wishes. Everyone enjoy a safe and relaxing summer with family and friends. I hope to see many new faces in September along with all of our returning members. If you have any ideas or suggestions for next year or would like to volunteer in any way please give me a call or e-mail me.

Andrea D.
Incoming President

June 2006 Interest Groups

2006-06-06T13:09:00.000-02:30

Community Volunteers
Co-conveners: Ann G. & Jaime

The last meeting for the community volunteers will be held on Wednesday, May 31 at 10:30am at Jaime Enachescu’s house, followed by a pot luck luncheon. There is still room to participate in our June events, Blind Date with a Star, Relay for Life and the Golf Tournament, details of these events are:

Blind Date with a Star – The annual fundraiser for The Learning Disabled Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, on June 13^th at 6:30 pm at the Fairmont. The cost is $100.00 per person with a tax receipt for at least $40.00. If you are interested, please call Jaime at 722-3947.

Relay for Life – This annual national event for the Cancer Society will be on June 3^rd from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am at the Field House in St. John’s. Come and join our team for lots of laughs, fun and friendship while taking turns in walking around the track! Call or Email Jaime.

Golf Tournament – This fundraiser for the school lunch program is on June 17^th at the Willow’s Golf Course. Cost is $75.00 per person with a $50 tax receipt. This is a best ball tournament, great for all levels of golfers. The tournament is followed by a barbeque at the Masonic Temple on Cathedral Street, St. John’s. Call Ann to add your name to the men’s or women’s teams. Connie will be making up the teams.

Naomi Centre Supper Club:

May 29^th – Volunteers needed

Rugby Game – International Rugby comes to St. John’s on August 12^th. Canada will host U.S.A. in a qualifying match for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. For ticket information including VIP reservations, Call Rick.

Book Notes

Convener: Roberta

Tuesday June 13^th @ 10:30am at Andrea’s home

Final Meeting: Potluck lunch bring your favourite salad/dessert with recipe. Also bring a gently used book wrapped for a gift exchange.

Book for June: An Equal Music by Vikram Seth

Our book this month was The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. The story takes place in New York in the 1920’s. The story portrays the life and works of two architects Howard Roake and Peter Keating. The author has used these two characters to contrast the philosophies of Individualism/Objectivism versus the Collective good/Subjectivism.

Our group rated this book a 7.6 out of 10. Most people agreed that the characters in the story were not very likeable. However the general consensus was that the characters clearly portrayed the philosophical viewpoints they were meant to portray in the story. Some comments were, “way too dramatic in the writing,” “excellent character development”, “a deep and memorable book, made you think”.

Hi Tea

The first Wednesday Newcomers' Club Hi Tea will be held on Wednesday, June 7.

This month's hostess will be Rhonda L. Her lovely home is located in St. Phillips. RSVP to Rhonda to let her know you are coming. Please contact Peggy T. if you need a ride or have any other questions about our club. Newcomers welcomes all women who are new to the St. John's area who want to meet other ladies who come from away. If you are new to the area and need to meet new friends, give us a call!

Walkers’ Group

Convener: Peggy T

WALKERS GROUP? We have been trying to walk around Quidi Vidi Lake daily at 8:15 am. We meet at the dog park parking lot and go once around weather permitting.

Gardener’s Forum

For all those who love to rejuvenate in gardening mode. There are quite a few of us so make yourself known, share your interest and find out how it’s done in N.L! This is a group for pooling information, contacts and sources. Get on the list to hear about open gardens in the summer and lunches in the winter! Please contact Karen P.

Get Together Crafts

The Craft group will continue to meet every Thursday at Sobey’s on Merrymeeting Road from 9 -12.

Jaime

Newcomers Tennis

Fridays, 9-11 a.m. Greenbelt Tennis Club 114 Newtown Road

Convenors: Sandi F. & Roberta

Please join us for some social tennis and a coffee at Greenbelt Tennis Center every Friday from 9 am-10:30 am. We are a friendly group and welcome players of all abilities. We will set up a clinic or series of lessons for those who are new to tennis or haven’t played in years. If you are a seasoned player we can facilitate matches and introduce you to the Tennis leagues at the club.

If you are interested please contact Roberta or Sandie so we can get your name on the email list and organize any clinic or lessons as needed.

Golf Gang

Convenor: Marie

Hoping there will be some interest in a small tournament at Black Duck June 5th. Details in my next e-mail once I have heard from you all.

Lessons will be over by now, so I hope you will make a concerted effort to get out there and golf at least once, perhaps twice a week. Thanks to all of you who participated and I look forward to golfing with you in the near future.

If Connie is still in the city over most of the summer, I will ask her to send e-mails regarding any tee times that she books. Have a wonderful summer with more sun than you can stand!!

April Social at the Botanical Garden

2006-05-09T19:44:00.000-02:30

Our speaker Wilf Nicholls:

We had a fabulous turn-out and everyone, even the non-gardeners, enjoyed Wilf's informative and entertainingly delivered talk.

In the absence of our president Peggy, Ann winged the information part of our meeting.

And adorable little Mathew was so good.

Message from our president

2006-05-09T19:33:00.000-02:30

Hi there!

Wow, did you enjoy the Social at the Botanical Gardens? Hope you went and got some great new ideas for your gardens. I know I am inspired each time I go there.

Speaking of inspirations, I had another chance to travel last week (imagine that!) and was struck by just how MANY of us are away at any given time. Our attendance has been quite low at the past few socials and I just thought that the winter weather had gotten the best of us. I guess that could be one reason but then I remembered a certain group of GOLFERS that ventured to Norway to get some Scandinavian sunshine. Then I heard about the beach in Cuba that was the greatest beach on earth to take one's SCHOOLCHILDREN on winter holiday. I saw an ad for the Dominican Republic whose beaches were also supposed to attract many a Newfoundlander this time of year! And then so-and-so was house hunting out West, you-know-who was visiting her grandchildren in Australia, and what's-her-name just had to go on a “shopping and see her daughter” trip to Nova Scotia. Oh yes, a DYNAMIC DUO WE KNOW is off to Spain and Portugal next week, and the seasoned campers escape off to the gravel pits in a few weeks! Another member is on a CRUISE! YOU get the picture. If I were a gossip columnist I would be very busy indeed. However, I am just the President of a very important Club in Newfoundland, which likes to help its members keep busy. Well, I realize now that our members are busy enough.

Maybe what we need to provide for our Membership is a place to have some peace and quiet! Now there's an interest group. How’s about we gather for a spa day? Maybe just a manicure and pedicure? How about taking a picnic out to the LIGHTHOUSE to escape the hectic pace of city life? What, a hike on the East Coast Trail? A WHALE watching cruise? A tour of the RAILWAY MUSEUM? Why don't we go down to Middle Cove and collect some rocks and have a hot dog roast by the bonfire? Let's visit Portugal Cove and have some fish and chips. Usually I rave on about our Club and all we offer to "DO".

Today I offer up the entire Avalon as a place to have a peaceful moment away from the bustle of our usual routine. Since we will have a couple of months off during the summer.....maybe a Hi Tea or two, but not the regular interest groups or socials…… go ahead and explore what our wonderful province has to offer for your daily dose of solitude/relaxation.

However you must BE HERE to do it! Enjoy YOUR summer holiday wherever you may be!

Peggy

ANNUAL SPRING DINNER

2006-05-09T19:31:00.000-02:30

Ladies,
Your old and new Newcomers’ Executive and Friends hope you can join us for our annual Spring Dinner on May 29th.

Our Christmas Cocktail at Peggy's was so successful that we would like to have a "home" party again, this time at Mary-Ellen's. As you know we are planning to publish our very own Newcomers of St John's Cookbook this year and as a special kick-off we are planning that the Spring Dinner be a "Share your Favorite Recipe Party".

What: Bring your favorite recipe, prepared to share and written on the cookbook form (fork only, would be great !)

When: May 29th @ 7pm Where: Mary-Ellen's

For those of you who don't like to cook or who are too busy this time of year please, come anyway! Bring just yourself or a simple item like bread & butter, salad, veggies & dip or a fruit tray.

Please RSVP to Gaye ASAP or by Friday May 19th, and let her know what you plan to bring. Bring $5 (optional) as we have a fun little game planned for you.

Message from the 1st VP

2006-05-09T19:29:00.000-02:30

A final message from me, for this Newcomers’ year.

I trust that you all enjoyed our Social this month, at the Botanical Gardens. We had a fantastic turnout, maybe the weather inspired us all. I am not a very avid gardener (and if my husband was reading this he would say that was an understatement), however I thoroughly enjoyed our presentation from Wilf Nicholls, he was informative and also had a great sense of humour to help lighten things up. I came home feeling very inspired and with our glorious weather on Monday, thought right I must get those bulbs planted I bought 2 weeks ago. All good intentions, I carried them in from my front porch and dumped them inside on the daily paper and as usual found something else to do! (I found my husband in the garden at 6pm that evening planting my spring bulbs. As I approached him, he said “Just thought I would finish what you had started”!)

Oh well! Maybe one day I will catch the gardening bug, until then I guess my husband will just have to continue on as Head Gardener. I hadn’t realized that we had such a wonderland of amazing and rare flora and fauna in Newfoundland and if nothing else I will certainly be making some visits to the Botanical Gardens this summer to see the gardens, in their various stages of bloom or not, of course I will need my Head gardener in attendance!

Just rounding off for the year I hope you have enjoyed our various Social Meetings for 2005/2006 and I certainly hope that we shall all make one last effort for our final Social Meeting at Mary-Ellen Brown’s on 29th May. Please all come, we will have a fun and relaxed evening. I hope you all have wonderful summer holidays and for those of you leaving St. John’s have a safe move and settle into a wonderful new life in your new cities/countries. Thank you all for your friendship and a great 2005/2006.

Gaye

May Interest Groups

2006-05-09T19:15:00.000-02:30

Community Volunteers
Co-conveners: Ann G. & Jaime

Here we are half way through the busiest part of spring for this group. Of late, we have completed our sales of Daffodils for the Cancer Society, and made one family very happy with our Easter donation. The staff and residents of Naomi Centre also sent a nice thank you note to the Newcomers Club for all the “delicious meals you so generously prepare for us”. Violet went on to say, our labour of love is a reminder to the young women how much caring there is in the world. That in turn is a reminder how important it is for us to continue to share with those in our present community.

Up Coming Events:
Blind Date with a Star- The annual fundraiser for The Learning Disabled Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, on June 13th at 6:30 pm at The Fairmont. We are hoping to make up a table of Newcomers to be joined by a “star” and at the assigned restaurant. The cost is $100.00 per person with a tax receipt for at least $40.00. To book at the Newcomers’ table call Ann.

Relay for Life- This annual national event for Cancer will be on June 3rd from 7:00pm to 7:00am at the Field House. There is still need of volunteers for filling gift bags and various other needs, as well as to join those who have started a Newcomers team. Come join us for a lot of laughs and great fun while taking turns walking the track, call Jaime to join the team.

Golf Tournament- This fundraiser for the School Lunch Program is on June 17th at the Willows Golf Course. Cost is $75.00 / person with a $50.00 tax receipt. This is a best ball tournament, great for all levels of golfers. The tournament is followed by a BBQ at the Masonic Temple on Cathedral St., St. John’s. Call Ann to add your name to the men’s or women’s teams. Connie will be making up the teams again this year.

Rugby Game- International Rugby comes to St John’s on August 12th. Canada will host U.S.A. in a qualifying match for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. For ticket information including VIP reservations, call Ann G.

Naomi Centre Supper Club Schedule:
May 29th volunteers needed

Hi Tea
Convener: Peggy

This first Wednesday HI TEA will be held at Hana on Wednesday May 3rd at 1pm. Join the ladies for a warm, cozy spot of tea or coffee and most certainly some stimulating conversation! Everyone is welcome, but please let Hana know if you will attend. Hi Tea is a great place to unwind after a busy morning. Bring a new neighbour if you have one. RSVP to Hana 738-0266.

Winter Walkers
Convener:Peggy
Since the weather is nicer Winter Walkers will be discontinued for lack of winter weather, however if anyone wants to walk ANY morning, please call Peggy and I will be happy to go anywhere!

Golf Gang
Convener: Marie
Lessons will have started May 2nd and will continue every Tuesday throughout May. The Ladies’ League at the Woods will start every Tuesday afternoon starting on May 23rd for those of you who are interested and have registered. We will try to have our Newcomers’ tournament at the Black Duck at Clovelly in late May or very early in June. Watch for further info coming to you via e-mail. Meanwhile, practice your short game.

Book Notes
Convener: Roberta
Tuesday May 9th @ 9:30am

Our book in April was The Wreckage by Michael Crummy. The story begins at the onset of the Second World War in rural Newfoundland. Wish Furey travels the coast of Newfoundland screening Hollywood films in churches and meets Sadie Parsons who is Protestant. Wish is Catholic and they begin an intense affair that ultimately translates into him being driven from the Cove by the disapproval of the locals and the prejudice of Sadie’s mother. Wish enlists in the British army and suffers through the brutality and deprivation of a Japanese POW camp. Sadie also leaves the Cove to travel to St. John’s and wait for Wish to return from the War. Do Wish and Sadie ever reunite? Read the book and find out for yourself.

Our group rated this book a 6 out of 10. Most people said they enjoyed it, and found it to be a nice love story, historical fiction, and fun to read about Newfoundland during WWII. Some comments were: “the writing was distracting, and “not particularly memorable”, “enjoyed the Characters of Wish and Sadie and was soon caught up in their lives.”

Get ahead on reading Book Notes reads
May: Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
June: An Equal Music by Vikram Seth

Newcomers Tennis
Conveners: Sandi & Roberta
Please join us for some social tennis and a coffee at Greenbelt Tennis Centre every Friday from 9 am-10:30 am. We are a friendly group and welcome players of all abilities. We will set up a clinic or series of lessons for those who are new to tennis or haven't played in years. If you are a seasoned player we can facilitate matches and introduce you to the Tennis leagues at the club. If you are interested please contact Roberta or Sandi so we can get your name on the email list and organize any clinic or lessons as needed.

Friday Adventure Touring Group
Also known as the Walkie-Talkie-Munchie Group. This is not a Newcomers’ interest group, but open to anyone who wishes to take part. It is a wonderful way to get to know St. John’s and the surrounding areas. The group meets every Friday morning at 10 a.m. in the lobby of the Holiday Inn, Portugal Cove Road, next to the kiosk. Just show up and explore!

Get Together Crafts
Convener: Jaime
The Craft Group continues to meet every Thursday morning from 9 to 12 at Sobey’s at Merrymeeting Road. Andrea will be leading us into another amazing quilting project, a lighthouse picture. We will start this project around the middle of May. All of our projects are open to all and no previous experience is necessary! Join us anytime, you can bring your own projects or join us for a group project. Not into crafting? Just come for a cup of coffee and a chat!

Film Group
Convener: Karen
Film Group will meet at 12 noon at the Avalon Mall on Tuesday 16th May.
Please contact Basia on 726-1611 if you are interested in attending.

Bible Study
Convener: Marie
9.30 a.m. Tuesday, April 9th
Newcomers’ of St. John’s has offered an informal Bible study ever since I joined in 1998 and I can’t imagine that the need to fill our spiritual selves up once a week will change over the next years. I have enjoyed convening this group so much and am enriched by the women who have attended. If there are one or two of our members who would feel led to head up this wonderful group, please let the executive know as soon as possible. I will be praying for you and know that whoever gets involved will be greatly blessed for their efforts. I will be moving back to Calgary September 1st and after 10 years in this beautiful province, there will be tears! Bless you all and keep looking up!

Ikebana demonstration at the March Social

2006-04-02T15:10:00.000-02:30

At the March Social your very blog editor Pia demonstrated the Japanese art of flower arranging, which she had studied for three years while in Japan.

Message from the President

2006-04-02T14:51:00.000-02:30

My dear Ladies,

As we approach April and all that is "Spring", I cannot help but wonder how the green bits can possibly emerge from under Winter's mantle of white. The calendar says Daylight Savings Time next weekend, but the roar of the wind says otherwise. What must we do to make the transition from Winter to Spring, from white to green, when all we want to do is wrap warm woollens around our shoulders and light a fire in the den? How can our proverbial garden grow, when warmth is needed to sprout the seed from within?

Well, I have an idea. Why don't you all plan a day out with a friend. Whether it is a brisk walk (in the mall most likely), a coffee date at the Tim Horton’s nearest you, lunch at Murray Premises, or a drink or two off George Street, call someone today and plan a get together. Whom should you call? Well, the member list for Newcomers is published for a very good reason. It is supposed to be a direct line from one to another, a means to share what each of us "has", a way to get past the wall of winter and let in the light. We all have a special glow that radiates when we are together.

A bright white smile, the glint of an eye, the tilt of a head, or an embrace.....these are the signs of friendship. But, these are only visible if we actually meet! Being alone has its merits, but for only a short time. I think the Winter has been long enough! Let's emerge from our cocoons and bloom! Just get out and get together!

Join us for first Wednesday's HI TEA at Auntie Crae's. Read a book. Take a golf lesson. Take a tennis lesson. Attend Bible study. Go to the Works for a walk. See a movie. Make a dinner for the girls at Naomi Centre. Come to the Botanical Gardens and learn how to make your space colourful. Sell some daffodils! Whatever it is just do something TOGETHER! Bloom where planted.....Grow strong and lovely in our Garden of Friendship that is the NEWCOMERS CLUB OF ST. JOHN'S.

So, please think about all you can be for the future of Newcomers. Join us for the April social and participate whenever you can. Spring is the time for renewal and growth, so bear new fruit in your life, make new friends. Friendship is the most important part of our lives. Newcomers’ is where these kinships are born and thrive. Ignore the nasty weather outdoors, and grow, making your own sunshine, warmth from within, shared amongst us all, glow.

Next month we will elect a new Executive who will take the reins to begin a fresh and bright 06-07 Newcomers season. I have been pondering since the last newsletter about the gaps in the slate for next year's Executive. The Board discussed this situation at our last meeting and came up with a few ideas that might be helpful in the event that no president steps forward.

Thank you to Pia for a very informative and interesting demonstration on Ikebana. We are blessed to have such a talent among us!

Peggy

April Social

2006-04-02T14:48:00.000-02:30

Spring!

April 24th at 10.00am – 12.00 pm at the Botanical Gardens, 306 Mt Scio Road, St John’s

Dr. Wilf Nicholls presentation on What Grows Best In Newfoundland!
The Director of the MUN Botanical Garden, Dr. Wilf Nicholls, is internationally known for his work in hybridization, selection and commercialization of a number of new ornamental plants.

Wilf has been instrumental to Memorial University's Botanical Garden program named "Plant Atlantic" to establish a home-based production industry for Atlantic Canadian hardy ornamental plants. The program employs biotechnological methodologies such as tissue culture and micro-propagation to partner with classic hybridization, plant exploration and selection in the discovery of new ornamental plants. Industry partners will then commercially produce and market them to the local, national and international markets.

He is a thoroughly engaging speaker. So don’t miss this opportunity to listen to his talk and a chance to ask about problem plants of your garden or any other question that comes to your mind about the challenges of gardening in Newfoundland.

Morning Tea will be provided by the “Blooming Teapot”. RSVP by Friday April 21st for catering numbers to Gaye Laing, Phone: 738-0108 Email: laingfamily@nf.sympatico.ca Entry cost: $5.00
The gift shop will offer 10% off FOR THAT DAY ONLY to Newcomers’ members.
You might like to stay for lunch afterwards at the Blooming Teapot (753-8327). Bookings are advised.

Newcomers' Cookbook

2006-04-02T14:46:00.000-02:30

We have had a tremendous amount of requests for a second edition of our ‘Kitchen Party Cookbook’, first published in 2004. It would be similar in size, (i.e. amount of recipes) as the first edition, with new recipes from those who are members this year and at the same time, keeping many of the original recipes to help fill up the book, if necessary.
Anyone who would like to be part of the committee should contact June Anderson by email at jander@nl.rogers.com.

The Cookbook Project will be a success, if every member submits about 5 recipes. So hurry, get out your favourite recipes, sharpen your pencils, write them down and send them in. To get the printing on the way -so the books will be ready for sale in autumn- the deadline is the end of April.

Please use the recipe form sent to you earlier by Caroline as a guideline for an electronic submission to June. If you did not receive the form you might want to check your bulk mail folder as some of our mailings get eaten by the spam filters.