December 2021 Newsletter
Chairman’s Corner
New Members
I would like to welcome two new members to our club, Ted Cook and Marie Rowles.
COVID-19 Restrictions
There will be a lifting of some regulations from 15 December, including the need to wear masks inside the clubhouse. However, the Board has decided to continue the policy of only allowing double vaccinated people entry to the Club. We believe this is in the interests of our members and is in line with the policies adopted by many other licenced clubs.
The Bridge Club will be enforcing this restriction as well.
Everyone will still be required to check-in using the QR code when arriving at the Club.
Proposed Amalgamation with Killara Bowling Club
We are hopeful the KBC will be voting on the amalgamation before the agreement’s expiry date of 19 January 2022.
Upcoming events
Presentation Day
Saturday 18 December
Bowls will finish at 4pm.
Christmas Day
25 December
Club Closed
New Year’s Day
1 January 2022
Normal bowls; ring in 10-10:45am
“That Great Market” @ LRBC
20 February 2022
On behalf of the Board, I would like to wish all members and staff a very happy festive season and hope you have a healthy and trouble-free 2022.
Roger Parks
Chairman
What’s been happening?
Congratulations to the latest winners of our competitions for 2021.
In the Fours the winning team was Phil Lewis, Ian Kimmorley, Gary Forster and Lap Chen, who are all looking sprightly and, modestly, pleased with themselves in the photo below.
The remaining competition for 2021 is the Club Triples, whose final is to be played on December 18th.
Let’s do lunch!
On November 30, thirty two men from the Club gathered at The Greengate Hotel in Killara for an informal lunch, celebrating the Season and the end of a very disrupted year. A good time was had by all:
A select few seemed especially happy!
Doing the arithmetic (from last month):
Q. 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 =?
A. 12345678987654321
The Ladies celebrated too!
Our lady bowlers enjoyed a lovely Christmas Lunch at Greengate Hotel, Killara on Wednesday 8th December, 2021.
It has been a very difficult year for our lady bowlers during 2021 with the interuption of the Covid Pandemic and the cancellation of many annual events and carnivals. Despite these disappointments and frustrations, we all managed to welcome our new bowlers and have a few catch ups via Zoom during this time.
It was lovely to see so many of our members attend and enjoy our Christmas Lunch and catch up on all we have been doing to make life interesting during the pandemic. Having listened to the constant chatter among the ladies, it appears they all had many a story to tell!
On behalf of the ladies, may I thank Chairman Roger Parks and all of the many, many people who work tirelessly to keep our LRBC running so efficiently throughout the year, despite what obstacles have been thrown their way. We would also like to thank Brian & Liz for the way they have looked after us so well during the many months of restrictions.
Lorraine Forster
Roseville Shield
Unfortunately, the Roseville Shield competition, set up for Saturday, November 27th, was a total washout. Phil Lewis says it was the first time this has happened in 28 years of staging it. As you may recall, November 27th delivered cold winds and constant rain, anything but what we might expect four days before the official start of summer.
And speaking of rain, here is some information supplied by Phil that illuminates the mysteries of the Bureau of Meteorology website:
IS IT GOING TO RAIN?
When thinking about ringing in for a game of bowls many of us consult the Bureau of Meteorology website to assess the likelihood of rain without really understanding what the information presented actually means.
Basically speaking, there are three figures shown … for example, it may show something like 85% chance of 6mm to 15mm of rain. In this example, the 85% refers to the percentage chance of at least 0.2mm of rain being detected by the BoM’s measuring equipment (0.2mm is the minimum reading that the equipment can reasonably accurately measure). When we first see an 85% chance of rain, we may immediately think that it will be too wet to play bowls … also, bear in mind that this is the estimate for the entire 24 hour period across the whole Sydney area.
Is 0.2mm of rain over a 24 hour period really enough to turn us away from a game of bowls???
The second figure in the example above (6mm) is the BoM’s estimate of a 50% chance of that amount of rain over the 24 hour period, whilst the third figure in the example (15mm) is the BoM’s estimate of a 25% chance of that amount of rain over the same 24 hour period. Of course, the BoM’s forecast covers the entire Sydney area and we all know how varied rain can be from one part of Sydney to another.
Whilst consulting the BoM site to assess whether it will be a good day to play bowls is a very useful tool, it is important to bear in mind that, in all likelihood, the BoM’s forecast is a worst-case scenario and that you will probably be OK to play bowls!
The Seafood Lunch
The much-anticipated and four-times deferred Seafood Lunch finally took place at the Club on Sunday, December 12th. It was well worth waiting for, with a sell-out crowd and plenty of superb prawns and oysters, the latter being especially appreciated, delivered fresh from the North Coast courtesy of Bill Dainton. It was an excellent opportunity to give expression to the relief we all feel as we emerge slowly from the COVID nightmare and focus instead on the celebrations and bonhomie that we all look forward to at this time of the year.
Rollers Funnies
Q: Why do Irish people wear shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day?
A: Regular rocks are too heavy.
“Last week my mother-in-law fell into a wishing well.
I can’t believe it actually worked!”
There are 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:
He called everyone brother
He liked Gospel
He didn't get a fair trial
But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:
He went into His Father's business
He lived at home until he was 33
He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure He was God
But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:
He talked with His hands
He had wine with His meals
He used olive oil
But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:
He never cut His hair
He walked around in sandals all the time
He started a new religion
But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian:
He was at peace with nature
He ate a lot of fish
He talked about the Great Spirit
But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:
He never got married.
He was always telling stories.
He loved green pastures.
But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Mexican:
He treated his mama like she was a saint.
He always wore a serape.
He was a carpenter who could fix anything.
But the most compelling evidence of all - 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:
He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was virtually no food.
He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it.
And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was still work to do.
Where there’s a will ….
This from Garth Aston about his experience joining Qantas in ca. 1968 ….
“I was very excited to get an interview with the big Kangaroo, which went well and I was successful and would start in Sales Promotion the following Monday. However, due to changed conditions joining the AMP superannuation scheme I would need a medical clearance and was sent to the medical unit in Qantas House.
Well, I failed!! The litmus paper turned the wrong colour; I was told to go home and return the next day with an AM and PM sample.
My Aussie Mum gave me two (large) Maxwell House Coffee jars, which I duly filled.
I got on the train at Hurstville with said jars in a brown paper bag, the AM jar still warm!!
The Qantas nurse was a little surprised at the sample size! However, I passed!
The rest is History.”
Looking ahead …
Variations on a Theme:
In January a new game format will be introduced – Sets Play.
This will comprise two sets of ten ends each, with each set independent of the other. If the results are split at one set each, one tie-breaker end will follow. More information will follow soon.
PRESENTATION DAY for 2021 will take place after bowls on Saturday, 18 December. Bowls will finish at 4.00pm and the presentation of awards will follow immediately afterwards.
CHRISTMAS DAY
No bowls (of course, where are your priorities?) and the Club will be closed.
NEW YEAR’S DAY
1 January 2022
Normal bowls will take place; ring in 10-10:45am
“THAT GREAT MARKET”
On 20 February 2022 the East Lindfield Market will relocate to our Club grounds for the day. This will be a very important and valuable opportunity to promote our Club to local residents. Please make every effort to attend on the day. More information will be forthcoming in the New Year.
A word from the editor
Have you ever noticed how the speed with which the months pass is directly proportional to the number of years you have lived through? Which is just another way of saying hello, its December already, and time for another update on our club and its activities. I hope you will find the latest items of interest.
Remember, everyone is welcome to submit items for future editions of this missive.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish each of you the Compliments of the Season, with a strong hope for a happy and more ‘normal’ 2022.
Till next time … Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Garry Lowder
