Happy New Year! Karen is taking some personal time so
I am writing this January 2021 greeting.
The year 2020 has really taught me a lot about myself and about the internet,
especially Zoom. It has been quite a learning curve and continues to be one
for me. My granddaughter taught me what online learning term AFK stands
for. “Away From Keyboard”. Many Probus Clubs in Canada have really
embraced Zoom and have successful and fun meetings, game nights, group
talks, and Interest Group chats. Some of them have given us great ideas and
hints on how to improve our experience with it.
Sooooo…your Management Team has made some New Year’s Resolutions.
We are going to start our General Meetings at 10am sharp! You are
welcome and encouraged to sign on to the Probus Zoom link, not your own
Zoom account, early (9:45am) to greet your friends. At 10am the meeting
will begin. If you are unsure how to get setup or have had challenges in the
past you can check the cheat sheet on the website and/or call or email Pat
Caple or Mark deSousa at least 2 days before the meeting so they can walk
you through it. Once you are comfortable with Zoom the sky’s the limit! We
are having a Game Night January 20th at 7pm and you will have received
your invite with the Newsletter blast already. An Email with the Zoom link
will follow closer to the game date. Plans are in the making for a monthly
Social night for all members with Breakout Rooms and lots of chatting.
We may not be able to touch but let’s stay in touch
“January is Resolution time – the time we resolve to make changes to
improve and later try to recall why we thought we needed to make those
changes”.
Jackie Brooks,
Vice President
January 2021 Volume 8 – Issue 5
Page 2
UPCOMING GUEST SPEAKER Chair – Wendy Marshall
January 27, 2021 - Dr. Amy Barron
Dr. Barron will speak on "Digger, Teacher, Soldier, Spy" about archaeologists as spies in WWI and WWII
Dr. Barron received her PhD in history and archaeology. She has excavated predominantly in the Middle East but has
studied widely in various remote areas of the world from Peru to China. She has also worked in the museum field for over
20 years and presently teaches Museum Studies at Fleming College.
SOCIAL EVENTS Leaders – Frances Slat & Jackie Brooks
Happy New Year Everyone. This shiny new year is going to be full of new
events. We are going to Zoom right through the months! Mark your calendar for Wednesday January 20th at
7pm. We are having a game night via Zoom and everyone is invited to play. Join us and have some fun, see
some mask-less faces, win a virtual prize and even raise a glass or two. You will receive an invitation and Zoom
link in a Blast closer to the date. Watch for it. Stay tuned for more events all geared to socializing and
communicating.
Dear Probian friends,
I want to express my thanks for the cards, phone calls, emails, flowers and offers of support I have
received from you. Your condolences are a source of comfort too me as I navigate this painful
bereavement period after my husband’s death.
Karen Lambert
Page 3
MEMBERSHIP Chair – Claire deSousa
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
While looking for something new to report, I thought I would look at other clubs Newsletters and see if their
Membership Chairs had anything interesting that I might be missing. What I found is that some clubs are not
doing anything at all. No Newsletters, no Zoom meetings, nothing at all. It made me appreciate that we have
so many good members who make the effort to stay connected. Zoom is not the same as in person, giving
handshakes and hugs but I do really appreciate being able to see each other. Technology is not my forte but I
really like seeing who I’m talking to and really having some good laughs. Please give it a try if you haven’t
done so already.
Happily, I can once again report that we have 5 more new members. WELCOME TO YOU ALL! We shall
meet in person one day.
Don’t forget everyone, to contact me directly if any of your information changes.
Claire
NEWSLETTER Chair – John Hand
Hi Everyone, Happy New Year and welcome to our January Newsletter. I have had quite a few
emails and phone calls telling me how much you are enjoying the Newsletter. I hope this month’s edition brings some
cheer into an otherwise BLAH month and I would like to thank all the members who sent in the following jokes except, I
can’t remember who they were. Enjoy!
Group leaders Please Remember……….
Deadline for submissions to newsletter 5TH of each & every month
Page 4
INTEREST GROUPS Chair – Pat Sturch
Happy New Year. Welcome to 2021 and good riddance to 2020!
Once again, we are having to find ways to stay connected while another lockdown has us segregated from our
friends.
While many of our interest groups are taking a temporary hiatus, you can rest assured that the co-ordinators of
these groups are ready to re-open once the government restrictions are lifted. With the vaccine on the way,
hopefully that will be in the next few months.
In the meantime, the internet seems to be our safest venue, especially for card games. Trickster has the
following games on their site: -
Euchre; Bridge; Hearts; Spades; Oh Hell; Pinochle
If anyone would like to co-ordinate, teach or join a group to play any of these games via Trickster, please let
me know.
The government has allowed Ice Skating rinks to remain open and tobogganing trails. If anyone would like to
start or join a group for these activities, keeping in mind that the required protocols of distancing are to be
followed, please let me know.
Man comes home, finds his wife with his friend in bed. And
shoots his friend dead. Wife says "If you continue to behave
like this, you will lose ALL your friends.
Send me new pictures and content for your Website.
www.whitbybrooklinprobus.com
• Non-members contact the club through the CONTACT US page on the website.
• Contact me if you need help with Zoom 2 days before the general meeting.
• Download the ZOOM log-in and cheat sheet from the website.
• Always check your JUNK folder for email inbox defectors.
If you need to reach me I’m at webguy4pwb@gmail.com
ART APPRECIATION #2 Leader - Deborah Corbett
This month we'll be getting together on Zoom to chat about arty stuff and try to figure out what we can do in
lieu of physical visits to galleries and museums. Artistic snowmen are a possibility!
MYSTERY BOOK CLUB Leader – Jackie Brooks
We have a new mystery to solve this month. It is The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. Pat Sturch has suggested
the book and will lead the group discussion.
My wife and I had words, But I didn't get to use mine.
SUPERVISED BRIDGE Leader – Fran Ballard
Hope you have a wonderful new year.
No activity in supervised bridge or crafter's group at this time. Hope to see you soon. Keep well and safe.
CHATTY CREATIONS Leader – Pat Sturch
We will be meeting via Zoom this month on Thursday, January 28th at 2pm. An invitation to join the meeting
will be sent a few days before. Looking forward to seeing everyone for a chat.
DISCUSSION GROUP Leader – Margaret Hogan
We are meeting every two weeks on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom starting January 5th. If anyone would
like to join, please contact me and I will put you on the e-mail list to send you the link for the next meeting. We
have a schedule of topics for presentations and discussion up to the middle of March. We welcome new
members. For more information or to join, my e-mail is in the membership list. Margaret Hogan
Page 6
Happy New Year from the Moonshots Bid Euchre
As we all know the personal launching Pads for the Moonshot Astronauts have been
temporarily closed by the Government due to our planet being invaded by the Corona's . We
are pleased to announce that Ms. Pfizer and Mr. Moderna are combatting the Corona and
hopefully we will all be protected against the Invader and able to resume our pastimes
with our friends soon. However, until all Astronauts have been immunized the launching
Pads will remain closed and the Kings and Queens will remain safe in their palaces . Long
Live 2021 and good riddance 2020. Roy
BID EUCHRE- NO TRUMPS Leader – Val Randall
Greetings to my Bid Euchres, here we go in ‘lockdown’ again so no card playing for us as our New Year
begins.
I thought about hiring a jet for a Mexican jolly for us all, well, its what people do, skip town so to speak, but
being a responsible taxpayer decided to obey the rule breakers! Oh sorry, that should read rule makers! ,,,,, LOL
So, have a pleasant few week catching up with whatever, as soon as possible you know I will get you all at the
card table, miss the chat, see you whenever. Val
INDOOR GOLF Leader – Don Mills / Interim Leader Steve Bedley
Our indoor golf group has been meeting on Monday mornings since late October at Tee’s and Cue’s in Oshawa, following the Health Department Guidelines. Due to the lockdown, we are not meeting right now but hope to return to indoor golf on January 25th. At this time, we have no room for additional members. Steve.
Page 7
TASTE THE WORLD Leader – Jackie Brooks / Pat Sturch
The hills are alive with the sound of music. We will be visiting Austria this month. It is the land of schnitzel,
apfelstrudel, Vienna sausage, and Gruner Veltliner wine. And of course, elastic waistbands!
Taste the World from December Submitted by Heather and Steve Bedley.
We decided to go back in time and prepare the dinner Bob Cratchit and his family had at Christmas. Roast Goose (duck)
with applesauce, potatoes, other veggies and a favourite wine from California. Thank you Charles Dickens!
Taste the World from December Submitted by Roy Pettitt
Taste of England with traditional Mince Pies.
It is our tradition, my Daughter Andrea & I, we bake from scratch (including Pastry) about five dozen every
year since she was 10. They do go well with our secret recipe Brandy Butter heated inside.
Yummmmmm...
TRAVEL BUDDIES Leader – Deborah Corbett
Well, we're still not travelling because we're paying attention to restrictions on non-essential travel. But we can still
dream! This month we're getting together on Zoom to share our dreams and compare notes as we optimistically start to
make travel plans for later next year - we hope.
The irony of life is that, by the time You're old enough to know
your way around, you're not going anywhere
Mystery Picture. Do you know where this is? (answer on page 11)
CHERRY LOAF
1 egg
Piece of butter (about size of an egg)
Method
Cream butter and sugar together and then add
remaining ingredients
Pam Hand
GRAPE ESCAPE Leader – Heather Baker
On the afternoon of Saturday December 19th, the members of The Grape Escape were honoured to have a
physically distanced, outside visit from Santa Claus. As a special treat he dropped off cookies that Mrs. Claus
had made for each of them. Our Zoom wine tasting followed in the evening. Although we do look forward to a
time when we can meet safely in person, it was still a pre-Christmas boost to see and chat with our friends, even
though it was virtually.
GRAPE EXPECTATIONS Leader – Karen Martin
Welcome to 2021 I hope you had a safe and happy December although I imagine your traditional celebrations were perhaps much
different than in the past.
Let’s raise a glass to a happier and healthier 2021.
And speaking of ‘raising a glass’, perhaps something a little different. Perhaps a mug of warm, mulled wine on
your snowy balcony or on your patio after you’ve shoveled the driveway and front walk.
The term ‘mull’ is just an evolution of ‘muddle’ meaning the wine has ‘muddled’ with sugar and spices.
The heating of wine for medicinal or comforting purposes has probably been around for as long as wine itself.
A 5th or 6th century Roman cookbook details a mixture of one part wine and one part honey that was boiled and
then reduced. Added to this mixture was a variety of pepper, bay leaf, saffron, dates, cloves, cinnamon,
nutmeg.
The added spices were believed to make people healthier and had the benefit of making the wine taste much
better. Spices not only would disguise a wine beginning to turn bad but also could make an otherwise dry wine
taste somewhat sweet.
Full-bodied red wines such as Syrah or Malbec work well.
A red blend in making mulled wine will often be cheaper than a single varietal wine. Some variations of mulled
wine use white wine such as Riesling, Muscat or Chenin Blanc.
Mulling is a great way to repurpose a nasty wine you regret buying into something delicious.
So, whether you make Feuerzangenbowle, Gløgg, Glögg, Glógg or Vin Chaud, here’s to mulled wine for
medicinal or comfort purposes - perhaps we need both after last year!
You might like to check the Internet for some great recipes Enjoy – Cheers
Page 10
HOW DO COURT RECORDERS KEEP STRAIGHT FACES???? These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts and are things people actually said in court, word
for word, taken down and published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while the exchanges
were taking place.
ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!
_______________________________
WITNESS: July 18th.
ATTORNEY: What year?
WITNESS: Every year.
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: How old is your son, the one living with you?
WITNESS: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
ATTORNEY: How long has he lived with you?
WITNESS: Forty-five years.
___________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the
next morning?
___________________________________________
WITNESS: Are you shitting me?
___________________________________________
WITNESS: Yes.
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor , how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 PM
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
Frustration is trying to find your
glasses without your glasses.
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
WITNESS: No.
WITNESS: No..
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.
Mystery Picture answer………. it’s The Royal Canadian Legion # 152 at 56 Baldwin St, Whitby
(courtesy of the internet)
AND FINALLY……just realized we haven’t had a Covid 19 joke, so here goes……………..
HAPPY JANUARY EVERYONE!