Well, the Dry appears to have not quite reached us yet, but I’m sure we’ll be relishing the change of season very soon so that we do have a break before the next build-up comes along.

I spent some time at the Sunday proceedings of the Wordstorm Writers Festival last month.  One session which I thoroughly enjoyed was listening to writers reading from their works.  Apart from the good readings we heard, it was the place that was so appropriate.  The site was an old tree in the George Brown Botanic Gardens. As each reader sat on this very big, gnarled root to read, I found myself in a very evocative place.  I was wishing I could do all my thinking and planning at this site everyday.  Anyway, it was a very successful festival by all accounts.  I’ll be looking forward to the next one.

On 17 June we are going to CDU to visit the new Art Gallery that has recently opened to see its first exhibition: Jilamara: Looking back, looking forward in our art.  It features works from the Tiwi Islands.  The Curator, Anita Angel, has said it was a great honour to attract such high quality work for the first exhibition.

This will not be treated as an outing, but we will have a bus to take us there as parking at the University is very difficult.  There is a tear-off slip on page 5, and the cost will only be the usual $3 we pay at a meeting.  The form needs to be returned by 10 June.  We are not supplying morning tea so I suggest you take a drink and something to eat if you need it.  The bus will leave at 10am and we will leave CDU at 11.30am to return to the library.

We had the fundraiser BBQ at Harvey Norman on 15 May.  We made $500 but compared to the last time we did this it was a much slower day and we had difficulty in getting volunteers.  It was well organised but for those who were there all day it was very tiring.   The Board discussed the matter at its last meeting and we decided that we will not be considering this in the near future.  We realised that for many in our age group it’s not easy to stand and serve, and we respect that.  I thank all those who came and cooked, served and helped in any way at all for their generosity.

Well, I hope there is enough to please everyone this month, and I look forward to seeing you at a meeting.

To those members who are not well, either at home or in hospital, I hope you will soon be better and back enjoying our meetings.

Judith Cooper