Address:
Mature Friends
PO Box 21203, Seattle, WA 98111-3203E-mail:
info@maturefriends.org
With some good spring weather, we are coming into a busy time of year. Please include our Mature Friends activities in your plans. John W.’s garden tours give members some unique opportunities to revel in the beauty of our part of the world. His tour of the Dunn Garden last month was outstanding. Dale J.’s monthly hikes are another way to enjoy the Northwest outdoors.
This is your last chance to send in your reservations for our Annual Banquet on June 16. Without strong participation from our members, we will not be able to organize this type of event. I also want to remind you to send in your “Volunteer of the Year” nomination. Every member’s opinion counts, so let us hear from you.
June 30 is the close of Mature Friends’ fiscal and administrative year. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to renew your annual membership to ensure you don’t miss out on upcoming events. Please take the time to fill out the membership form, which helps Lou M. with our membership records, and send in your check.
On Sunday, June 30, Mature Friends will march in the annual Pride Parade. We are hoping that many of you will march with us to represent our wonderful organization and mark our place in the LGBTQ community. To continue to exist, our club needs to attract new members and the parade is an additional tool we use to keep Mature Friends a vibrant organization, so we can use your help in doing that. Besides, it’s good exercise, a unique way to experience the parade and feel the positive energy of the crowd, and a lot of fun! Details are contained in this newsletter.
Over the past four years, we have been incredibly fortunate to have the talents of Ric D. as the editor of our Newsletter. He has done an outstanding job of bringing the many pieces of our monthly activity and newsletter contributions together in a professional and highly readable newsletter. With many other demands on his time these days, Ric needs to step down, so we need someone to take his place soon, with the goal of taking over as editor for the September edition of the newsletter. Ric is willing to work with a volunteer to get them up to speed. Please help us continue to provide a quality newsletter to keep us all informed of the club’s activities.
We also need a volunteer to keep our potluck supplies stocked at the Oddfellows Hall and set up during our monthly potlucks. This task was ably handled by the late Kent H. Bil B. is temporarily continuing this important service for us while we look for a volunteer replacement. As with all our activities, volunteers are the only means with which we can provide Mature Friends’ many activities.
This is my last newsletter contribution as President of Mature Friends. I can honestly say it has been a pleasure to work with your Board of Directors and Activity Heads the past three years. Rick and I look forward to many more years as members of, and participants in, Mature Friends.
— Mark J., President, e-mail President
Goings On
Eating Date and Time Playing Date and Time Lunches Out Wed., June 12 and 26, at 12:00 PM A Better Club for Investing No meeting this month
Monthly Potluck No Potluck in June
Book Club Tue., June 11, at 7:30 PM Dinner Out Tue., June 18, at 6:00 PM Board Meeting Mon., June 10, at 7:00 PM
Wine Tasting Not scheduled for June
Walk/Hike Tue., June. 18, at 9:30 AM Annual Banquet Sat., June 15, 2013, at 5:30 PM Garden Tours Tue., June 11, at 10:15 AM
Annual Picnic Sat., Aug. (TBD), 2013, at noon Theater and Music Mon., June 17 and 24, at 7:00 PM
Dinner for Six Dinners in rotation in members’ homes
Travel News Check Our Destinations Bridge Club Every Wed. at 7:00 PM Pinochle Club Wed., June 5 and 19, at 7:30 PM Camera Club Wed., June 12, at 7:00 PM Exercise Group Every Wed. at 10:00 AM
Knife and Fork Club
Check out the lunches and dinner scheduled for this month. Then sign up and join the fun.
Lunches and Dinners Out
Activity Date and Time Place and Address Lunch Wednesday, June 12, at 12:00 PM Charlie’s on Broadway
217 Broadway Ave. E.
Dinner Tuesday, June 18, at 6:00 PM Robb’s 125th Street Grill
12255 Aurora Ave. N.Lunch Wednesday, June 26, at 12:00 PM Charlie’s on Broadway
Dining out has been a regular activity of Mature Friends for a long time. If you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas about the monthly dining out experience, please bring them to the next monthly dinner at Robb’s 125th Street Grill. Hope to see you all there!
For questions about lunches out, contact Jim R., and for dinners out, contact Walter J. Or e-mail questions to the Knife and Fork Club.
Monthly Potluck
Please join us for our monthly potluck at the Ballard Odd Fellows Hall, the last Friday of every month at 6:30 PM, except for June and August. Here’s your chance to bend elbows and rub elbows with friends and meet new ones during our social hour and to enjoy some of the great food we all contribute.
Ballard Odd Fellows Hall
1706 N.W. Market Street
Seattle, Washington 98107The monthly potluck begins promptly at 6:30 PM with appetizers and the social hour. The only penalty for arriving fashionably late is that you might miss some of the delicious hors d’oeuvres. Doors open to the main dinner at 7:30 PM. After dinner at every other potluck, we often have a guest speaker.
Members who bring a dish pay $3.00 at the door. If for some reason you don’t feel like cooking, please be prepared to contribute $10.00 instead.
Note: A non-member attending a potluck for the first shall be admitted free as a guest. On subsequent attendance, the non-member is subject to a $10.00 door charge.
Potluck Sign In
When you give your money to Bruce and collect your raffle ticket from Rick, be sure to sign in on the sign in sheets at the desk and circle Y or N to indicate if you brought food to the potluck. The sign in provides us with useful information. The potluck host prepares or purchases an entrée, and it is important that the host have a good idea of the month to month attendance, so that sufficient food is provided. In addition checking if you brought food is also important, as this gives us information on how to apportion the potluck contribution list each month to insure an equable distribution of the types of dishes on the potluck table.
Potluck Contributions
There is no Potluck in June. See you in July!
Door Monitor
For better security, the management of the Odd Fellow’s Hall has instituted a new door policy. Renters must monitor the Market Street door and admit only people who have legitimate concerns in the Hall.
Therefore, before food is served, someone from Mature Friends will be at the door to admit guests. When food is served, the door will be locked. Anyone arriving after 7:30 will have to ring for entry by pushing the “U” (upstairs hall) button at the main door. Members of the bridge and exercise groups should consult with your respective group leaders for entry arrangements.
Note: It has been brought to our attention that some members are having trouble getting to Potlucks because of the stairway. On the back stairway of the hall, there is an electric chair lift. It is available by entering the building at the alley entrance across from the parking lot in the rear. At present it would be necessary to let the person at the front door know of the need and they would call upstairs to the person with the key who would meet you at the back door to bring you up.
For any questions, please e-mail Monthly Potluck.
A Better Club for Investing
A Better Club for Investing (ABCI) will meet this month at Louie’s in Ballard on Monday, June 17 at 7:00 PM.
For any questions, please e-mail Investment Clubs.
— Ray B.
Book Club
The Mature Friends’ Book Club meets once a month (except for February) to discuss a book read in common. Members of the club meet in members’ homes in rotation, with snacks and drinks on hand, to comfortably share what we got out of each book and discuss the content.
June 2013 Meeting
The next meeting of the book club will take place at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, June 11, at the new home of Dick N. For directions to Dick’s house, please refer to the electronic or paper copy of the newsletter.
The book to be discussed at the June meeting is Surveillance, by Jonathan Raban. An expatriate Brit, Raban has apparently found his home in Seattle. In this novel, he has brought Seattle slightly into the future, to a world where the two contentious sides of politics are those who favor the War on Terror and those whose anger against the War on Terror drives them to rage against it. The latter are represented by a 50-something HIV-positive gay friend of the main woman character and surrogate father of her daughter. But in the end it’s not possible to say simply that the author is on his side. How, in the end, can we ever decide such things?
July 2013 Meeting
The meeting on Tuesday, July 9, will be held at the home of Jeff G. and John L. The book will be Dava Sobel’s novel Galileo’s Daughter. Well, all right, it’s probably more about Galileo himself than about his oldest illegitimate daughter, the very intelligent Suor (Sister) Maria Celeste, but she was real, historical, and interesting. She provided a good way to look at her famous father and his struggles to reconcile his science and his piety.
All Mature Friends are welcomed to attend the meetings and join in the discussions. The club usually selects its books from a list supplied by the Seattle Public Library’s special book club collection. Copies of Galileo’s Daughter will be distributed at the June meeting. If you won’t be at the meeting and wish to use one of the library’s copies, please get in touch with me (Dick N.). If there is any difficulty in returning your book at or before the meeting at which it is discussed, please let me know before the meeting how you plan to make your own a-rangements to return it as soon as possible thereafter if not before.
For any questions, please e-mail Book Club.— Dick N.
Board Meeting
The Mature Friends’ Board will meet on Monday, June 10, at 7:00 PM at the home of Mark J. and Rick G.
For any questions, please e-mail Board Meeting.
Walk/Hike – Beaver Lake Trail
The trails at pass level are still covered with snow and will be for another month. So for our June hike we will hike along the Sauk River near Darrington, WA, on the Beaver Lake Trail. The round trip distance is about four miles, the elevation gain a very minimal one-hundred feet.
Beaver Lake Trail is an enjoyable walk through the woods. It is a historic trail following the old Sauk River logging railroad tracks. At the start of the hike along the river there are old railroad piers. This was where there once was a bridge crossing the river. Continuing on the hike, we walk on the old tracks, which since have been buried, but you will still see them from time to time along the trail and ditches. This time of year we will find an array of wildflowers along the sides of the trail.
Before long the trail goes through a thick stand of second-growth hemlocks. Then the trail swings left on a high bank, and the Sauk River churns and roars below. Enjoy a good view out to Mount Pugh and the Monte Cristo peaks. We will know we have reached the beaver pond when we come to a wooden bridge crossing a pond and surrounding marsh filled with skunk cabbage. Beyond Beaver Lake, the trail enters an impressive old-growth cedar grove. This could be a good lunch spot.
We will meet for car pooling at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, June 18, at the north end of Northgate Shopping Center, just off Northgate Way, in front of the Bank of America building. Bring a lunch and water. Car-pool riders share the cost.
Check Out the Pictures of Some Previous Hikes!
October’s Hikers Roger, Dale, and Gary Pose with the Red Caboose
September’s Hike Led Scott, Paul, Jerry, Ted, Gene, and Lee Up to Trout LakeHikers Dale, Garry, Jim, and Conrad along CCC Road Trail
Hikers Jack, Ted, Dale, Darwin, Gene, Doug, Ken, Craig, Garry at Cougar Mountain
— Dale J.If you have any questions or suggestions, email Walk/Hike.
Wine Tasting
All oenophiles who are members of Mature Friends are invited to the wine tasting group, which meets every other month.
The next meeting of the Wine Group will take place in July. Until then, do not stay thirsty, my friends. Instead go out and explore new wines to expand your palate!
May Tasting
On the third Monday in May, we met in the social room of Boyd B.’s condominium.
The group decided on a different approach for this evening. We had a “blind” tasting of dry white wine of several varietals and regions. The idea of drinking wine from bottles in paper bags is common practice in judging wine. This approach focused our attention away from price and packaging to the actual product. To the extent possible, we paired up with another participant in purchasing the best possible wine. The evening was a success and we enjoyed some excellent surprises!
March Meeting
On March 18, ten people participated in the tasting of seven Portuguese dry red wines. I’d say, though enjoyable, many were believed to be of lesser value than the reds from our previous tasting from Sicily and Sardinia. Portugal, with a long history of table wine consumed in their own region, has not long been in the international market. The bottles, ranging from $12 to $30, are in limited supply locally. Probably the best was a 2010 from /Quinta Dos Rogues at $30. At $12, the best value was the Casa de Mouray 2006, but unfortunately, it is no longer available.
For any questions, please e-mail Wine Tasting.
— Ed K.
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Garden Tours
It’s time to join the group out in the fresh air and walk among some of the most beautiful gardens in the northwest. Where else can you find a professional horticulturalist to lead a group of plant and flower lovers on such adventures? So, mark your calendars and join the fun.
Visit Celebrity’s Garden
The June Garden Tour will visit the private garden of one of Seattle’s best known public gardeners in North East Seattle. It will be held Tuesday, June 11, 2013. We will see a most interesting array of garden plants, of all kinds - jam packed on a small city garden. The celebrity will be our host.
We will need to gather nearby and caravan to the garden. Take I-5 and get off at 65th Street exit. (Or just get onto 65th Street NE, going east). Whether coming north or south on I-5, follow the exit signs to get onto 65th Street NE and head EAST. Turn left (north) onto 45th Avenue N.E. Cross over 75th Street NE. View Point Playfield and Park will then be on your left. Almost immediately to your right will be 71st Street N.E. We will gather just beyond this street, along 45th Avenue N.E. Look for me standing by my car. You need to be there no LATER than 10:15 AM.
The tour will begin promptly at 10:30 AM. You must be registered with me no later than Tuesday, June 4. We need a minimum number of 10.
E. B. Dunn Garden Tops Spring Color Show
On Tuesday, May 14, 2013, sixteen members of the Garden Group were treated to a breath-taking May color show in one of Seattle’s oldest “summer” gardens, the extraordinary Dunn Garden, designed by the famed Olmsted Brothers firm from Brookline, MA.
Garden Group, May Tour
In 1915, Arthur Dunn sought out the Olmsteds to design his northern summer retreat. He was quite involved in the design and even purchased and sited most of the plants. He brought eastern trees from his eastern homestead, some of which are still towering today on the property. In the early days, the Dunns arrived from Seattle, driving into their forest (which was eventually sold for development) and through the white gates still marking the entrance. It was the perfect escape (and still is) for retreating from urban life.
After his death, the property was divided, and his son E. B. converted the garage into his own house. Another son built a second house, which was then followed by a third house built by the granddaughter. The garden is a delight at all times of the year, but we were treated to lingering trilliums and other woodland plants, Japanese iris, and towering rhododendrons with huge trusses of all kinds. The patio area held an array of colorful plants.
We were greeted by Linda Breiwick, president of the board, and the tour was led by Tanya DeMarsh-Dobson, the public relations director, who knows every plant and corner of the garden and its history. We started with a brief history lesson in the converted garage and then slowly wandered down the meandering slope. The morning sun broke through, and it was a perfect walk in a delightful atmosphere. We saw where the original home was located and then strolled into the perennial area and Japanese garden created by Kubota. Many of the rhodies are nearly 100 years old.
We walked the woodland trail and through the old tennis courts and veggie areas. Lastly, we walked through the forest where E. B. Dunn created his ponds and other gardens. The Dove Tree was in its full glory and we all remarked how this would be the perfect place to be on a hot Seattle summer day. The garden is open on specific days for tours, which need to be arranged. Better yet, become a member, and enjoy their special art, wine, and Highland tours.
Upcoming Tours
Mark your garden calendars for forth-coming garden tours.
June: Tuesday, June 11, at 10:15 AM
July: Thursday, July 11t 10:30 AM, Heronswood, Indianola, led by Dan Hinkley, founder
— John A. W.
For any questions, please e-mail Garden Tours.
Camera Club
The camera club will be meeting on Wednesday, June 12, at 7:00 PM in the upper serving room of the Odd Fellows Hall in Ballard.
If you are interested in photography, come and join the group. We meet the second Wednesday of the month at the Odd Fellows’ Hall at 7:00 PM. For any questions, please e-mail Camera Club.
At our May camera club outing, ten of us met at the King Street Station, which has been refurbished to its original condition. We spent about an hour shooting the rail road station and showing all that has been done to make it look grand. Then we walked around that area looking for great shots and ended up having lunch at one of the small and interesting places in that part of Seattle.
So if you are interested in photography and want to see what we do, come and join in with our camera group for an enjoyable evening. We meet at 7:00 PM in the side room at the Odd Fellows upstairs hall in Ballard. If no one is at the door please give me a call on my cell phone and someone will let you in. Most people arrive about twenty minutes early so we have extra time to talk about cameras.
— Don K.
Travel News
This section tells you all about upcoming trips planned for Mature Friends. Everybody who has gone on one of these trips has had a great time and was well taken care of. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up and join the fun!
San Juan Island Explorer, September 12 –14
We have continued to add Mature Friends to this trip, we still have room for more. This trip promises to be a great experience. Your fare is only $720 (double occupancy) or $895 (single occupancy) for an all-inclusive trip except for two dinners. A $100 refundable deposit will hold your space. If you are interested, contact Linda Lane at 206-284-0500.
This trip is still available and we would like to get a few more Mature Friends to join us. For your fare of $720 per person double or $895 single, you get the following:
September 12
We will depart by train from King Street Station to Bellingham and board the M/V Viking Star to begin our tour of the islands, lodging over night in Friday Harbor at Earthbox Inn and Spa. We will sail on the exclusively chartered sixty-foot M/V Viking Star for the entire trip. Once aboard, we’ll be served a hearty homemade lunch upon departure from Bellingham. We will cruise past Burrows Island Lighthouse, Iceberg Point, and Dead Man’s Pass, arriving at Friday Harbor where our luggage will be transferred to the Earthbox Inn for our two-night stay.
September 13
You will be served breakfast on board as we make out way north through the San Juan Channel. Our first stop will be Roche Harbor where you will be offered a guided tour by one of the crew. We will have a visit to the famous Rosario Resort for a presentation of the history of the Moran Family, music from Phantom of the Opera played on the mansion’s 1,972 pipe Aeolian organ with silent film and stories of the Mansion’s most colorful residents, At about 5:30 PM, we will say good-bye to Rosario and enjoy an evening sunset cruise back to Friday Harbor. We will return to Friday Harbor for the night, viewing orcas, harbor seals, and bald eagles, and many more attractions.
September 14
The next day, we will sail from Friday Harbor the next day to visit beautiful and remote Sucia Island for a picnic lunch on the beach, followed by a hike around the island. Later, we will continue our cruise on the Viking Star back to Bellingham to board our return train to Seattle. There is much more to this trip and we will be telling you about it in future travel columns. Note that this trip is all inclusive, with the only additional expense being two dinners in Friday Harbor.
This will truly be a beautiful trip in our very own Pacific Northwest. We hope you can join us!
Weekend Getaway — September 21 – 22
Come sail with us on this end-of-summer experience to Vancouver on the Star Princess as it repositions from Seattle via Vancouver. For less than $200 you get free meals, transportation including Amtrak back to Seattle, entertainment, the open water, and new sights with great people.
After boarding in Seattle on Saturday morning, have lunch and continue grazing and dining throughout the trip in venues both formal and informal, inside or outside. When in international waters, try the slots and check out the tax-free stores. Experience the quiet library, the elegant atrium, hot tubs, pool, and gym with music and entertainment. Of course, we will get together for a group happy hour.
After disembarking in down town Vancouver, explore the town before proceeding to the at the Pacific Central Amtrak Station, where you’ll board the train and ease into your reserved seat. Crossing the border is a breeze. Plus the club car is friendly and the restaurant car enjoyable.
Working? No problem with taking vacation time. Never been on a cruise? Grab this sample and see for yourself. Budget tight? Look what you get for your money. Don’t like to dress formally? Casual clothes with no formal night. Not traveled with us before? Give it a try. Enjoy an easy and comfortable experience. End the summer on a high note.
Contact Linda Lane: linda@cruiseworld.us or 206-284-0500
Cruise in Southeast Asia, 2012
Never traveled with Mature Friends before? You don’t know what you’ve been missing. To get an idea of how we travel in style and catch the most exotic venues, take a gander at one of our grandest trips, the cruise in Southeast Asia.
In January 2012 as a snowstorm closed in on Seattle, ten Mature Friends took off on EVA Air for Hong Kong to begin a magnificent cruise down the coast of Southeast Asia, ending up in Singapore. To get an idea of what traveling with us is like, take a look and read all about it.
Suggestions for Future Trips and Excursions
Mature Friends do a lot of traveling and the Travel Committee would welcome ideas and suggestions about places you would like to go and things to do. Also, if you might be interested in becoming a member of the Travel Committee. The activities and trips we set up are enjoyable and reasonably priced. We travel, paying the same rate as everyone else in the group. We use the group profit to give more benefits, such as doing the tipping and adding such benefits as free cocktail parties and special dinners. We have trips planned for 2013, but we need ideas for travel in 2014. So, we would certainly appreciate a phone call or e-mail to Jerry J. or Bob McQ with your ideas for 2014.For any questions, please e-mail Travel News.
— Bob McQ.
Bridge Club
The bridge group is open to anyone who has a basic knowledge of rules and playing. We play every Wednesday night, beginning at 7:00 PM. Many of the current members played years ago then dropped playing but now have found out that all those past bridge skills are still usable. Because the evenings are organized so there are an equal number of players and tables please call me or e-mail for details as to how we operate. If you have played in the past give it some thought and call. We can find a place for you.
You can find us at our usual location, the Odd Fellows Hall in Ballard, 1706 NW Market St.
— Paul S. and Page B.
For any questions, please e-mail Bridge Club.
Pinochle Club
We meet the first and third Wednesday of the month to hone our card-shark skills. This month, we’ll meet on June 5 and 19, beginning at 7:30 PM.
We invite all club members with an interest in card playing to come join our fun-loving group. If you are new to Pinochle, we can help get you started. Please contact us, and we will discuss how to proceed.
For any questions, please e-mail Pinochle Club.
— Bil B., Kent H., and Walter J.
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Theater and Music
Tired of TV, the endless commercials, and the growing plague of reality shows? Then this is the place for you.
Cotton Club Show on June 8
Just a reminder! The Seattle Symphony is offering a Pops Concert, entitled A Night at the Cotton Club. Smoky, sultry, and swingin. The Cotton Club is a salute to the Hi De Ho swing of Cab Calloway, the elegant Satin Doll sheen of Duke Ellington and the blistering blast of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong.
Call Tobin at 206-215-4748 and mention “Mature Friends” and the code “COTTON” for a $25.00 ticket in the orchestra section.
You will not want to miss this performance! So, mark your calendar for Saturday, June 8, at 8:00, and we’ll see you in Benaroya Hall in beautiful downtown Seattle.
This concert has so much energy that the legs of your seats will be tap dancing. For those wanting to eat ahead of the 8:00 PM curtain time, come to the Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery at 6:00 PM. The restaurant is located at 1333 5th Avenue, just north of Benaroya.
Buy your concert tickets independently on line, or call Tobin at 206-215-4748 and mention “Mature Friends” and the code “COTTON” for a $25.00 ticket in the orchestra section. Let Jerry J. know if you want to be part of the pre-concert dinner.
For any questions, please e-mail Theater and Music.
Exercise Group
The exercise group, which meets every Wednesday morning at 10:00 AM, continues to grow. Come and join us and have a good time with our group. We meet at:
Ballard Odd Fellows Hall
1706 NW Market StreetAfter an hour of light aerobics and stretching, those who want more of a workout meet at the Green Lake Aqua Theater at 11:00 AM for a 2.8-mile walk around Green Lake and followed by a well-earned lunch just after noon at the Blue Star on Stone Way just a bit north of 45th Street.
To get an idea of what we do in the class, one of the group leaders has prepared a fine exercise video for your enlightenment.
For any questions, please e-mail Exercise Group.
... or call Len T., Don McK., or Don K.
— Len T.
Dinner for Six
The second group for Dinner for Six for 2013 has been sent out. I do hope that everyone is happy and will have a great time with their partners. If anyone wants to be in the next round, it will start in June.
— Dan F.
For any questions, please e-mail Dinner for Six.
Annual Picnic
Each August, in lieu of the Friday potluck, Mature Friends organizes a picnic. The most recent picnic took place on Saturday, August 18, beginning around noonish. We lucked out again this year, and Brian W. won the lottery for the large shelter area and surroundings.
For Picnic 2012, we took over the assigned shelter area in Woodland Park, and by noonish a cloudy cool morning warmed up a bit, and although the clouds remained, the weather turned comfortable.
As usual we had a great time. But don’t take my word for it, read about it and check out the pictures for yourselves:
Note: The picnic is open only to members and their guests.For any questions, please e-mail Annual Picnic.
Annual Banquet
This year’s banquet now has a date. This magnificent dinner takes place on Saturday, June 15, beginning at 5:30 PM. Again, we will enjoy the fine cuisine at the Women’s University Club.
Last Year’s Banquet
On Saturday, June 16, 2012, about 100 Mature Friends once again donned their finery for an adult’s night out on the town for a special dinner. For the third year in a row, our annual banquet was held at the Women’s University Club. And once again, we had a great time enjoying the food in an elegant ambiance. Our food choices consisted of salmon or prime rib. For dessert we could choose between chocolate cake or cheese cake. As before, the service was excellent and the food tasted great!
The festivities began with cocktails at 5:30 PM. No doubt some members wanted to arrive early with tongues hanging out, ready for that first cocktail. However, most of us got tripped up by clogged arteries. No not in our bodies, but in the streets. It seemed like that night everything that could go on was going on, the worst being a big high-school graduation at Seattle Center.
If you want to relive the experience of last year and check out some pictures, the following link will take you directly to an eye-witness report.
— Curt Johnson
For any questions, please e-mail Annual Banquet.
Articles
The dedicated writers of the following articles have tailored what they say to specific needs of our group. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy them. Who knows? Something in here may strike the right chord and improve your life!
Mature Friends History
In the June 2002, newsletter, there was the announcement of a Mature Friends Book Club. Burt F., recently retired to Seattle after a long career in Japan, asked on a Wednesday at the lunch following the MF exercise class whether Mature Friends had a book club. We didn’t, but several members were interested in starting one, so the first meeting was scheduled for June 19 to meet at the Odd Fellows Hall (sharing the space Wednesday evenings with the bridge club). The first book selection was The Hours by Michael Cunningham, which I think is the only book we have read twice, though at widely different times. As one of the cochairs of the current book club, I have tracked the subsequent history of the book club in succeeding newsletters. Burt F. continued to coordinate the book club until April 2003, when he gave it over to Jim V., who led it until December 2004. Jim has since moved to Spokane. In the first half of 2005, there was no book club until John L. started it up again in June 2005, changing the usual meeting place to members’ residences.
John led the club until December 2010, when he arranged for a smooth transition to the fabulous team of cracker-jack co-chairmen who currently share the leadership— although it should be readily admitted that other members also contribute to its management from time to time. Bruce B., who lives in Fall City, generally takes the lead in choosing books to read and in leading discussion at the monthly meetings, whereas yours truly, as a resident in Seattle, generally deals with the library, picking up and returning the books, seeing that they are distributed to and recovered from members, and writing book club notes for the newsletter. After December 3 of last year, when I fell in the stairwell of my condo, sustaining “traumatic brain injury,” I resided for a month in Harborview and another month doing rehab in Ida Culver Broadview, giving Bruce and other members of the Book Group an unparalleled opportunity to pinch-hit for me. Now I am back more or less in stride and can even read almost as well as I used to. I am hosting this June in my new apartment at University House rather than in my former condo on 20th Ave. NE with its treacherous stairwell.
— Dick N.
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Health and Wellness
If you’re looking for information on the latest medical research, this article is the right place for you!
Coffee Drinkers Live Longer
New studies counter fears that coffee is bad for you.If you grew up thinking coffee was a guilty pleasure, you can stop feeling guilty and pour yourself another cup o ’joe. In the largest study of its kind-more than 400,000 people — both men and women — coffee drinkers were less likely to die over a thirteen-year span than non-coffee drinkers. Choosing regular or decaf made no difference, suggesting caffeine isn’t the key. The more coffee people drank up to six cups a day the less likely they were to die during the study period. The study was part of the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study which began in 1995.
Source: From Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, Vol. 30, August 2012
— Jeff G.
Things of Interest for Our Group
This section contains various articles to draw your attention to subjects that are important for members of our group. If you know of any subjects that would interest our members, please be sure and write an article and submit it.
Silent Movie Mondays
International Silent Movie Mondays at the Paramount Theater
Monday June 17: Apart from You
Monday June 24: A Throw of Dice
Movies begin at 7:00 PM with tickets at only $5.00 for seniors.
A special invitation for Mature Friends to join your friends for happy hour cocktails and appetizers prior to the movie beginning at 5:00 PM. The happy hour on June 17 will be held at the Palomino Restaurant — 1420 5th Avenue. The happy hour on June 24 will be at Ruth Chris Steakhouse — 727 Pine Street.
Roller Derby — Rat City Rollers
Mark Saturday July 13 on your calendars! It is Mature Friends night at Key Arena for the roller derby. Opening ceremonies at 5:30 PM with the first match at 6:00 PM. Tickets for Mature Friends are $12.00. Check out the Rat City All Stars website.
For more information regarding these events, contact me.
— Bruce T.
Pride Parade
The chosen theme for this year’s 39th Pride Parade is “Equality: Passed, Present, and Future.” The parade will be a celebration of the passage of Referendum 74 which approved the legalization of same sex marriage in Washington State.
You are invited to walk or drive with the Mature Friends’ parade contingent on Sunday, June 30. (Our contingent is allowed up to three vehicles). Please come and be a part of this special and exciting celebration.
On parade day, Jerry J. has generously invited all walkers and drivers to a special kick-off pre-parade brunch at his residence in Belltown, which is near the parade route. Come and join the fun on this colorful and highly charged day that celebrates our gay community.
Pride Parade 2012
Although all we could scrounge up was a two-seat roadster, having a car made our contingent more visible. Everybody else had to march, and march we did!
And oh, by the way, no automobiles were harmed in this parade.
Please March!
Interested parade walkers and drivers please contact: Brian W.
— Bryan W., Cliff H.
