| Address: Mature Friends PO Box 21203, Seattle, WA 98111-3203 |
July 2008 |
E-mail: info@maturefriends.org |
Headlines
President’s Corner
A reminder to those who have not renewed their membership for the coming year, please do so right away. A renewal form was sent with the June Newsletter. If it has slipped away or become buried on your desk, you can download a copy of the membership application on line at our website. Secretary Lou M. works hard to keep our membership records up to date. Let’s help him do this important job.
After one of the coolest and grayest spring seasons in the record books, we are entering the best time of year to get outside and closer to nature. Two of our club members lead outstanding activities each month to help us fully enjoy the outdoors in this special corner of the country. We have Dale J. who leads wonderful walks and hikes, and John W., Professor of Urban Horticulture emeritus from the University of Washington with exciting and unusual garden tours.
Mark your calendars for the annual picnic that will once again be held at Woodland Park. The date this year is Sunday, August 31. Next month's newsletter will provide the alphabetical listing of who is to bring what.
As we approach the end of our 19th year, I was reflecting on some changes with our committee and activity heads during the past year. Don K. turned the responsibility of our membership records over to Lou M. John L. took the reins from Kyle B. to continue producing our member profiles. Henry H. handed off the bridge club leadership to Paul S. and Page B. Harry W. is still in charge of our annual Christmas holiday dinner, but our monthly dinners are how handled by Walter J. and Bruce McC. Don C. took over the investment club from Ed E. And Greg M. came aboard as assistant newsletter editor with Dan L. We are fortunate to have so many active and engaged volunteers donating their time and talents for the betterment of our club, and so to everyone mentioned in this paragraph, thank you.
— Kent H., President, e-mail President
What’s Going On at a Glance
| Eating | Playing | ||
| Lunch Out | Wed., July 9 and 23, at 12:30 PM | Investment Clubs | Mon., July 7 and July 21, at 7:00 PM |
| Monthly Potluck | Fri., July 25, at 6:30 PM | Book Club | Tue., Julu 1, at 7:00 PM |
| Wine Tasting | July 21 at 7:00 PM | Board Meeting | Mon., July 14, at 7:00 PM |
| Dinner Out | Tue., July 15, at 6:30 PM | Walk/Hike | Tue., July 8, at 9:30 AM |
| Annual Banquet | Sat., May 2009, at 6:00 PM | Garden Group | Thu., July 15, at 10:30 AM |
| Annual Picnic | Sat., Aug. 31, at 12:00 PM | Theater and Music | Refer to Theater Section |
| Dinners for Six | Once Per Month in Rotation | Travel | Refer to Travel Section |
| Bridge Club | Every Wed. at 7:30 PM | ||
| Pinochle Club | Wed., Julu 2 and 16, at 7:30 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.
Regular Lunches and Dinners Out
| Activity | Date and Time | Place and Address |
| Lunch | Wed., July 9, at 12:30 PM | Charlie's on Broadway 217 Broadway E. |
| Dinner | Tue., July 15, at 6:30 PM | Robb’s 125th Street Grill, 12255 Aurora Ave. N. |
| Lunch | Wed., July 23, at 12:30 PM | Martin’s Off Madison 1413 14th Ave. |
Make reservations for lunch with Mel H. or dinner with Walter J. or Bruce McC., or e-mail Knife and Fork Club for more information.
Thank you for your cooperation.
— Mel H., Walter J. & Bruce McC.
Monthly Potluck
Please join us at our monthly potluck, the last Friday of the month. 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.
Don C., the committee head for the Investment Club, will give a short presentation on investing in stocks, followed by our annual membership meeting to elect officers for the coming fiscal year.
During the annual meeting, we will do the following:
- Elect Board officers to fill five vacancies.
- Address any other business that Mature Friends members may wish to raise.
Ballard Odd Fellows Hall
1706 N.W. Market Street
Seattle, Washington 98107
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: Guests, as usual, will be admitted without charge. So, if you’re a first time guest, you don’t need to bring anything but your hungry self and whatever you want to drink. Soft drinks, however, are supplied by Mature Friends.
Potluck Contributions
Please bring the type of dish assigned to your last-name initial below so that we will have enough food from each category.
Food Assignments (servings for 6 people)
| Dish | Last-Name Initial |
| Appetizer (Arrive early please) | C, I, L, V, R, Y |
| Hot Dish | F, J, K, O, S |
| Vegetable | A, D, M, T |
| Salad | B, E, G, N, P |
| Dessert | H, W |
Please indicate on a note with your dish if you have a vegetarian dish for our vegetarian members and friends.
In the interest of reducing garbage at the Odd Fellows Hall, members are requested to take home any leftovers of food they brought to the potluck including take-outs from delis, etc.
Thank you!
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.
Dinner for Six
Pairings for the June–July–August dinner cycle have been made. But if you fall into one of the following categories, please contact me ASAP:
- If you are currently a Dinner-For-Six member and will not be available for that period
- If you are a member but currently not assigned to a Dinner-For-Six sextet and wish to be included in the upcoming period
- If you are not yet a Dinner-For-Six member, I am particularly eager to hear from you to answer any questions and welcome you into this festive group
In the meantime, happy dining!
For information concerning Dinner for Six or to participate, email Dinner for Six.
— Jim Y.
Wine Tasting Group
On May 19th the Wine Tasting Group met at the home of Don McK. to sample California Zinfandels. Fifteen men gathered to sample six reds followed by a lively discussion of each wine. Two favorites were the Cline and Seghesio. The Cline was fresh and young, the Seghesio more fruity and tannic. We assembled in Don's patio, munched on cheese and crackers, and sipped zins. A wonderful tasting. As we were leaving, Don generously gave us each a wine glass. We agreed to bring these glasses to future tastings, relieving the host of having to provide them. Our July 21 meeting will be at the home of Jerry J. Those who attend are requested to bring a Riesling of their choice.
If you would like to attend our next tasting, please contact Ed K. or e-mail Wine Tasting
Annual Banquet
Every year in late May or early June, Mature Friends get duded up and go out on the town for a special dinner. In 2008, we dined on May 31, and what a dinner that was!
If you want to read all about it or relive the experience and check out some pictures, the following link will take you directly to an eye-witness report.
— Curt Johnson
Annual Picnic
Every August, in lieu of the monthly potluck, we meet in Woodland Park for a picnic. This year, our annual picnic will take place on Sunday, August 31, beginning, as usual, at noon.
Last year, our annual picnic in Woodland Park attracted 69 members despite the cloudy weather and threats of rain. Luckily, no rain ever came down and by after 1:00 PM, the clouds began to break. With spirits undamped, we enjoyed some great food and then split into three main groups for afternoon activies. One group took a hike around Green Lake, while others tested their hand-eye coordination in a hot game of croquet. A third group prefered a more mundane pursuits and organized into several card games. Whatever their activity, everybody had a good time and ate well.
Investment Clubs
Remember Investment Club 1 meets on the first Monday of the month and Investment Club 2 (aka A Better Club for Investing) meets on the third Monday.
This month Club 1 will meet on Monday, July 7, at 7:00 PM at Galeria’s, 611 Braodway E.
The new Better Club for Investing will meet on Monday, July 21, at 7:00 PM at Galeria’s, 611 Braodway E.
— Don C.
Book Club
The Book Club will meet on Tuesday, July 1 to discuss Gaudy Nights by renowned Dorothy Sayers. This clever, amusing and cozy chat, written in 1936, is part of her Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane series. Our discussion will take place at the home of Joe S. Directions to his home are printed in the July newsletter. . If it is a warm night, Joe invites us all to bring our swim suits and towels and take advantage of his condo’s pool. Be sure to get there a bit early as, if we are in the pool, the front door bell will not be heard.
August Meeting
On Tuesday, August 5, we will meet at the home of Conrad K. to discuss Michael Chabon's Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. This will be our first book in a long time with a major gay theme. Directions to Conrad's house will appear in the August newsletter.
For any questions or suggestions or to obtain a copy of our current selection if you missed the book club, email Book Club.
— John L.
Board Meeting
Our Mature Friends board and committee heads will meet on Monday, Julu 14, at 7:00 PM at the home of Kent H. and Bil B. Check your newsletter for directions or call Charlie directly.
Walk/Hike
Snow and rain have deterred hikers this cool spring, especially in the high country. We will try a trail at an intermediate elevation for July, with no risk of snow. But with the cool weather we’ve been having there will probably still be spring wildflowers blooming.
Our hike for July will be to Denny Creek, just west of the Snoqualmie Pass area. This is a popular trail with all ages. The trail begins in an old forest, with a wide, gentle, well-maintained grade. Novice hikers will find the walking easy and pleasant up to the Denny Creek crossing at 1 mile. This area where water cascades over smooth rocks, known as the “slippery slabs,” is the destination for many who wish to picnic or observe the natural water-slides of the creek. After crossing the creek on a log bridge, the trail goes through forest and open hillsides with views of nearby peaks, as you climb towards Keekwulee Falls at 1½ miles.
The falls will be our planned turnaround point, since beyond the falls the trail becomes steeper and rockier on its way to Melakwa Lake. An option for those who do not wish to go beyond the slippery slabs would be to rest and lunch there.
To facilitate car pooling we will meet on Tuesday, July 8, at 9:30 AM in front of the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park. Bring a lunch and water. We should arrive back in Seattle before 3:00 PM..
Check Out the Pictures of Some Previous Hikes!
On the Snoqualmie Valley Trail
Dale and Doug at Perry Creek Falls
If you have any questions or suggestions, email Walk/Hike.
— Dale J.
Garden Group Tours Emerging Garden
Twenty members of the Garden Group toured the 4 year old Edgewood Garden on Thursday, June 12. Nestled on the western cliff above the Renton Valley, the garden has magnificent views of Mount Rainer, the Cascades, and the valley below. The group was met by owners Ilga Jansons and Mike Dryfoos. This is the second large scale garden this couple has created. Located on 32 acres, it is a work of love of the couple themselves who are providing the major amount of labor to establish it. They are the fourth owners of the property, which features a LARGE, Northwest Contemporary house. The house is filled with artifacts of their world-wide travels, and has an exceptionally large library. All rooms have magnificent views and Ilga took us through the entire house. They also sponsor “library/reading” weekends and often entertain International guests.
Guests enter through a large iron gate and then proceed on a winding pathway lined with flowering cherries and many other colorful seasonal plants. The focal point is a large pond and fountain. There are several sections to the garden and one can wander from one to another. The rose garden contains many cultivars of roses and the arbors were filled with flowering climbing roses. There are several major sections with colorful perennials as well as a Japanese garden. There is a new herb garden. The "house" covering the swimming pool has been turned into a recreational party/dinner house, useful for all kinds of entertainment. Several members brought food for a picnic lunch which was devoured by all. Ilga furnished coffee and tea. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, someone remarked that this now was the best garden tour ever! Nevertheless, the weather, the color of the plants, the energy of the hosts, coupled with our enthusiasm lead to a stupendous tour.
Garden Group Returns to Snohomish
Mark Tuesday, July 15 on your calendar for another wonderful tour of private gardens in Snohomish. We will tour the three year Rowe/Poquette garden. When Fred Rowe retired from his dentistry practice, they gave up their beautiful hillside garden on north Capitol Hill overlooking Portage Bay. In this new garden, they have planted masses of plants in between the meandering paths and deck. The house is reminiscent of a Frank Lloyd Wright design The tour will begin promptly at 10:00 am. Driving directions are as follows: Take I-5 North, about 20 miles. Merge onto US-2 via Exit 194 toward Snohomish/Wenatchee. Take WA-9 toward Arlington/Bothell. Turn right onto WA-9. Next turn right onto 56th Street SE. Turn right onto 93rd Drive NE. Proceed to 5402 93rd Drive NE. Please do not enter the garden until I am present.
The second garden will be the Huntingdon's which we visited two years ago. There will be opportunities for lunch at one of the popular Snohomish restaurants.
For those needing a ride, please contact me.For any other needed information, please e-mail Garden
— John W.
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 N.W. Market Street
Seattle, Washington 98107
After 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.
For any questions, email Exercise.
— Len T.
Bridge Club
The bridge group is open to anyone who has a basic knowledge of rules and playing. 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.
For any questions, email Bridge
— Paul S. & Page B.
Pinochle Group
The Pinochle Group meets twice a month. This month, come and join us on Wednesday, June 4, and again on Wednesday, June 18, at our usual place, the Odd Fellows Hall in Ballard.
For any questions, email Pinochle
—: Bil B., Kent H.& Walter J.
Travel News
This section summarizes upcoming trips sponsored by Mature Friends. Check them out! The destinations are superb and the prices are reasonable. And you will travel in style.
Holland America Amsterdam, New York to Seattle
April 24 – May 16, 2008
I have been assured that this trip was a great success and everybody had a good time. A write-up with pictures will be in next month’s newsletter.
Oregon/Winery/Spruce Goose
August 12 – 14, 2008
The trip is on!!! We still have some space, so if you are interested, let us know by July 20. We will leave Aug 12 on Amtrak Cascades at 7:30 AM, arrive in Portland about 11:30 AM and transfer to buses for a trip to Tillamook Creamery for a tour, continue on to Lincoln city for the night at the Liberty Inn and try our luck at the Chinook Winds Casino. We depart Lincoln City the next morning to visit wineries and the Spruce Goose in McMinnville where we will spend the night at the Comfort Inn. We return to Portland to board the Amtrak Cascades for our return to Seattle and arrive at the Seattle King Street Station at 6:20 PM. To join this tour, mail a deposit of $215 (payable to Bob McQ.) to Bob McQ., home address available in paper copy of the newsletter. This covers train, bus, and admission to the Spruce Goose.
Motels
You need to make your own hotel reservations.
The following rates are guaranteed to Mature Friends and should be made directly by trip participants with the following motels. Be sure to mention “Mature Friends” when making your reservations.
- Lincoln City, August 12: Liberty Inn, 1-877-994-1777.
Double per person $53.95, Single $107.91. Includes Continental Breakfast - McMinnville, August 13: Comfort Inn, 1-503-472-1700.
Double per person $53.00, Single $106.00. Includes Continental Breakfast.
All other meals or expenses are for the account of the traveler.
If you hve any questions, email Travel.
Celebrity Cruise, Seattle to Seattle
October 3 – 6, 2008
This Celebrity Cruise Line tour on the Mercury departs Seattle Friday Oct 3 at 5:00 PM, arrives Victoria BC, Oct 4, Nanaimo BC, Oct 5 and returns to Seattle Oct 6 at 7:00 AM. This is a fun weekend without taking any time off from work. All meals and entertainment are included. Contact Linda Lane at Cruise World for reservations. Prices per person double occupancy are Veranda Stateroom $559.23, Ocean View Stateroom $459.23, Inside Stateroom $369.23.
Thailand
November 1 – 16
This trip is a real bargain and so far we have had very few Matures Friends signup. We need a minimum of 10 or the trip will have to be cancelled. So, please let us know. The price includes round trip air on EVA Airways, Seattle to Bangkok, hotels including breakfast in both Bangkok for 9 days and Chiang Mai for 6 days and air travel between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Upgrade on the air to Elite Class is just $335.00 and EVA is now flying Boeing 777 on this service. For further information, contact Larry Abalos at Adventures in Travel at 206-937-4966.
Australia and New Zealand
January 29 – February 11
Space is still available on this "once in a lifetime" trip. Reservations should be received by Adventures in Travel as soon as possible. Contact Larry Abalos at 206-937-4966 for information.
To request information on any of our trips, e-mail Travel.
— Bob McQ.
Theater
We're lucky enough to live in a vibrant part of the country with many types of theater entertainment to choose from. In addition to checking the month's offerings yourself, we will periodically highlight some special events.
Ballard Locks Concerts
Be sure to check out the FREE weekend Ballard Locks Summer Concerts, 2:00 PM.
- July 4 — Seattle Civic Band (marching music)
- July 5 — Batucada Yemanjá (Brazilian music)
- July 6 — Greenwood Concert Band (2:00 PM - 3:00 PM)
- July 6 — Ballard Sedentary Band (4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
- July 12 — Puget Sound Symphony Chamber Players
- July 13 — Greenwood Concert Band
- July 20 — Coal Creek Jazz Band
- July 26 — Greater Seattle Fuchsia Show (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
- July 26 — Fidgety Feet Dixie Land Band
- July 27 — Greater Seattle Fuchsia Show (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
- July 27 — West Seattle Big Band
Limited chair handout at 1:30 PM. Concerts start at 2:00 PM.
For general information or weather cancellations call (206) 783-7059.
— Jim McC.
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!
Health Notes
An older Brain Really May Be A Wiser Brain
When older people can no longer remember names at a cocktail party, they tend to think that their brainpower is declining. But a growing number of studies suggest that this assumption is often wrong but that the aging brain is simply taking in more data and trying to sift through a clutter of information, often to its long-term benefit.
The studies are analyzed in a new edition of a neurology book, "Progress in Brain Research." "It may be that distractibility is not, in fact, a bad thing," said Shelley H. Carson, a psychology researcher at Harvard whose work was cited in the book. "It may increase the amount of information available to the conscious mind."
For example, in studies where subjects are asked to read passages that are interrupted with unexpected words or phrases, adults 60 and older work much more slowly than college students. Although the students plow through the texts at a consistent speed regardless of what the out-of-place words mean, older people slow down even more when the words are related to the topic at hand. That indicates that they are not just stumbling over the extra information, but are taking it in and processing it.
When both groups were later asked questions for which the out-of-place words might be answers, the older adults responded much better than the students.
"For the young people, it's as if the distraction never happened," said an author of the review, Lynn Hasher, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and a senior scientist at the Rotman Research Institute. "But for older adults, because they’ve retained all this extra data, they're now suddenly the better problem solvers. They can transfer the information they've soaked up from one situation to another."
Such tendencies can yield big advantages in the real world, where it is not always clear what information is important, or will become important. A seemingly irrelevant point or suggestion in a memo can take on new meaning if the original plan changes.
"A broad attention span may enable older adults to ultimately know more about a situation and the indirect message of what's going on than their younger peers," Dr. Hasher said. "We believe that this characteristic may play a significant role in why we think of older people as wiser."
In a 2003 study at Harvard, Dr. Carson and other researchers tested students' ability to tune out irrelevant information when exposed to a barrage of stimuli. The more creative the students were thought to be, determined by a questionnaire on past achievements, the more trouble they had ignoring the unwanted data. A reduced ability to filter and set priorities, the scientists concluded, could contribute to original thinking.
Jacqui Smith, a professor of psychology and research professor at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, who was not involved in the current research, said there was a word for what results when the mind is able to assimilate data and put it in its proper place — wisdom.
"These findings are all very consistent with the context we're building for what wisdom is," she said. "If older people are taking in more information from a situation, and they're then able to combine it with their comparatively greater store of general knowledge, they're going to have a nice advantage."
— Contributed by Len Tritsch
Profile
There is no profile this month.
— John L.
Mature Friends History — Christmas
On July 31 of 1992, reported in the August newsletter by editor Dan L. (then as well as now!) to be the hottest day of the year, Mature Friends celebrated Christmas. That was only appropriate, since the previous Christmas had been on July 26, 1991. Ms. Claus, who distributed gifts that members had placed under the tree, explained that Santa and the elves were vacationing in Florida. The Board prepared and served Christmas dinner, and members contributed a generous donation to Chicken Soup Brigade. Ms. Claus was eventually revealed to be impersonated by Vice-President Hazel B. Perhaps the real Ms. Claus was also lying on the beach somewhere.
— Dick N.
Things of Interest for Our Group
Nothing to report this month.