Anna Kalma's blog

Impressive number of hits to the Te Aroha website last month ...

Month Hits
January 37
February 300
March 597
April 571
May 665
June 179
July 1846

No doubt driven by holding the Spa Teams event in mid July but the website editors (ie me and Jane) also take heart that people are logging in regularly to check out the latest news and pics.

Some shots from the tournament

Morrinsville: Ensuring etiquette and sensible bidding is upheld - our Director Jane Stearns!

Morrinsville Cream: "Bring it on" said Alison

morrinsville Cream: A formidable duo prepare for battle

morrinsville cream: Jillian Rubbing her hands with glee at the idea of calling a slam ... and making

Morrinsville Cream: what 1NT with 10 points????

Apologies folks, took the wrong file home so no results until I can get back to the bridge club computer...

However, all i can remember is that it was memorable for Greg & Tim who managed 75% at the expense of others in club (no mentioning names).

The overall result of the two night will be tight ... I think Tim & Greg will have pipped Melba and Anne for the two night match win. However this will remain unofficial until we can confirm with accurate results to hand.

Looking forward to the start of the three night competition next week (starting with a small celebration to welcome new members to the table).

Some pics from over the weekend . . .

Where's your shirt Greg???

From Left to Right: Lindsay Reid, founding member of the Te Aroha Club; Carol Wilson (daughter of Connie and Jack Jacobs also founding members) and Steph and Tom Jacob (half of the winning overall team and grandson of aforementioned founding members)

Jacob battling with the best

Competition begins

Hermanna and Henk find something amusing

Lesley Quilty, Matamata (foreground) and HErmanna Hemmes in the background.

Tim and Jane look pleased with themselves!

Ben Kalma, the caddy takes a break

Not only did Jacob Kalma cap off his 15th birthday with a session win on Tuesday Night with bridge partner Jos Sonne, but he celebrated later with an appropriately themed cake!

birthday cake

The front window had it's turn for the makeover yesterday.

bridge club frontage

gone are the trusty net curtains and hello a bit more light into the clubrooms (whilst retaining privacy with the frosting).

We wait to see how much additional window cleaning it will require!

Another busy week at the Te Aroha Bridge Club has seen a core of volunteers give the grand old lady a well deserved internal makeover.

The interior is now fresh and bright but perhaps the biggest change is the statement wall ... being of a rather brilliant red hue (or Resene dynamite to be precise.)

Thanks to all those who turned up for a day to help ... or even turned up both days (George Sherrell!), whether or not they belonged to the club or not (Ayako and Jane from Cambridge, George from Matamata), whether they had ever held a paint brush before (Ayako) and the other Te Aroha troopers (Henk, Hermanna and Joan)who got the job done.

painting: Cheer up Jane, you still look glamorous!

painting: our new statement wall

painting: Is that a halo around Joan's head?

painting: George hard at work ...

painting: Joan paints over the old wallpaper circa 1978

painting: Ayako tackles the high stuff

Our new dealing machine arrived and has been successfully installed with the first boards dealt and ready for bridge on Tuesday.

This signifies a large investment from the club alongside the grant for the purchase of the machine (thanks to the Rigters for putting together the grant application). The dealing machine joins other cutting edge technology installed in the Te Aroha bridge club - including bridgemates and Compass scoring programme.

our dealing machine: Our new dealing machine

Thanks to all those people who turned up at short notice last Thursday to help prepare the clubrooms for painting.

George, Anne C, Laurie, Joan, HErmanna, Henk and Anna proved many hands make light work and managed to clean up and get the walls ready for painting.

However, with cleaning and sorting, it became obvious that some further remedial work required doing to get a good result.

Enter Laurie B who coopted a couple of local handy men - Merv and Will who have spent several days this week of their own time and providing many of their materials helping to patch up walls, rehang cupboards and tidy up some of the eyesores of the clubrooms (like the Meter Board).

sprucing up clubrooms: Will (left) and Merv enjoy a well earned lunch

The end is now in sight - looking forward to the painting working bee ... next Monday 25th February.

Jacob and SadieTe Aroha regular, Jacob Kalma (14) and Sadie Swap (98) paired up on Thursday night for the Matamata Bridge Club and capped off a great year of bridge with a session win at the annual Christmas Event.