Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.07.2015, Side 2

2 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • July 1 2015
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.LH-INC.CA
The Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE Bridge and Whist event is a
very gentle, sociable event:
there is a luncheon, a big bake
table, a raffle, door prizes, and
ultimately there is bridge, whist,
and – for the brave – a cribbage
table where you might engage
someone in a thrilling match
to see who pegs home first. All
have a chance to win a prize
based on how well you played.
In the ancient days there was a
booby prize but that hasn’t been
given out in many years.
I have played bridge at the
Jon Sigurdson IODE Bridge
and Whist event since I was
a young teenager – about 55
years. I seem to remember
playing with my father in a
church basement sometime
in the late 1950s. There are
a few things that I remember
about bridge in those days,
but what sticks out is that the
scoring system was identical
to what we have today. The
second thing was that my
father wanted me to be a better
player – maybe even a better
player than he was, although
he would never have said that
to me directly. I don’t think
of my father often, but when
I do, I think of him intensely
and it’s usually connected
to our partnership. We never
played bridge at tournaments
but we played duplicate
bridge for many years at the
Wildwood Club.
A number of years ago I
was asked by my friend Dee
Dee Westdal to be the bridge
director for the IODE chapter’s
Bridge and Whist. Having
spent a career in front of a
classroom, I was comfortable
with being the center of
attention and listening to my
wonderful voice. Sometimes
bridge and whist players are
easy to organize – in fact they
usually organize themselves;
other times it can be like
herding cats, albeit very nice
cats.
On occasion, my regular
bridge group friends come.
They are blown away by the
fact that my mother, Jo Wilson,
frequently wins one of the top
prizes. My mother seriously
likes to win, so watch out for
her and all the other “sweet,
little old ladies.” They will
trump your ace with a smile.
Bridge is the sort of a game
that grows on you. It captures
your intellect and you carry it
with you throughout life. As
I’ve grown older I’ve tried to
pass along what I know about
the game to other people, mostly
women who lack confidence
or experience. The first thing
you should know about bridge
is that it is a partnership game
and it’s very important to be
respectful of the partnership.
Some of the worst bridge I’ve
seen has occurred when one
partner refuses to listen to the
other partner and vice versa.
The main thing to
remember is that we are here
for some fun, some laughs, and
some good bridge and whist.
The score may be good or bad
but it doesn’t matter. Just do
your best and don’t complain
when you win a prize. If you
are lucky, you will have your
picture taken and your winning
effort will be mentioned in
Lögberg-Heimskringla. Sadly
your fame may be fleeting.
Furthermore, if you see me
looking up at the ceiling and
lost in thought, don’t worry,
I’m o.k. I’m probably thinking
of my father and asking myself
what he would bid with this
hand.
Mark the date for this
fall’s Jon Sigurdsson Chapter
IODE Bridge and Whist
luncheon: September 26,
2015 at Betelstadur, corner of
Erin and Sargent.
Frank Wilson
Winnipeg, MB
Left: Frank Wilson
Above: bridge and whist players
Visit our website for more information or contact our INL office.Tel: 204-642-5897
Email: inl@mts.net If you don’t have a club in your area but are interested
in forming one, please call the INL office.
Wouldn’t your amma and afi be proud? www.inlofna.org
Are you proud of your Icelandic Heritage?
Do you want to see it preserved for your children and grandchildren?
Are you a member of your local Icelandic Club?
Don’t know where they are or who to contact?
o
o
o
The IcelandIc naTIonal league of norTh amerIca
ouldn’t your a a and afi be proud?
For the first time in many years, rain and wind threatened to spoil our
plans for celebrating Icelandic
independence! But 25 brave
souls turned out to enjoy a feast
of potluck food in the beautiful
surroundings of Amos Waite
Park in the Mimico area of
Toronto. The site on the shore of
Lake Ontario had a lot to offer
in the way of activities for the
children, which they took full
advantage of before the rain
started! President Kara Schuster
augmented these activities with
many other games.
We were privileged that
writer and musician Valur
Gunnarsson was in town and
read for us from his book Síðasti
elskhuginn (The Last Lover), in
which he wrote a chapter about
Western Icelanders, and also read
from his poetry book, A Fool for
Believing. And then he played
and sang some of his translations
into Icelandic of Leonard
Cohen’s works to top it off.
Icelandic weather does not stop
Toronto’s independence day celebrations
Gail Einarson-McCleery, O.F.
Toronto, ON
PHOTOS: KAREN BOTTING
ICCT Independence Day. Top
right: writer and musician
Valur Gunnarsson.
Right: ICCT's newest
member, Eyvindur Tómas,
with parents Karen and Einar.
PHOTOS: GAIL EINARSON-MCCLEERY
Bridge and whist – men welcome!