10 - 9 - 2017

Hi All,

As promised it was demolition day.  I think that everybody - bar Derek and Greg - had a spell in the long room, tearing down the remains of our learning curve.  

Our two sparkies devoted their time to laying in wires and continuing the discourse on raspberry pies.  For the rest of us it was out with the electric drills, who's got the bit for these bl--dy square head screws, ouch I didn't see that screw tip sticking out, pass me the crowbar - no make that the hammer, and give us a lift with this.  By time to go home the long room is clear and clean, apart from one lonely piece of bench, Geoff the Sec's trailer was loaded high and wide if not handsome, and a  bunch of old men were wandering about saying "Don't know about you, but I'm st-ff-d"

We had the sense to break off at one point to sample scones with jam and cream, and talk earnestly about same sex marriage - no one present had any first hand experience, so it was a bit one sided.

Our thanks to the effort put in by Geoff tS, Dale, Martin, Judy, George, Helen, Rod, David, and the sparkies of course.

Next week we should be back to building rather than destroying.

Peter

3 - 9 - 2017

Hi All,

Nine of us turned up to play on Daddy's Day.  Not all were Daddies.

I arrived a bit later than usual to find half the mob there and already busy.  The stealth team had been in during the week and had poked, prodded and muttered incantations until the Digitrax booster began to boost.  Derek was following up this warm and fuzzy moment by connecting point motors to his revised power supply and demonstrating that crossovers now switched back and forth.  Sadly, at the end of the day, he left muttering about LEDs, AC loops, and having a drink.  Rod was playing Charades - the answer is that he was pretending to be a Crown fork lift truck,  (picking them up and putting them down) as he went around fixing the points that had been laid with metal rail joiners to the frogs.  Martin arrived with prefabricated walls for Mousehole Gorge, and Port Gary marched in, tucked under Paul's arm.  The bar for scenery standards on our new layout is being set pretty high.  Helen and Judy came, which improved the afternoon tea prospects beyond all measure.  I eventually finished nailing down the Sayer yard - as far as I will go until the turntable arrives - and Geoff the Sec did the same with his branch line tracks - as far as he can go until the coal flood loader arrives.  And we all managed to keep Dale busy with a stream of "have we got?  have you seen?  where is?  what do you think about?"

Over tea and coffee, after our inaugural monthly committee meeting, conversation revolved around exhibition layouts - triggered by comments from those who had exhibited at, or taken kids to, AMRA's Show at Caulfield.  A success from AMRA's side - big attendance - which brings its own problems with parking, moving around the venue, and catering.   Also rather inward looking, not much for kids, and too many trade stands and exhibits that were not well presented.  With "the holiday mob" making up the bulk of our patrons we have to strike a different balance - and this has drawn favourable comment from many of our exhibitors in the past.

Next week is planned to be a working bee, with a blitz to clear the long room - most of what is left is destined for the tip.

See you then,

Peter