I've been busy socially just recently and last week I had two amusing events. I attended my usual Monday Rotary meeting and, on arrival at the Armidale Bowling Club where our meal was held, I discovered that it had been designated as a "hat night". That means everyone should wear a hat on the evening ... and lots of amusing themes were involved. For example, there was a hat quiz and everyone was asked one impossible to answer question. Mine was to name the place from where one Queen Elizabeth II gets her hats from. Anyone out there know the answer? Anyway I was fined $A 2 for not knowing the right answer! Well, I forgot the meeting's theme and arrived hatless, but not the only person! So I amused myself by placing my napkin on my head to everyone's amusement and the El Presisente turned up and worked on my head-gear to make it stay in position and look amusing.
So here I am. It's amazing what one can do with a bit of tissue paper!
On Thursday, I and several friends met up for our usual 10.30 coffee break. This is usually held at a trendy cafe called the Goldfish Bowl, which attracts young people with laptop computers among others. But last week this was different because one of our group, Russel, and his wife are two weeks off departing Armidale for a new life on the NSW Central Coast near Lake Macquarie south of Newcastle. So we met at their place which is a rural residential property of around 45 hectares north of the University of New England. Their home has a rustic charm and the view over the surrounding countryside is lovely. The ridge in the background is actually Australia's Great Divide - the mountain ridge running down the whole length of the east coast. The range is hugely long, running for about 3,700 km (or 2,300 miles) and at the place shown here the altitude is about 1,100 metres (or c. 3,600 feet).
I took this picture of us sitting at the table out of the veranda having our drinks and pastries.
Membership of our informal groups has declined a little over the years as people have departed for other locations. I suppose this is a routine part of life these days as people have less attachment to place and / or their families depart for other locations. Our immediate family is now a 10 hour drive southwards or a 20 + hour flight north-eastwards.
AS
So here I am. It's amazing what one can do with a bit of tissue paper!
On Thursday, I and several friends met up for our usual 10.30 coffee break. This is usually held at a trendy cafe called the Goldfish Bowl, which attracts young people with laptop computers among others. But last week this was different because one of our group, Russel, and his wife are two weeks off departing Armidale for a new life on the NSW Central Coast near Lake Macquarie south of Newcastle. So we met at their place which is a rural residential property of around 45 hectares north of the University of New England. Their home has a rustic charm and the view over the surrounding countryside is lovely. The ridge in the background is actually Australia's Great Divide - the mountain ridge running down the whole length of the east coast. The range is hugely long, running for about 3,700 km (or 2,300 miles) and at the place shown here the altitude is about 1,100 metres (or c. 3,600 feet).
I took this picture of us sitting at the table out of the veranda having our drinks and pastries.
And we also had two formal pictures taken of our party. We're all retired ... or in Russel's case nearly so. He's just in front of me on the left in the first picture.
Membership of our informal groups has declined a little over the years as people have departed for other locations. I suppose this is a routine part of life these days as people have less attachment to place and / or their families depart for other locations. Our immediate family is now a 10 hour drive southwards or a 20 + hour flight north-eastwards.
AS
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