A Week Without Family

This week I have been away from home almost all of it.  On Monday after heading to work, I had to catch the train with a work mate to the airport and head down to Melbourne for a conference from Tuesday morning until Friday lunchtime.  Apparently there were almost 500 attendees.  I had a great time at the conference and it has just caused me a stack of work with some thinking about the way forward for our organisation on a number of fronts.  I now have absolutely weeks of work ahead.  After the conference finished on Wednesday night, I was able to get across to Metro Hobbies for 30 minutes before they shut at 6:00pm and on the last day of the conference I got across to Hearns Hobbies for 30 minutes on Friday after the conference ended.  We then headed back to the airport with my work companion and after battering our eyelids, we were able to get on a flight two hours earlier than originally planned.  As we boarded the plane we met up with two business acquaintances (one in the row in front of me on the plane).  It is just a very small world.

When we landed it was another train trip to my local station where the boss and the kids picked me up in the rain.  It was then back home for a birthday celebration.

While I was flying back from Melbourne the wife and flu ridden daughter were making this great cake.

Apparently it was a milestone birthday for someone!

I don't think Kyle looks a day of 9 and three quarters myself.

After the first good night's sleep for the week, I was up early again on Saturday morning to head across town for the RMCQ's Pine Rivers Model Train and Hobby Exhibition, at the Strathpine Community Centre.  After getting home on Saturday, the Mrs went out with some mothers from school.  This morning I made the trip back across town again.

On the subject of the Exhibition, there were some very nice layouts in attendance as well as model boats, planes and cars, as well as the obligatory hobby shops and second hand books and models.  It was a pretty good weekend with good numbers through the door and the traders I spoke to apparently were happy with their investment for the weekend.

I just couldn't resist a photo of the canteen ladies whom did a tremendous job at feeding the hungry hoards on Friday night setup, and all day Saturday and Sunday.  Here we see PK, B1 and Big Darryl preparing the morning teas for the exhibitors at around 8:30am this morning.  No rest for the extremely wicked!

How is this for a model made by one of our younger teenage exhibitors.  It is a G scale DD17 - Blue Baby of Queensland Rail.  A fantastic effort.

This model is just fabulous!

So now I'm still not with the family as I'm updating my blog before retiring to watch some TV for the night.

I think I will be happy to go back to work on Monday for a rest.