Mates

On the Saturday just gone, it was the scheduled AGM of my Model Railway Club.  As I had another event that I had promised I’d be at, I needed to fill out a proxy form for the voting of positions.  On my way to the bus stop after work on Monday, I ran into my mate Greg (from work and the train Club) whom I had arranged to meet on Thursday to hand over my Proxy form.  Greg was heading towards the railway station on his way home.  So given the chance meet, I handed over my proxy form early for presentation at the Saturday Meeting.  Thanks Mate!

Also on Saturday was the scheduled regular Operating Day at Anthony's place.  This occurs on the third Saturday of each month.  While Anthony model some Mexican railways - actually Victorian and South Australian - he does hold regular sessions where a group of like minded guys and we have an absolute ball.  Sorry I could not attend - but I appreciate the repeated invites - Thanks Mate.

On Tuesday we had our fortnightly Tuesday Nighter's meeting at Dr Peter’s place.  It turned out that I had the privilege of been stirred most of the night.  Thanks Mates!

On Wednesday at work in the morning, PK showed up and gave me an HO Preiser Figure titled ‘Girl Going her hair’ - apparently her top is open and with a magnifying glass you can see the right side of her chest (if you know what I mean).  He bought this for my layout while he was down at the N scale convention in Adelaide over the previous 7 days with some of his N scale mates.  Thanks Mate.

The reason for missing the two other Saturday events above, is this.  Saturday was the local NMRA divisional meeting at Darren’s place.  Geoff and I were asked to help Darren run various trains on his point to point layout while he greeted guests and spoke to them about his layout.  I had a lot of fun with Geoff.  After a great lunch put on my Darren’s better half with the help of his daughter, we went back into the layout room.  Geoff decided to take a train from Wattle Flat towards the layout's staging a few crossing loops away.  He asked if he could take that loco, and I said no worries.  I glanced at my NCE throttle and saw that I had the same loco dialed up on my throttle.  Hmmm!  I thought I could have some fun here.  I was standing next to another mate Bill who had come down from Toowoomba for the meeting.  I intimated to Bill I was going to have some fun and to not give it away.  As Geoff whistled out of the loop and built up speed, I just turned my throttle to zero speed step, and Geoff’s train stopped.  He started the train again a couple more times, each time I stopped it.  On about the fourth time, Geoff looked up and turned around with a quizzical look on his face.  As he turned around, he saw that I had lost it and he immediately asked ‘Are you doing something to my train?’  Quite a few people had a laugh.  Well what are mates for?  I had to get Geoff back for Tuesday Night.

During the day we also took the opportunity to bag PK who was at our Club’s AGM.  When we arrived at Darren's place we asked him if he had trained his cows (or more correctly glued them down) so that would stop climbing trees on his layout.  When PK comes to my place for an Operations Session, he invariably does something.  Quite regularly, he loads a jeep on Fairy Hill Farm up with two cows, so that can take it for a fang around the farm.  Thanks Mate!  So wanting to return the pleasure to Darren, I had previously made a couple of his cows climb a tree in a vary conspicuous place on his layout.  But we always blame PK for this as he started this flow on affect.  Thanks Mate!

So Darren, thanks for inviting me to assist with the operation of the layout for the NMRA meeting.  I had a blast.  Thanks Mate!

My Motto is if you cannot have a laugh while you are doing something, then why are you doing it in the first place?  This particularly applies to work but also hobbies.  I try and have a laugh every day at work, to make sure our workmates have a good time.  If you don’t like work, why turn up there in the first place?

I’m glad I’ve got the groups of mates that I have.  Thanks!