Sharon and I spent a most enjoyable time in England during the first two weeks or so of September. We were the guests of Les and Jan Burningham, who were our guides, drivers, squires, mentors and great friends! We visited all sorts of locations, including Portsmouth, Winchester, Stonehenge, London, Windsor Castle, Blenheim Palace, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and a host of others. We had a thoroughly grand time!
One aspect of our visit was to meet members of IPMS Farnborough. Little did I appreciate the level of surreptitious planning that went into the first get-together! Les and Jan allowed that, as Sharon had not visited a pub, it would be a good thing to go out to a local establishment for a beer (or two) and an evening meal a few days after our arrival. Grand idea, we thought, so at the appointed hour we all arrived at a beautiful local pub. To our surprise and delight, most of the IPMS Farnborough members were in the pub waiting for us, along with most spouses and a number of children, all assembled to greet the Canadians! We retired to a large room beside the pub, where beer, pub food and skittles were available. Skittles is a bowling game, with a shorter alley and ten pins arranged in a diamond-shaped layout. We all had a go at skittles, gave a few short speeches of welcome, filled ourselves with all sorts of culinary delights, and all in all enjoyed ourselves immensely. A special note of appreciation goes out to Chris McKee, IPMS Farnborough President, who was in attendance even though he had only recently been released from hospital after fairly serious surgery. You just can’t keep a good man down!
You will recall that I guided Pete Readman and his wife Sarah when they visited Ottawa in August, and hosted him at the monthly meeting of IPMS Ottawa. They very kindly reciprocated by having Les, Jan, Sharon and me to their home for dinner on the 12th, a very enjoyable evening. Thanks very much, Peter and Sarah!
Subsequently, Les and I attended the September club night on the 14th. I extended the best wishes of IPMS Ottawa to the membership, and presented them with a cheque from IPMS Ottawa in support of their charity of choice, the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice. As a full member of IPMS Farnborough, I surprised the club Treasurer with two payments of GBP1.50 each. Members pay this each time they attend a club night, rather than have an annual dues method. I allowed that, since I had not paid my GBP1.50 when I last visited in 2006, I did so then. But I was also there now, and so I then paid my dues for September 14th! There was a very good selection of models on display, and the winner of the monthly contest was a 1/32nd scale RCAF Sabre in the colours of the Golden Hawks.
The trip was, for Sharon and me, a grand success. I feel that the twinning of our two clubs is on very solid ground, and can only become even firmer as time goes on. Thanks to all Farnboroughites for showing us such a wonderful time. And I promise to practice my skittles!
Gary presents a cheque for GBP40.00 in the name of IPMS Ottawa
to support the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice
Our Liaison Officer's club dues are now fully paid up!
September Club winner: a Golden Hawks Sabre
(click for larger image)