PAG 26, page 24
Saturday 10th December ………..32 deg hot and sunny again…..So just a short note from Down Under…….Well it seems that at last the two hoppers destined for our sunny shores are on their merry way… Left Old Blighty on the 4 Dec and should arrive about the 6 Jan 2007
It used to take a year to sail to the land of OZ and took about 4 weeks to get if off the docks ….if the right amount of graft was offered…. Now it take 4 weeks to sail and about a year to get it off the docks no matter how much graft is offered…
There has been much frantic happenings in the toy shop as old lathe and mill make way for new generation cnc ones………Santa was very kind to me this year ……see kindness does come back to you…..The toy shop cleaned to within an inch of its self
( what ever that means) floors repainted and many treasures gone to the tip…..I guess that will make some old scrounger happy though, so there is some comfort in those thoughts… but it is very hard to throw out old treasures that were hard fought for….I wrote a little poem about that once perhaps I might attach it .
Any way I digress………….So junk is all going or gone and spring clean is in full force…well really its summer already…I was a bit late starting…... my only problem is that I’m running out of space for the Hopper …hmmm may have to build a special shed for it ….”Have to see what the Council says about that young Harry” The plan is at this stage to try to build two at once….as the memory aint wot is was and if I leave it for a few months or longer I wont remember what or how I did …….now where was I …
.b. gger lost me train of thought …..
Oh well perhaps later….so I was talking to Phil Gregory and it seems it might be the last Hopper to come to Oz as the packing and cleaning of all those parts was more than he wanted to do ….which reminds me I owe him 50 quid….better type it into the calendar so I don’t forget that…..its done now it will remind me every day till I’ve done it …cleaver little things these computers……Pity I cant get a new hard drive for my head….it would make life easier .
Sunday 11th …… just installed an air conditioner into the work shop today….ahhhh 25 deg in the work shop now…… that’s MUCH better…bit like a bear in reverse I wont come out till it cools down about mid July….
The plan is that the car has to be ready for October next as there is the famous Melbourne Cup races to attend…..and Liz, aka, Betty Boop has stated that she wants to go…. I don’t want to, crowds too big, but I will if we can go in the Hopper…still thinking about a name ……bit like having a child really isn’t it……Perhaps there is a car name book I could consult……I was thinking “Skippy” why Skippy I here you ask …well you see a Hopper can also be a Kangaroo….it runs on three (two hind legs and a tail to stabilize ) The big red roo’s have attitude and can slit you belly open given the right opportunity ….and “Skippy was the name of a famous TV show in which a roo was the star .
But Im not convinced….dosent quite have the right ring to it….
I know, Ill start a competition and award a prize to the best suggestion ……NOW there’s an idea… ……...if you cant come up with the goods steal some one else’s So what about it …..I’ll think of a good prize really… What about two weeks accommodation and free car hire in the land of OZ…..Ooops I digress again…..Ahh yes the races…..so the plan is to build the Hopper by Oct and drive 1000 miles to the races …in period dress of course….
(Can anyone supply the name of a company that sells the old flying helmets? …they are as scarce as rocking horse manure here)….. The plan is to take a couple of days to do it and not drive down over night as usual but to take some time to savor the drive ….and of course show off the Hopper
Her Ladyship would like 3 days shopping there to which I’m not invited….its a girl thing and so I’m off to visit the owner of the other Hopper, John Bennett it will be our first official PAG Down Under meeting….show and shine, we will be the main event and we might even have judging on the best Hopper…..or most complete which ever is the case. There could even be First and second prize… Guess what?......you are all invited…..you could even bring your Hopper……J We will no doubt take a few trips around the regions of …and The Dandenong Ranges…and Mt Hotham …Its the local snow resort but there shouldn’t be any snow that time of the year…although I wouldn’t mind seeing some snow…..I flew to New Zealand once to see some snow,… all I got was sleet…. Oh well another day…..I think Ill be dead before I experience snow…. By the way, its cooler today 29 and Sunny…….I should be in the garden shhh its much more fun in the shed…..
Monday 12th ,….well its 0430.hrs sun is up so am I …..time to check emails and a cup of tea before going to the toy shop….. New Lathe arrives today….you know they want $550 to insure the off loading and installing of the lathe ,….. cheeky buggers…so should be making round thingies by the end of the day J J… Ill try to include some photos of the event”. “Oh slap bang what a picture what a photograph“ ..remind you of a song?
Well the lathe arrived safe and sound…no insurance….Ill spend the money on tools ,it should buy two…Started making swarf already….Well it is all that I expected which is good…I’ve managed to turn a shaft, face a part and turn a radius, not bad for day one…. ..training starts next Monday…. its 2200hrs and time for bed .. I had better get this off to Crackleport before he backfires and cant be late for the PAG…..Don’t forget the name competition …..Fraternally Yours Peter