POST GFC

Conversation with the dog at noon on 29th October 2021:  Me: "I'm just heading out to the GFC lunch at the private dining room at the Astor Grill. I'll be home by 3.30pm Dog: "Bullshit. You'll be lucky to get home by 6pm. Merv will be there and he has no 'OFF' button" And so it proved to be. The part-time members of the Wuhan Waistcoat Society (that is, anyone with a waistcoat, fob watch and associated accoutrement) - images here of the author, Merv Simmons and Max Reed - joined to combine to a total of 19 members of the GFC at Rocky Donaz's Astor Grill. The rain poured down in what we remember as the wettest October in memory. Some said they don't remember it ever being that wet, yet were unable to say that was because they simply didn't remember or that it had not been that wet. Round and round went the discussion, as it can sometimes do with gentlemen.  The window panes frosted over, snow was swirling around Mount Wellington. Peter Lark...

Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it The clamouring for renaming the luncheon group reached a deafening roar of which we are often subjected: "change the name of Australia, change the name of the Catholic Church. Change the name of mankind. Remove Scotland from the United Kingdom....". But without a fully engaged plebiscite, (the GFC Luncheon is known throughout the length of Hobart, Salamanca, Macquarie St, and the yacht clubs and restaurants of the city) - such change will have to await removal of Boris Johnson's veto. or President Biden - whomever has the authority. Bear in mind we are simply an anarchic syndication - no more no less. However, I invite contributions by way of suggested 'new name' for this child of 2008 - feel free to reply by 'comment' below. The Ball and Chain - 7th May 2021 -  We welcomed back Bob Glade-Wright - commonly known as 'Bags' - who with wife Annie has relocated after a stint in Melbourne and a decade or ...

Larkey ranging far and wide on introduction of Alan Haig. Around the table: Kennedy, Bowen, Haig, Larkey, Cunningham, Kozlow, Marcus Taylor, Gerald Ellis, Max Reed, Stephen Porter, Jim Paltos, Miles Flanagan, Rob Fay, Nick Saunders, and with camera Phil Kimber Much hand wringing. Cunningham and Kozlow look on adoringly. Larkey commented the next day that he "walked home". That would seem to imply that he had difficulty putting one foot in front of the other Rob Fay, held close on either side by Jim Paltos, Dickie McCure, and Nick Saunders.   Interrogation by the back of the heads of Haig, Bowen and Kennedy Fay waxes on, generously In recognition of Fay's introduction, Nick spills the beans on Saunders and Ward, and their multinational efforts in engineering. Who knew they built trucks and devices for drilling in mines in Peru? Jim Paltos made the trip especially from Melbourne for this GFC Luncheon, and was in no way disappointed. He...