Quality not quantity

Monday evening once again involved happy hour/s and us enjoying a lovely evening sitting out together – no fire pit this time – the evening was too mild. The crew is smaller than last year, but it’s not quantity it’s quality that counts, and we once again we truly have that.

Amonitor took centre stage – we’d been given a copy of last year’s reunion DVD by Malcolm when he arrived at the Kenworth shed.  It was wonderful to see flashes of old friend’s vehicles and familiar faces – hearing the address by Craig Membrey he gave at the Women’s Breakfast once again sent tingles down my spine and other’s apparently, as a round of applause broke out.  Malcolm said there was a familiar hand leaning out a black truck waving ferociously in the parade – he’s obviously watched it closely and yes, he was right about that hand. 

Feeling my cheeky self when one of the ladies, who we’ve just met, said she was off to check the roast I leaned over and said “Hope there’s enough for 12!”  No smart comment came back but after the DVD was finished and I’d popped on a pot of potatoes and pumpkin I heard her husband Don calling out “Kath, Kathy?” 

“Yes Don?”

“Maureen doesn’t have enough for 12 but she’s got enough for 5, come on down.”  She’d already invited one of the volunteers who is having a bit of a rough trot down for a meal.  How embarrassed was I and humble that someone would make that sort of effort when we hardly know them.  “No, no we can’t,” I vehemently said. 

“Well, she’s put extra vegies on, yer, you will,” Don insisted kindly and so we did!

And what a lovely evening we had.  Don and Maureen have volunteered all over the country for different organisations – Blaze Aid, Church groups which has seen him complete many electrical jobs on missions and other activities as well.  They are both gentle, generous souls, looking to give back to the world while enjoying retirement and seeing this country.  I thought Maureen was about my age – she’s 10 years older – being generous must be good for your looks I reckon! 

Bushy, the other dinner guest is off a cane farm and has lived a varied life – running shops in outback missions, harvesting his cane and much more.  It must be an incredibly difficult job juggling the diversity of volunteers a place like this sees – some youngish, physically fit, some recently retired and not quite ready to let go of being in charge of their domain, others finding cheap accommodation until they can limp their way home.  A challenge for any organisation for sure!