Author Archives: Botcho

Splinter Lunch May 2019

Leave a reply

Date: 31st May  2019……………………………
Location: Main Beach …………………………..
Hashers: 22…………………………………………..

  Hosts: Carefree & Weekly……………………..

Lunch Pictures…………………………………….

GCHHH Splinter Lunch report May 31st. 2019

Prawns in the Park

 

 

Well, we have all heard of “Opera in the Park”, Music in the Park and even Brisbane’s Inn in the Park. But last Friday it was Prawns in the Park, masterminded by Carefree and ex GM Weekly. What a brilliant innovation for a change of location; it was next to Chris Skase’s old pub in beautiful parklands, a superb choice of venue. The weather was just perfect, sun, warm and no wind.

 

You may notice from the aforementioned that I am currying favour with the two hosts, although as Weekly is now last year’s edition and Carefree has no particular Hash influence, I doubt that I will be ever able to redeem  these brownie points.

I got on bus 704 at Tedder and joined Sir Two Dogs, Sir Rabbit and Sir Botcho, I felt honored to ride the same bus as Hash royalty.  The mob were standing around talking, Carefree advised that Trucky was running late with the trailer for seating. He arrived at 12.30pm and we set up. The mob headed for the shade trees, but Carefree stated that we should set up behind the public toilet block so that any passing cops would hardly notice us. Now that was not a good idea. A bunch of old blokes lurking at the rear entrance of public toilets would surely be more subject to scrutiny than a bunch under the trees. Anyway we went for the trees, after set up and seating, from the road we looked more like a bussed in picnic excursion from a retirement village.
Brisbane visitors were Vaso, ShitBags and Anchovy, all regulars at Splinter. Shat had sunscreen makeup so thick, he looked like a white faced clown from the circus. Sir Ferret was just back after participating in the Guinness record breaking motorhome line up of 9.5 km. at Barcaldine, he must like congestion, perhaps he could fill his retirement days by  taking a daily trip up the M1 to Brisbane at peak hour in the motorhome.
Where were the Main beach locals? S bends and Carefree were the only ones, the other four or so (you know who), were nowhere to be seen.

Slug attended, having just got back from Asia and as usual is off there again in July. BlueCard for God’s sake turned up in his lederhosen. In the greenery of the parklands, he looked like he had come from central casting for a remake of The Sound of Music. Carefree pointed out to Latrine that his polo shirt was inside out, he mumbled some lame excuse, we should have checked to see it his jocks were on back to front – the mind boggles.
The hosts rolled out the oysters, we were assured they were “Sydney Rocks”  by Carefree, who as we know is a “top shelf” bloke, nothing but the best, demonstrated by his new Mercedes #2 which replaced new Mercedes #1 about 3 months old, but that is another story.
Then came the prawns, they were really huge, fresh and delicious straight off the trawler. We were issued with a first plate, was it six or twelve? anyway it  was plenty, with top ups after that, plus salad and fresh bread and butter, the perfect way to eat prawns.

I sat next to Latrine who had prepared his special sauce with chili. It was eagerly consumed and twice he refilled the bowl by reaching under the table where he had the ingredients stowed and mixed it on the spot. He would do well in MY Kitchen Rules. Shat and Sir Rabbit were catered for with fish, not being prawn eaters.

Sir Botcho called a short circle and after stacking up the tables etc. some diehards adjourned to the bar across the street overlooking the Broadwater. I made an exit at that point. In all a lovely day.

 

Brengun – Scribe for the day.

Weekly and Carefree and were planning today’s lunch, having a very deep conversation.

Weekly says to Care Free.

” I think that I’m about 74 years old and I’m full of aches and pains

Care Free you’re about my age I think. How do you feel?”

“I feel just like a new born baby mate.

“That’s not fair Care Free! Do you really feel like a new born baby ? ”

“Yep! Mate. “No Hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants”

Run 2169…Hare: S Bends

Leave a reply

Date: 27th May  2019……………………………
Location: Main Beach …………………………..
Runners:47…………………………………………..

Run Pictures…………………………………….

S Bends Birthday

 

The evening that had been much anticipated finally arrived. The Pack gathered at S BENDS modest mansion in Main Beach to set off on a real estate tour of the Gold Coast’s hidden gem with the promise of a feats to come. They would not be disappointed.

First the tour which took us around the perimeter of the suburb, through McIntosh Park, a brief flirtation with a beach vista and back. The ever diminishing Runners Pack did something similar.

Our Booze Masters were excelling as usual and S BENDS had found some Yarpie beer that seemed quite drinkable and was well priced @ $1.

Then came the feast of hot South African delicacies followed by curly sausage, great salads and special spicy sauce. Names bandied around were Mandela’s Dick, Train Smash etc. This was backed up by a strange but tasty dessert of melted ice cream with Maltesers and Tia Maria which was termed Don Pedro . Rumour has it that this was Mandela’s evening meal when he was incarcerated on Robben Island for 20+ years. The meal was prepared by Ms S BENDS with Chef SWEATHOG and portion control by KB.

After the feast the GM ICEMAN was again on the job and called the Pack into the Circle.

Nosh Report was offered by ROCKHARD – 8.7/10

Run was a combination from PEPE, ARSENIC, LATRINE which covered bridges, tunnels, the Marriott and ranked 9/10.

Walk was by JIGSAW and got 9.5/10 for good marking and a beach view.

It would seem all of these marks were influenced by Tia Maria and later Van der Hum, a unique SA liquor.

Visitors were:

Busted Arm, Grey Ghost, Blackbeard and Zoran.

VD was presented with his eating equipment which he mislaid last week.

JIGSAW was charged for walking when he should have been running.

RA SPV had seen MISSING LINK get into a yellow BMW during the Run. This turned out to be PHANTOM’S as he cruised up to the ON ON.

Sir TWO DOGS got a mention for some indiscretion

SWINDLER got the blame for scaring an angry old lady on the Monday Ride.

ROCKHARD for missing a turn while finding his way the weekend Birthday Event, SIR RABBIT for missing the whole of Friday night by arriving in Kyogle in error, MISCARRIAGE for arriving without his wife who was on the phone to SPV asking where he was, TRUCKIE for being a firebug. If your name was not mentioned don’t fret. SPV will find you eventually.

Then came POW.

Regular attendees will remember that the previous week POW was not awarded due to lack of a suitable candidate/s.

This was all resolved as there were now 4 worthy recipients. In the end BLUECARD was awarded the Prick due to his shameless over promotion of his birthday over recent weeks, which culminated in him having the event over the border in Cockroach Country on the eve of the State of Origin Game. Shame, Shame!

 

Once again the evening was completed with a rousing version of our Song led by KWAKKA.

 

A great night S BENDS!

Sad that you are now having to vacate the building!

 

History of Main Beach

The Main Beach area is defined by the narrow coastal dune between the sea and the mouth of the Nerang River. Narrowneck formed the southern boundary and to the north a spit of sand terminated in a break or bar between the Broadwater and the sea. A natural basin for boats existed at the mouth of the river.

History

During the early years in which Southport was the urban centre of recreational activity at the coast, visitors were ferried across the Broadwater to surf at the Main Beach so named because it was the main surf beach for the town of Southport. The area became more popular following the construction of the Jubilee Bridge in 1926 when land was taken up and holiday houses were constructed. Some guest houses were also constructed but little or no permanent population was located in the area. Some evidence remains of the areas early popularity as a surfing beach in the beachfront planting and the kiosk and shelter shed from 1934.

The construction of the Sundale Bridge and the deviation of highway to the west of Main Beach in the late 1960s was preceded in the 1950s by early reclamation of the Nerang River to the west of the earlier subdivision and the area centred on Tedder Avenue dates only from that time. A different subdivision pattern in that portion of Main Beach is the result. Similarly the land to the north of the early subdivision – the sand spit that formed one bank of the bar – was only recently developed. Until the 1870s and 1880s the only activity in this area was limited to facilities associated with the Southport Yacht Club and other maritime activities.

Its use is still limited although resort hotels and theme parks now occupy the land. Revegetation of the Southport Spit followed the construction of the Gold Coast Seaway and gives particular character to this area and acts to link the more intensively developed area to the south with the open areas of the Broadwater and Southern Moreton Bay. Main Beach property has developed as a high rise area only relatively recently and is focused on the exclusive, luxury car-lined Tedder Avenue which is packed with upmarket eateries and boutiques. It has a sense of more permanent residential neighbourhood than other parts of the high rise coastal strip. The restaurants and coffee shops service this use. Most of the apartment buildings along the foreshore are more modest in scale. The isthmus at Narrowneck acts as a natural barrier to the more intensively developed area to the south.

The Gold Coast Oceanway travels on the seaward side of the Southport SLSC but then diverts inland to travel behind beachfront houses of Main Beach down to Narrowneck. Some local residents would like a new Oceanway pavement constructed along the road reserve between the beachfront houses and the dune area.

A large number of Norfolk Island Pines (Araucaria heterophylla), a conifer that is not native to the area, have been planted on the Main Beach foreshore.

 

Swindlers & Blue Cards 70th

Leave a reply

The Birthday Boys

Pictures Here

AKA – A trip down memory lane

The long awaited and anticipated BlueCard 70th finally aired on the weekend. The venue, Swindler and Madame Swindler’s country estate in the shadow of Mt. Warning, was ideal. Swindler was also having a birthday albeit just two days later than BC. A lot was packed into just 40 hours of non-stop events and feasting.

It all started on the heliport at 4pm Friday. No helicopters were allowed to land, as the site had been re-purposed as a caravan park and glamping site.

Re-Purposed Heliport

BrenGun being helped to erect his tent

After an hour or three of pre-dinner drinks it was off to Flutterbies in Tyalgum for the initial feast of pizza washed down with a variety of quality wines.

A romantic BlueCard with Madamoselle BlueCard

Then back to camp for campy campfire stories until everyone was tuckered out from travel, tall tales and over indulgence.

Next morning dawned clear and some slept in.

Here are two late sleepers. Note Miscarriage attempting to be incognito

A group of keen cyclists went off to try the country lanes.

On their return it was a 70-minute exploration by all of the boundary fences led by Swindlers brother in law Paul. Son Darren had recently done a great job slashing a trail around the property to allow walkers to make it without too much discomfort.

Nearing home we passed Darren, again on the tractor/slasher, on his way to start the lunch fire on the crest overlooking the estate.

Back at base we observed the 11.30am commencement of the cooking of the dinner lamb.

An amazing amount of expertise assembled for the job

 

We were then loaded into 4wds and back up the hill for a country lunch including billy tea and cake.

Some luncheon attendees

After lunch was spent reading, snoozing or advising on how to cook the lamb that was slowly turning on the spit.

Reading prior to snoozing

Then at 4 the evening got underway, first the hour or three of pre dinner drinks watching the spit bring the lamb to perfection by just after 7pm in time for the ceremony of removing the lamb from the spit to where it was carved in expert style by KB who had appeared out of nowhere in traditional chef attire.

The removal

The placement for carving

Before the main course we were treated to the most divine pumpkin soup whilst the lamb and accompanying roast veg and ratatouille were receiving the final touches.

The meal, which ended with a supreme dessert, was voted meal of the year, so much so that all present immediately booked in for next year.

Then came a speech by BlueCard 70 who thanked everyone and told a story about his 50 year mate Swindler and a BBQ he borrowed from Swindler when they were in their 20’s that Swindler has never seen again. In his response he told a similar story of getting one back on BlueCard 70 in return.

Swindler and BlueCard jousting

BlueCard explaining that he would not be sharing his birthday cake with anyone else.

More after dinner drinks around the fire before weariness took over.

The weekend’s formal events were rounded off with a Sunday breakfast of farm eggs, Border Range bacon, local tomatoes and mushrooms.

A great weekend organised by two great blokes.

Swindlers & Blue Cards 70th