frustrations with centenary

In reverse chronological order

No effort to purchase appropriate boats. The only quad purchased in recent times is bow coxed. We've still those 6 ancient quads. 

Member behaviour Pissed off brigidine. 

Inefficacy launching boats (Sunday) - put two trestles down parallel to the water. The intention is kids place their boat and then get their oars and put them on the beach close to where they will launch and unsvew their gates. L immediately moves them saying they are in the way. Now kids queue up the way they always have.  while a boat is placed in the water then the kids trudge slowly and carefully back up because it's slippery and get their oars and then slowly back down. Then fiddle with their gates and finally place their oars and go. It's slow and inefficient and once again my efforts have been thwarted. 

Coaches meeting- camp only for kids going to states. Should be fit everyone. Run different activities depending on capability. Everyone can benefit from a day on the course.

Coaches meeting - sledging private school kids because they are only rowing for one term. Saying they disappear. It's no surprise. Everyone's including them have been upfront that they are here in their off season.

Efforts to improve efficiency thwarted.  Banned from putting oars in and launching sunny side up. Rowing committee email out saying it's a safety issue. P tells me after that it's because you can't see your feet when carrying the boat. Interesting but by my method there's an extra person (adult) on the boat plus no evidence of people slipping. Mainly feel aggrieved that they didn't consult me yet I was really the only person doing this method and with their email they didn't have the curtersy to talk to me and the email therefore effectively implies my actions are dangerous and I'm unable to see that I'm promoting a dangerous activity.

Committee votes and passes a policy thwarting my promotional activities. Policy effectively bans publishing photos on social media. Policy never published to members so I'm bound by it but no one else is. Feels like Frank gaged. Objective achieved.

Flood repair, committee decides to remove gyproc to 100mm above the flood water height. On the day, over enthusiastic people including some, but not all, committee members disregard that decision and remove it all the way to the ceiling. 

When president, Of 7 committee members 3 refused to read come to a meeting where we would read the constitution.

On going in fighting. 

Saturday 27

Went into work early to do firmware for the mk5 RF.

I took magnus to give her some socialisation. 

Breakfast at Scout on Petrie Tce with Tim, Steve & Steve T & his daughter, Rob, Chris. It's a "place to go". Seen as trendy and that makes it interesting as I don't see why. There is a mish mash of tables and the chairs are too small. I wonder why.

Onto the centenary coaches meeting. There was some disappointing sledging of BGS kids. A pity that there is such focus on just developing kids to row at nationals. There's an underlying nastiness. This came through when discussing the camp. Rather than working out how to include and develop everyone, it's just focussed on the best. Or most mature. Now I agree that one does need to separate them based on ability and that includes dedication on their part. In my view, having a club level focus only on the elite will inevitably lead to a very small talent pool.

Home for lunch - leftover lasagne. Snooze.

Dropped off ironing. 

Back into work. 

Got the party line comms software working at a prototype stage.

Came home. PVS has a headache and not feeling the best. Stress perhaps. Channel surfed. Wasted evening. 

EOMA

Today is EOMA.
End of Mariage Anniversary.
A reminder of a broken contract. Personal failings seemingly confirmed statistically by the number of first dates and separately by my inability to recognise interest shown by others.
Compensating today by stoking up on eggs bennie.
Noting also that the dogs have broken into the house which at least means they haven't found a gap in the fence.

I wonder whether it could have been different.  Many many years of distant loneliness. 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner with family

 Dan and Jemma came over.  Peter V.S. is camping at my place as he is between houses.

I made lasagna.

I look a bit strained in this picture.  I wonder if it's because tomorrow is the anniversary of the end of the marriage.  It's been playing on my mind.    

What has happened to my family.

Dogs life

 No discipline in this house

Boys Mens Monday Night Group

 These guys have been critical in my mental and emotional survival.

Met at my place.  Made spag bog which seems to be my signature.

Beefing up security

 

 

 

 

 

Coaching

 It's a tough gig.  No pontoon makes it hard to launch and is a huge distraction in regard to identifying, distilling and eventually addressing organisational issues.

On the other hand, the kids are great and the coaches do a great job with them.  

The "issues" maybe just me being overly sensitive.  But atm it would be unfair to cast blame and also because of the flood damage, it's not fair to even consider addressing them.

 

 

 

 

First Stew

 

Stew

https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/best-ever-rich-beef-stew-recipe/ce3190dn?utm_source=sem-google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKCAjwx_eiBhBGEiwA15gLN-s0usBnFPO-cdMbeEzMpEa9ZRhRWljQ9UyRGWIH3gMpXVW7ETGaNxoCBsUQAvD_BwE

I used:
500g chopped up meat.
3 Potatoes
2 Carrots
1 onion
half pack mushrooms
1 rash bacon
some tomato sauce.

It was OK.  A bit bland. Next time .... :)

 

 

 

 

 

Zoo

 

sick

There's a certain loneliness highlighted when sick.

FRI 12 MAY

A bit more runny nose. Less headache. It's just mild at the back of my head. Feels like the sort of headache that could be alleviated with a massage. Just makes me sad to think that.

No concentration. Energy only in short bursts and then I have to sit or lie. 

Listened to a YouTube talk about breakfast lambasting cerials and stuff that gives a sugar hit. They promote savoury breakfast and eggs were mentioned a lot. Although appetite is coming back, the thought of sweet stuff turns me off. 

Donned mask and went and bought some bacon and eggs. Had a less than ideal go at poached eggs.  Matched up with fried onion, bacon, mushroom and tomato and avocado. Very tasty. 

THUR 11 MAY

Last night:

Mild headache, sore throat, slightly runny nose (used up a couple of hankies) most noticeably mild tooth ache.  Back in Jan 22? when I had covid, toothache was bad and felt like all my teeth were loose. Not sure if this mild toothache is an indication of covid. There's a curiosity factor but as the government has basically given up on covid, it's hard to get too enthusiastic. Woolies does not seem to have RAT tests and it's hard to know if Coles does as they show up in the app but with no isle details. Chemist warehouse proportion to have them.

Bought from chemist warehouse.

Did the test. It's positive. 

WEDNESDAY 10 MAY 2023

Sick. Went rowing because too late to pull out. Mild headache. Slightly runny nose. In a four. It went OK.

Did not go to coffee. Straight home. Fed animals. Shower that turned into a bath. Lay on the bed. Fell asleep. Woke up at mid day.

Went down to Oxley and bought sushi.

Cancelled dancing.

Back to bed.

Mid afternoon took Lucy to the park. Drained me. Magnus did not get a walk. 

BGS Open Day

 

Times change.  Where once was the science block that doubled as a grandstand rises a new "STEM" building.  Gotta have a modern acronym.

This was the boarders lawn.  Did there used to be a 'keep off the grass' sign?

A debate between the old boys and the current debating team.  In my day, a girls grammar v boys grammar rugby match.  The last 15 included the debating team. 

The gun - most memorable because the grade 12's would repaint it on the last night.

 

Sunset

 

 

 

 

sat 6 May

It's evening and as is common, I'm feeling low. It's still hard to come to terms with being alone.  Many good things today but still it's hard. 

6 am departed for centenary. Most of the kids are going to be away at a regatta. Mike S and myself are running a session for the other kids. Took Magnus and bought a coffee at 711.

Started with the kids doing some erg technique. Then we launched. Took forever. They've banned me from launching boats with the oars in. Plus the wide boats big enough to take magnus are too slow to add a parent. It's all too f'ing hard. 

Home. Dropped Magnus. Had a shower. Collected ironing. Dropped into ironing shop. 

Onto BGS open day. Lots of volunteers on the tipperoo stall selling burgers.  Dropped into the old boys stall but it was manned by a young fellow who did not want help. Watched a debate. Checked in on the rowing stand.  Saw Matt Marden and sponge. Lots of little kids. Back to the old boys stand. Saw Jim McP, Angus, John, Arnie. 

Into my car and saw a missed call from Graham Hodgson.  Called him and he's returning the poles from the trailer stage. We met at centenary and dropped them off. 

Back home. Rest. 

Drove to Mt cootha to meet a internet date.  That was a fizzer. She's not interested. 

Over to the Royal Mail Hotel at Goodna. Tapped my feet to "the jar".  Doubly feeling sad and alone. 

Home. Fed pets. Reheat spag bog. 

And that was the day

Chris Preparation