We had a big programme this weekend starting off with a trip to Bulls Brook where our old friends John and Brenda Shapiro were celebrating John's 75th birthday.The function had been organised by his children and it was brilliant. The garden setting was perfect and the weather quite kind. As one would expect with Shappers there was plenty of liquid refreshment, and we met some interesting people who were friends. It was quite amazing that so many of the pepople we talked to had either been to, or had some connection with, Australia - so conversation was easy.
Lunch from the BBQ was delicious and while we sat and ate under the tent shelter, a magician entertained each table with some amazing wizardry. At one stage he showed that he had one coin in one fist and three in the other - then invited two of the guests to firmly grip his wrists - and then bingo -opened his fists and showed all four coins in one of them! And at the same time he managed to undo and remove John's wristwatch without him knowing!! Clever stuff.We reluctantly left about 4 pm to drive on down to Bournemouth where we had arranged to meet up with one of my old schoolmates Michael LeBrocq.We found our hotel without any trouble.Although there have been many changes since I lived there 55 years ago, I still knew my way around. As we did not feel particularly like any more food we went for a walk along the cliff top and through the Winter Gardens into the City centre.
On the way we stopped to buy a book from a fellow who was sitting on the footpath beside a bicycle festooned with the names of countries of the world. He was a German who had spent his life cycling around the world and had clocked up 40,000 kms in doing so! He had gone through 15 passports, taken 80,000 photos and rebuilt his treadly many times.
Sunday morning Mike and his wife Merle picked us up at the hotel and drove us over to Sandbanks where he is a member of the Royal Motor Yacht Club. He actually supervises the boatyard in a voluntary capacity spending each morning of the week there. I had not had contact with him since leaving England in 1952 and was surprised to learn that he had become the Chief Engineer of the local paper "The Echo" where he had worked for 50 years. Mike had left school early at the suggestion of the school who felt his performance less than desirable!! But he had always been a bit of a DIY handyman, and it was that skill that he developed and as a totally self taught engineer suceeded. At his home he has a railway line through the garden on which he runs a steam engine and a diesel engine which he built completely from scratch. It is those talents which makes him invaluable to the Yacht Club. His wife Merle plays tennis several times a week and last year reached the finals of the mixed doubles in the English Veterans championship!! A great couple.
We had a lovely lunch in the club and caught up with past names of friends and associates which was pure nostalgia but wonderful. Then we walked around the golden streets of Sandbanks which has some of the most expensive land in the world. Houses are bought for millions of pounds and
pulled down so that a modern structure can take there place - money money money.
And then it was time drive the 150 miles home -motor way all the way and we did the trip in 2 and 1/2 hours.
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