Let It Roll

From December 27th -January 3rd, our local sailing club will be hosting the National Championship series for NS14s.
(That's one of them in the left foreground.)
On Boxing Day we will be heading down to the beach to help 'set up' for the event.

Himself and No2 son have sailed in the Nationals twice in recent years, the first time doubling as our 'honeymoon' after we were married on December 17th. We set off on Boxing Day and drove to Lake Macquarie in NSW where we had a wonderful restful week (well, I did; they sailed everyday sometimes twice in a day!) in a gorgeous converted boathouse right on the water.


With the possible exception of having a teenage boy in the house with us, it was a perfect honeymoon. Himself got to sail to his heart's desire and I got to potter, read and socialise with other sailing spouses. A good time was had by all.

This year however, Himself is on 'The Committee'. He has worked hard all year gaining sponsorship for the event, using his many contacts to drum up raffle prizes and donations of cash and equipment. He has been involved in monthly meetings. He has artworked and produced all the print materials for the event including the race handbook which I had the misfortune of having to print on my little inkjet printer! At 20+ full colour pages per book and 50 books to be made, I went through several reams of paper and 4 colour ink cartridges not to mention having to take them into school in the holidays to use the electric heavy duty stapler! Fun.

Earlier this year when the first meeting was convened, I was unable to attend due to the Baby Angel's netball ( a pattern repeated for the rest of the year) and so I said blithely that if he wanted to put my name down for anything I was happy to help. He came home that night and announced that I was in charge of the Social Events.

What?

I had envisaged helping on the registration desk or stuffing envelopes but the whole SOCIAL CALENDAR??????

After my initial panic it became clear that this was not the massive task it had initially appeared to be, not least because the Adelaide chapter of the Association is ridiculously laid back. Their idea of a 'good time' is a beer and a packet of crisps, a $1.00 raffle and a reasonably good handicap place after the race on a Saturday afternoon. They were lukewarm about suggestions of wine and cheese tasting after the races, fun quizzes or gourmet BBQs for the opening event. Basically it was up to me to book the club caterer for the dates required and to keep my head, and the prices, down.

Scratch the gourmet BBQ.

Of course in the burgeoning tsunami that was school this year, I have done very little more towards the organisation. I attended one meeting and it was intimated to me that everything was 'under control' and perhaps all I need do was find a few seashells to decorate tables on the night. My supposed 'helper' didn't contact me and I have let things slide.

So this week, with the onset of holidays and child free time, I approached people to see what had been organised.

Not a lot apparently. But that's OK. It's all fine. Everythings under control. See Mrs X, she's got it all sorted.

Table cloths? Oh I think the club are supplying them. Ask Mrs Y.

Nope. Club's not supplying them.

Uh-huh.

Music?

Yea, I think K is bringing her laptop and we'll feed it through the plasma TV usually reserved for showing sport. No picture. Just the music through the speakers.

Part of me feels really guilty about this. The other part thinks, why should I knock myself out when noone else seems bothered? But we had such a good time at the NSW Nationals and I know how hard the committee worked and what a good show they put on; I would hate South Australia to end up looking like hicks because the committee were more interested in whether the course had two sausages and a triangle or 2 loops and a sausage than whether the sailors and their families had a great overall experience.

Fortunately, the other day I had a brainwave. The Bestie and her Beloved, The Amazing Mumford are involved with a really good band who do R&B in Blues Brothers style. I have heard them twice at a pub and on both occasions they filled the dance floor. I felt they were just what we needed to give a bit of life to an otherwise flat and starchy event. There were only two problems.
1) Were they available?
2) How much did they charge, as it was pretty evident the committee was not freely putting its hand in its pocket for any aspect of the event.

Well, the Lord is smiling because:
a) they ARE available at short notice
b) the National Association, with whom Himself has links has volunteered to foot the bill
and
c) they are only charging us half price (mate's rates) for the gig

I am soooooooo excited!

Now to organise tablecloths.

Let It Roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!