Keefy's coming!
 

He's in the air now, will be stopping off at L.A. to chat with someone or another on business, then head up to Toronto on Tuesday. He'll be with Brian Gough Tuesday night and Wednesday, then here in London until early Saturday morning. After that it's off to London ENGLAND, and I hope a round of meetings with some of you lads!

There will be an open house here Thursday evening for anyone in the region who wishes to attend (BYOB though, I can hardly afford my OWN habit!). You have to email me first, though, for directions. Jon, I know you're here, and Stew and Pinky, I'll talk to you guys this weekend.

We'll make sure Keefy posts from here while he's here, no doubt with some bloody awful pictures he will have doctored.

:D :p

Keefys coming
 

...is his wife aware of this?

;)

Jif...e-mail me the route you used to get to your place when you last left here.

Do I bring air mattress and sleeping bag, or do I rack out with Pinky...who, BTW, is now known as Dickhead!?

Working Until Thursday
 

Gents,

I am down at The Proving Grounds and return Thursday evening.

I will see you then.


Stewart

Do you think that Keith would autograph my copy of YOTB?

Deporting convict Keith.
 

We got rid of Keith at last, after a random bag serch at the airport he was finally allowed to leave.
Now he is away Belinda is happy to sell any CMP parts at scrap prices.
The same warning as last time Keith left our shores to visited Geoff & gang, lock up the workshops as he has puchased a new bigger suit case to bring back souvenirs.
Euan.:)

Eltham, Victoria
 

I've searched in an atlas for Eltham, Victoria...no luck. The only Eltham I came up with is in NZ.

Is Eltham, Vic a fairly new development?

Suburb of Melbourne
 

Look at the Mapquest selection for Eltham.

Jon, will call or email with directions tomorrow.

Souvenirs
 

And he had better be wearing the caps I sent him.
Bob

Re: Deporting convict Keith.
 

Hey!
I'm reading this in LA... watch it!
Two can play this game... Oh, Katrina.....!
How about a garage sale?

dang it
 

MEN!

Have fun ....

Keith ... I wish a great visit on you. Tke lots of pictures ok!!!!
Will write soon ... promise ;)

Yappy

Re: Deporting convict Keith.
 

We'll just take the crate off the truck and we'll be down Euan, we're selling cattle today so we'll be cashed up ready for the bargains. Don't tell Kathy we're coming . If anyone can't find where Eltham is we've been there, so call us for instructions.


Max

PS when's the next car race meeting up this way?

Re: Re: Deporting convict Keith.
 

Ah hey Keith,... Ok you win.
Please dont talk about the war.
At this time the plans for Corowa are out the window as our daughter is turning 5 on the sunday & i have been told that I will be at home for a party. The angle I will try is if I go to Corowa I can take a truck load of parts to sell, this plan may give me a day pass.
Euan.

Re: Keefy's coming!
 

London ENGLAND ? Is there another then? :confused:

Here's my cell: 07939 136149 its an EXPENSIVE call in the UK but given a number I can call back.

At this time of year though, few if any would take their coveted CMPs out on the wet and often salty roads I think, Ballard especially.

He has the autumnal (fall) fight with the leaves that blow into the garage and a plank that is placed across the door as a defence, a source of much ribald mickey-taking by young RB and myself.

However, after Rory and I had gone headlong into the establishment several times, young Ballard threatened to render it into firewood on the table saw at the next application. We have not seen it since.

After the last grumbling sweep-up I did, in Ballard's absence, collect a few well dried leaves and place them strategically on the window sills, drill press, lathe, bench and vice, two nicely red and yellow maple leaves were found and carefully placed one on the dash of the DTB F15 and another was artistically stood proudly in the drivers door hinge.

This innocent wheeze flew like a lead balloon and did nothing for the demeanor, a sense of humour failure seemed to prevail.

It never rains but it pours, Ballard's lathe motor has failed, an item of WWII vintage on the old but excellent South Bend tool. After repair and test it still doesn't work on the original wiring and reversing switch, just another little job for the _electrical_ engineer. . . . . . . . . . . .

R.

I'm HERE!
 

At last, back in the Mecca of CMPs!
Brian Gough kindly drove me all over Toronto to visit some fascinating places and to make some new friends, along with seeing some fabulous stuff.
I'm ensconced in the Spinnington-Innington in London and very happy to be here.
Don't worry, people, I'll be taking LOTS of pictures.:)

ya made it Keefy
 

Hope you managed to pack heaps of vegemite in your bag before you left home as I imagine the demand over there will be high.Just imagine it is 38 c over here and we have just sent the young Canadian off to Ice Hockey training in Canberra a new thing for him (the temperature I mean). All's well Max has just arrived home from somewhere in Victoria, looks to be lots of not so good things on the back, hope he hasn't been down to Eltham.

How's the snow and is the beer cold enough? Remeber to behave and only bring home things the family can appreciate. Hope there is plenty of maple syrup flowing everywhere.


Kathy

Well, Keefy even survived his first night here! Up and drinking tea, chatting with the Empress while I get my morning ciggie fix in the garage. Later on we'll be out and about picking up a few things, and looking forward to seeing Skag, Mark, Pinky and Stewbud later this aft!

Max, saw the video of your carrier... you look like you're having the time of your life! Beautiful property as well! :D

Goddam it's early...
 

Up at 0300 LOCAL this morn... Skag, Keefy, the Empress and I are preparing to launch Keefy on the next leg of his round-the-world tour! The Empress will drive him to Toronto to board a morning flight to London England. It's been a hell of a two-day visit! Details later, last-minute socializing now while Keefy munches his oatmeal-and-raisin brecky and we all suck down some tea.

Christ, this is EARLY! Or late, not quite sure yet.

It's been a short, but highly enjoyable time. We are one big family, and this is the part of the job I love!

In Blighty
 

Well, here I am in Pulborough, West Sussex, due South of London looking out on a slightly misty but beautiful morning. A little later on we plan to hop into the Harvard to fly over Thorney Island to see the old airfield from where my Uncle Keith flew his last mission in May 1943 in a Hampden. He was shot down attacking German shipping off the Dutch coast.
Before I go, I'd like to express my sincere thanks for all who made my brief trip to Canada so enjoyable, from the excellent organisational skills to the warm hospitality, you people are absolutely wonderful.
Whilst I didn't get to drive a CMP (this only means I'll have to come back again) I did experience something not many modern Canadians can say they've done: a ride in a Carrier in the snow, which was bloody fantastic! Thanks to Stuart Loy for that.
Well, Jif, Empress, Skag, various Brians Bruce and others, THANKS:D
In the UK my cellphone should work 0438 132748, or else PM me - I'd still like to try to do a trip to Oxford if I can, or perhaps I can meet someone in Duxford.

Re: In Blighty
 

It was great having you, Keith...although, not in the Biblical sense. :)

Try Duxford if you can - even the Empress was not bored at Duxford! :D

Julia

Calling Keith
 

Keith

Tried your cell phone it's not working, what's your itinerary? Is Hanno still coming over? Love to see you can't do 16th won't know about the rest of the week until I see what's been put in my diary tomorrow morning. So let me know what you're doing and we'll see if we can make it match up

Regards

Pete

Blighty
 

Sorry about the number, Pete...
Can you please PM me your number and I'll call from here to see what can be sorted.
At the risk of alienating myself (again) I went flying in a Harvard 4 from Lee on Solent this afternoon flying over Thorney Island where my Uncle flew Hampdens with 415 Squadron RCAF before being shot down and killed off the Dutch Coast on the night of the Dambusters raid. We actually did an approach to the now disused runway. An emotinal experience for me.
Following this I had a fly then we did some aerobatics over the Isle of Wight - some afternoon!
And Empress... LMAO at your comments - it was great to see you'nJiff again.:)
BTW, there is a s*%t eating grin pic coming up as soon as I can get online on my own confuser.

Keith

Re: In Blighty
 

Hi Keith,
Welcome to England.......Did you get the flight in the Harvard? Not a bad day for it.

This country is the mecca for MV enthusiasts, you will never fit it all in..............;)

Richard

By the way, you are missing a heatwave at home, had a call from a guy in NSW and it was 39 degs in the evening!

Re: Blighty
 

Surprised me and Ballard never spotted it, almost overhead for us:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...submit=Get+Map

Quite safe though, he has the Polsten itself in bits; bit of an official entanglement with the Birmingham Proof House. Much Luddite angle grinding, drilling and pin-welding needed of the beautifully made parts to fully satisfy the rules defining the essential official vandalism.

This brutal mechanical butchery is totally alien to the normal run of things.

R.

Upside down again
 

Back in Oz after a marathon 22 hour trip... I was without internet access for most of the time in the UK and also was unable to visit Oxford.
I was fortunate enough to meet David Hayward briefly at Lee-On-Solent to swap books (I delivered one for Max, and David gave me one to return..) Sorry the tiime was so limited David, but when you're on someone else's itinerary that happens sometimes. I took a couple of pics of David so I'll post one in due course.
Managed to spend a day at Duxford looking at both the Fighter Collection and the IWM collection including the fabulous Land Warfare gallery although the CMP isn't there at the moment. Lots of toys though.
Also flew from Lee to Yeovilton in the Harvard, stopping along the way to loop around some fluffy clouds... as you do...
Now to deal with the Jetlag.