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ARBORFIELD - Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd July 2006 inclusive.

 

 The following report & photographs contributed by Trevor STUBBERFIELD (52A)

 

Sunday.

 

It's time to go.

 

Sunday morning and it was time to get ready to leave for home.  Being up early I went round and kicked on a few doors on my way to the ablutions.  Curses, foiled again.  The lads were up and about already.  I stripped the bed and made a bed block, well almost, alright the bits and pieces were just folded up.  Neatly.  A last look round the room with a thought about what next year would bring, and then it was load the car and drive to the mess for the second and last Arborfield Breakfast of the year.

 

Get thee behind me Satan, and he did. Trouble was he pushed me slowly along the hotplate pointing out all the tasty morsels laid out.  It was to be the full monte and I felt no guilt.  Somebody had to make the sacrifice and taste everything to make sure it was up to spec for the lads.

This really was the last opportunity to catch up on news we might have missed, and to say goodbye to friends.  Keys and badges handed in, it was into the car and away.  Passing the kennels I waved two fingers at Reuben, just to show him he missed two when I tried to stroke him.

 

Winnersh first stop to pick up My Manager who, it would seem, had had a wingding of a weekend.  That means I will have permission to attend next year's do.  No need of SatNav, it was a straight forward gentle dash along the motorway system back to Luton.

 

We had time for a comfort stop at home with char and wad supplied, and then headed for Luton airport from whence the lads would be wafted back to Edinburgh.  The lads boarded on time and then the Easyjet factor kicked in.  After push-back the ground crew couldn't disconnect the tug bar from the aircraft, something had broken.  They were cooped up on board for an hour whilst a very large hammer was put to use, damage inspection carried out and incident report filled in before the plane could take off.  Once airborne a drink of something would have gone down well.  Easyjet scored another one.  The refreshment trolley hadn't been loaded on board so no drink, no snack.  It was a great relief to get a phone call to let us know that they were home and dry, albeit a bit later than expected.

 

That, in a large nutshell, was the Arborfield Reunion Weekend 2006 as seen through just one Old Boy's eyes.

 

With all the memories exchanged throughout the Reunion days, I am reminded of a saying by an old friend, a multi faceted lady, Polly Gone, who sadly passed away some years back.  She told me that

 

"Age plays a leading role on the great stage of life when your memories outweigh your dreams." 

 

 Perhaps I've reached that stage.  

 

Published August 2006.

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                                                                                                Additional Photos