Having missed the inaugural Ulysses Canberra Branch Dinner held in August, I thought I would write the inaugural Dinner Report to cover the September event.
For me it was at the end of my first week back at work after two weeks leave spent in Tasmania. Only fools go back to a full week’s work after leave (the clever ones return midweek) and I am sadly one of those fools. So feeling completely shattered after five consecutive days at work, going out for dinner on Friday night with friends was a God send.
After collecting Gary Mac on our way in, purely to take advantage of his navigational skills (we country mice don’t get to the big smoke too often), we found a space for the car outside the Courts. Gasp!! – you mean I have to pay to park after hours!?!? We inhabitants of Canberra’s eastern suburbs (Queanbeyan and Bungendore) abhor this extra tax – after all we don’t charge you for parking across the border. After completely emptying my purse of all its shrapnel we found that we could dine out, fine-free, till 8.30pm. Gary assured us that by that time all parking inspectors would be safely tucked up in bed.
We trekked to the Hellenic Club where we met up with Maritta and Jeff, Alex, Chris D, Neil and Tony. A small intimate gathering – I realise September is the “jetting overseas” month so perhaps this, combined with Floriade’s Nightfest, accounted for the reduced numbers. Anyway, when it’s a small group you get to talk to everyone. The food was as you would expect from the Club – lots of lovely steak, fish and schnitzels all served with masses of healthy rabbit food and not so healthy chips washed down with the alcoholic beverage of your choice. We talked and talked, solving the problems of the world till I realised that 8.30 was fast approaching and the car might be, at this very moment, being stalked by insomniac parking inspectors.
So we said our goodbyes and took off for the car. Despite Gary’s assurances on the nocturnal habits of parking inspectors, I did see one lurking about in the darkness, and he had in fact already booked the car behind us. What a lovely ending to a Friday night’s entertainment waiting for someone.
Dinner at the Hellenic was a wonderful way to end my first week back at work – spent with friends enjoying good food and chat. May I suggest the Bungendore Bowling Club Chinese Restaurant for a future club branch dinner – not only is the parking free, plentiful and close to the premises, if you live in the western suburbs you get to enjoy a drive through the kangaroo wildlife park on your way home.
Many thanks to Maritta for arranging this evening – it was great fun and I look forward to many more.
Tracey
