Sunday 9th March 2008.
Today turned out to be very interesting. I have a koi club talk booked in South Wales for the 'South Wales Koi Club', I asked the organizer Lisa Hayward to give me a ring the week before to remind me, as at the time of booking I did not have a 2008 diary and did not want to forget. Well this week she phoned to remind me and asked if I would like to join them for a meal at the pub prior to the 2.00pm meeting. I declined the meal, as I thought I would struggle to get the farm work done in the morning and make lunch at a reasonable time.
So this morning I did the normal chores and set off for home just before midday. I jumped in the shower and then quickly connected up the projector to make sure everything was working OK. Lisa was going to send me directions to the pub, but no email arrived, so while I was checking everything was working, Lynn got on her laptop and sorted directions for me from the net. I set off at just before 1.00pm, traffic was not a problem so I arrived a little early at 1.50pm leaving enough time for a quick smoke.
I grabbed the laptop and projector, walked into the pub heading straight for the bar where the landlord asked if he could help, I asked where the koi club meeting was and he pointed toward the stairs, saying upstairs. So up the stairs I went and into the function room, coffee was laid out and at the end of the room was a projector screen, so that saved me another journey to the car. I set up everything, I was surprised but happy to be set up before anyone had arrived, I checked the time and it was 10 past. At this point I started scratching my head and feeling a little concerned, so went down stairs to check with the bar staff that I had the correct day. A very helpful girl said yes it was the right day, but would check the diary to make sure. She came back with the diary and said yes the koi club was booked in today and flipped the page and said "oh and next week as well, but they often do that, they seem to have lots of meetings".
So just a little concerned, I walked back up the stairs and waited, it was now 2.30pm! After a few minutes the first club member turned up, looking a little strange at me. I said "I am Maurice from Koi UK here to give a club presentation". His reply was "oh I didn't know there was anything special on", I said "I thought the meeting started at 2.00pm", he said "no 3".
At this stage I thought it was time for a little detective work as things didn't seem to add up. I said Lisa Hayward phoned me to confirm I was Ok for the weekend and asked in a 'checking' voice "Lisa is in the club, yes?" he confirmed with "yes, but she is also a member of the South Wales Koi Club that meets here next weekend".
************ BELLS RINGING, PANIC STATIONS!!!!!!!!********************
I was at the meeting of the 'Celtic Koi Club' and should not have been here until next Sunday!
The Celtic Koi Club is a break away of the South Wales Koi Club and still meet at the same venue and hence the multiple bookings in the diary downstairs. After a couple of minutes Lisa and Ray Hayward walked in and the penny dropped, that was why I'd had no directions sent though, she was planning on sending them next week! More of the members arrived and I was asked if I would go ahead with my talk and I replied that I was happy to.
At half time I went down stairs with 'Welsh Bob' Evans for a smoke and on return I was presented with a cheque to cover my costs. This was totally unexpected and due to the circumstances was more than happy to chat away for free.
Things seemed to go down really well and I filled the whole 3 hour club meeting with a huge amount of questions and had to finally finish as time had run out.
Several of the club members are coming along next weekend, as they enjoyed things so much!!
Thanks very much Celtic Koi Club for an enjoyable afternoon.