"Disorderly, drunk and obscene"

The weeks tick by...but perhaps there is some light at the end of the tunnel...let's hope it's not an approaching cliche. From next Saturday Leave Pass will be able to sit in John Scott Park with his coffee and paper without the threat of being moved on or arrested.

And as we continue to live in hope, it was very good to catch up at our second virtual on, on  and hear the news. The best of these was that Superhacker expects to be out of Rehab next Saturday! Woo-hoo! Other news is that Tatty and Squelch are expecting an addition to the family in November - congratulations to them! Lax has suffered a biking misadventure, but I think the bike is OK. And the rest of us appear to be keeping fit and healthy - so let's keep on injecting and ingesting those disinfectants, folks!

Once again we failed to get a full headcount of those on the screen, but the number would have been in the twenties. Topless looked in (but couldn't stay) so a few of the early arrivals had a chance to speak with her for the first time in a while. She said that everything is going well for her and her mum in Germany. Floater and Scratchit apologised for not making it in from the garden in time, and emailed this picture as evidence:

Many hashers had celebrated the dawn on ANZAC Day within their own confines. Trudi Fruti had treated the neighbours to "The Last Post" and "Reveille" played on her french horn:

A number had lit candles:

And Jamesbondage and Redbreast were among those for whom a much bigger conflagration was necessary - here's their bonfire:

We're still getting out and about. Shaggy and Cadbury on their hash walk at Wahminda Park "accidentally" came across Tatty, Squelch, and two and a half sprogs:

Thanks to all who came prepared to contribute a recitation to our virtual limerick fest - and congratulations to those who presented original compositions! It should be noted that (rather as Helen of Troy inspired many poets, from Homer to W.B.Yeats) Le W*nk inspired no less than three hash bards. There's something about him....

Here's a selection of the limericks we heard - or, more precisely, a selection of the limericks that were emailed after we heard them.

From Redbreast, a highly appropriate one for these times:

The limerick is furtive and mean
You must keep her in close quarantine
Or she sneaks to the slums
And promptly becomes
Disorderly, drunk and obscene.

And another with an unexpected twist:

There was an old man from the Isles
Who suffered quite badly from piles
Of little black ants
Devouring his plants
And clambering all over his tiles.

Superhacker recited one that she'd learnt at her father's knee:

Sir Lionel De Ponsonby, Bart
Went out disguised as a fart
He painted his face
Like a more private place
And his voice gave the duchess a start.

We also heard a number of well-known examples, including the "young man from Kent" and "the depths of the crypt at St. Giles". But Leave Pass, a self-described "cunning linguist" (try saying it out loud) distinguished himself by composing all the following originals:

There once was a Kiwi from Mitchie
Whose tool got exceedingly twitchy
So he tied it in a knot
Which didn't help a jot
And now its both itchy and twitchy.

There once was a lady from Mt Glorious
Who when riled could get rather furious
Some guy called her bluff
So she grabbed him by the scruff
And the result it was very injurious.

There once was a couple from Draper
Who ran out of toilet paper
They went to the store
But it had no more
So they ended up using a scraper.

There was a lady from St Lucia
In her garden she tried to grow fuschia
When they started to wither
She got into a dither
Packed up and moved up to Noosa.

There once was a hasher called Martin
Had a talent for musical farting
In front of the Press
He dropped a huge mess
Then said " No, please don't go. I'm just starting!"

As Vera Lynn sang, we'll meet again. Unlike her, we know where - on Zoom. And we know when - at 5:15 pm on Sunday 3rd of May. Till then - stay safe, keep running, keep walking, keep drinking!

On, on!

Covid-eo conferencing

Who'd have thought that our first virtual on, on would turn into a toilet paper hoarding competition? OK - so let's keep it going next time: who's got the most hand sanitizer, rice, flour...?

Overall, we counted some 27 of us who were able to overcome the technical and bandwidth issues to be seen and/or heard this last Sunday. It's not like meeting face-to-face...but then, face-to-face we would not have been able to hear from the horse's mouth about Superhacker's experiences during a month in hospital. Didn't she look and sound well? And here's a shot of the flowers we sent her (thanks to Miss Demeanour for organising these):

It was also good to see Malpractice and B-Flat, who are apparently going to be under virtual house-arrest for a year when they return to England. How are they going to get from Heathrow to Cambridge without being stopped by the police?

There have apparently been a lot of home renovations going on (congratulations to Upstanding, Idle Vice, Shaggy and Cadbury, who showed off their projects) while Floater and Scratchit have been putting the rest of us to shame with their gardening successes. Here's a montage she put together to illustrate a typical Arana Hills Sunday:

Floater's been using some of their garden output as models for drawing (it's cheaper than using nude humans):

She reports: "Afternoon walks in suburbia in general are surprisingly busy. People have to body swerve as the pavements are full of families, couples and dog owners out for some exercise. Night walks are generally quieter. We are...eating good food and downing drinks in the true HHH spirit...as well as walking."

Other hashers have also been out and about in their local areas. Here's Peggy going bush with Escargot at Mt. Nebo:

Budgie and Miss Behavin' experienced a Black Swan Event on their two-person, two-dog hash walk (they report that they have found a new route for us to take on when we're back together):

And Haughty's knee recovered sufficiently by Sunday for him to be able to keep up with a four year old at Cedar Creek:

Almost exactly ten years ago a bunch of us headed up to the Granite Belt for a Hash weekend away (hasn't time flown?) You can relive the memories (and/or check out the infamous table-dancing incident) here.

Keep those run reports and pictures coming! There'll be another virtual on, on this coming Sunday.

Stay safe, and

On, on!

The suspense drags on....

Our third weekend under suspension...and already it seems way too long! Samford hashers have been out and about and the weather is triffic for walking and running - but isn't the prospect of several more months of isolation just a wee bit daunting? Things keep changing, and according to the latest news, Le W*nk and Lax's excursion last week around the Enoggera Reservoir would now be impossible (https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/covid-19/) Still, there are lots of other places to explore in a safe and distanced way.

Fizza, Cashconverta and Payback took a stroll along the banks of the South Pine at Cash's Crossing:

Tarzan again!

Banger, Make an Offer and Co. returned to the shores of Lake Samsonvale and experienced another spectacular sunset over the water:

And Culture and Haughty (who'd injured his knee earlier in the week) enjoyed a sunset totter in their back yard:

We don't expect to see Shockjock, Miss Demeanour and Co. over Easter because they're normally away camping. This year the camping was in their backyard - but the toasted marshmallows probably tasted just as good there as elsewhere:

Canine companions have become pretty important in our one to few-person excursions. Here are some of them on trail:

And here is a savage beast with its kill:

News from Hardcore is that there's a new walker in her family:

And news from Superhacker is that she doesn't have Covid-19! It was suspected when she developed a fever in Rehab at the Mater - and she was suddenly surrounded by a team in full protective gear! Luckily, tests were negative and she's now once more enjoying a full-on regime of physio and gym-work.

Finally - from Payback and Cashconverta - here's an image of a visitor to their place that you'd want to keep a reasonable social distance from:

Please keep those images and run reports coming!

Stay safe, and

On, on!

Household hashing

Our second weekend of suspension saw Samford hashers out and about and scattered over the landscape.

In Rehab at the Mater, Superhacker and Malpractice sported Samford Hash shirts and smiles. Because of Covid-19 restrictions she gets only one visit by one visitor per day, and B-Flat and Malpractice are taking it in turns to be that visitor. Get well soon!

Rather further away were Mile High and Hugandkiss, hashing by the sea in NSW. Presumably (now that the border is closed) their only route back into Queensland is along the beach?

The household made up of Charcoal, Strine, B&W, Trudi Fruti and Co. tramped their home forest at Clear Mountain. They avoided the crowds who had gathered at our normal starting point at 5 pm on Sunday, and set out from Dodson Road instead.

Here's the household of Payback, Cash Converta and Fizza enjoying the mangroves and mosquitoes at Deep Water Bend:

Tarzan and a passing wild animal:

Budgie and Miss Behavin' tackled a Mt Coot-tha ascent:

"I have to go - where!?"

And Le W*nk, Lax and Prattle took an easy route (note the sign) around Enoggera Reservoir, jumping for joy and embracing when they reached the top of a massive hill.

Meanwhile in Samford, there was a (permitted) gathering of two people - keeping their distance:

And a solitary walker around the Royal Estates:

Le W*nk reminds us that it's time to move to a 4 pm start - so to synchronise our activities in these rather odd circumstances let's say that from next Sunday, 12th April - Easter Sunday - our official start time will be 4 pm. After Easter we'll experiment with some virtual circles from, say, 5:15.

Finally - Superhacker suggested that we might enjoy this item of bush poetry. It brings back memories of a long-ago run at Payback and Cash Converta's, at which a white plastic chair split in half, depositing Haughty onto the ground...to the delight of the crowd....

Please keep those run reports and pictures coming!

Stay safe, and

On, on!