Bang or whimper?

This Sunday's Potluck run ended the Hash year on a fittingly quiet and peaceful note. Individuals have had some significant events to deal with in 2025 (e.g. Miss Demeanour's Vietnam adventure), but as a group we haven't had any major problems (if you except the floods that led to the cancellation of one run), nor any really huge Hash events (if you except the Japan trip a number of us went on). We have enjoyed many interesting and funny and tasty times, and it was great to see - for example - so many Samford hashers at the Red Dress Run this year. Thanks to all for their contributions - and special thanks to:

- Upstanding and Idle Vice, who have taken on looking after the crockery and cutlery in addition to their role as Beermeisters. Upstanding also became one of the blog authors this year!
- Our Grandmaster Payback, who looks after the wine supplies, takes care of the wine glasses, and manages our email correspondence. This year he has also had to act as a blog author - many, many times!
- All those who have served as hares this year. Some have done so on numerous occasions, and we are really appreciative of the trails you have set and the gourmet meals you've provided (note to all: gourmet meals are not essential - snags and salads are fine);
- Le W*nk and Lax for hosting the Christmas party, Strine for organising the Japan trip, our photographers (Snappy, Cash Converta, Saucy Sous, Redbreast, and others), and everyone else who has gone above and beyond in various ways. You know who you are.

As usual at this time of the year, we look back over the archives and pick out some memorable memories:

• Dayboro beer mile
• February rain - a wet one
• More rain, floods, and for once a cancelled hash
• St Patrick's Day
• A city route (and, incidentally, some parking fines)
• A Boodall wetlands trail with snaky toilets
• ANZAC Day
• A chicken run
• Vale George
• Ironbark Gully in the rain
• Bastille Day 2025
• Cedar Creek crossing
• Jolly's Lookout views
• Strine's big birthday
• Red Dress Run 2025
• Hash Christmas party

This Sunday we were joined by visiting hasher Prostitute from Cairns for a traditional runners' circuit along the creek. The walkers completed a traditional Samford circuit before we all gathered back at John Scott Park for the sort of lavish banquet that Potluck usually provides. Thanks to everyone for the food, and to Budgie, Miss Behavin', Payback and Cash Converta for looking after the drinks, cutlery and crockery.

Here are a few pics, courtesy of Skippy and Culture:

 

Visitor and birthday girl:

Down, downs:

 

 

Some new shoes that somehow escaped notice:

 

 

 

And, finally, Redbreast's formal portrait of Grandmaster Payback at the Christmas party:

  

Next week Le W*nk and Lax are inviting us to enjoy some snags near a sewerage pump station. What a good way to start the New Year!

Next run/walk details
When: Sunday 4th January, 5 pm
Where: John Leitch Memorial Park, Leitch's Road South, Albany Creek. A map!
Hares: Lax and Le W*nk

We suggest you bring chairs.

On, on!

'Twas the meet before Christmas...

and a darned hot one too! Frosty the snowman would have been a puddle, and we humans were close to melting ourselves. It's a time of year when family gatherings and street parties and trips to Byron Bay always take their toll, so our numbers were limited. But we did have a good representation of young ones for once!

A breeze sprang up, which was nice; the Warner lake was as scenic as ever, and the turtles as eager to be fed. Here are some of Saucy Sous and Skippy's images from the walk and after:

 

 

 

 

A week to the day from the Bondi shootings, we observed a solemn minute during the circle. And we'll certainly remember Le W*nk's moving little speech on the occasion. He made a heartfelt plea that all of us, no matter our backgrounds and nationalities and beliefs and politics and faiths, might come together in recognition of our common humanity and live in peace. Hear, hear to what he said. What better message could we have at Christmas?

 

Next run/walk details
When: Sunday 28th December (the last run of the year)
Where: John Scott Park, Samford Village
Hares: M. Promptu will set the trail; Potluck will cater (please bring something to share)

We wish everyone a safe, peaceful and joyous Christmas.

On, on!

Indian summer

The predicted storm didn't arrive - which was good - but, gosh, it was a hot afternoon in Ferny Hills. And climbing those hills along a trail that wound through suburban streets and some hidden walkways only made us hotter. So it was very pleasant to arrive back at the Indian Aroma restaurant and enjoy a bit of a breeze in the shade:

The archives show that it was almost exactly seven years ago (December 9th, 2018) when we last finished up at this restaurant after a run and walk through the area. The location and name have changed, but the family owners and the excellent curries haven't. Plus they're now licensed to serve Indian beer and Old Monk Rum (those of us who bought carpets in India while under its influence will remember this particular beverage!) Culture had originally booked for fifteen of us, but the numbers kept rising and in the end we had twenty-six appreciative diners around the long table. And that's despite missing those who'd decided to go to the ACDC concert instead....

  Here are some more of Snappy's pictures from the event.

 The gathering:

Runners walking in the heat:

 

 A local:

 

 The taste of India:

 

Let's hope for a cool change for our last run before Christmas!

Next run/walk details
When: Sunday 21st December, 5 pm
Where: Dragonfly Park, Pallas Parade, Warner. A map!
Hare: Floater

Please bring chairs.

On, on!

 

 

Sillier and sillier

We're on the usual trajectory for the silly season as the end of the year looms, getting sillier and sillier. And why not? We enjoyed a wonderfully silly Christmas party at Lax and Le W*nk's on Saturday, with hashers interpreting the "Over the top" theme in some highly eccentric ways:

We really have to thank our hosts putting up with us, for organising some great games, and for providing the immensely popular karaoke machine! And we really have to thank the neighbours for not coming round and thumping us for disturbing their peace....Thanks also to everyone for providing the tucker, to the Beermeisters and winos for the drinks, and Payback and Cash Converta for organising the prizes.

It's hard to know who came out on top in the costume stakes, but Banger would certainly have been a top contender. And Racey and Kotone were probably the most extremely exotic in their looks.

Here are a few shots of the throng, from various cameras:

Fun and games:

 Food, glorious food:

 Whoops!

A disreputable Santa, and a strong chair:

 Karaoke! Very wise of Shockjock to have brought his earmuffs! 

 

 

Many of us followed up on Sunday with the usual recovery run featuring leftovers:
 

 

Next run/walk details
When: Sunday 14th December, 5 pm
Where: Indian Aroma Restaurant, Ferny Way, Ferny Hills. A map!
Hares: Haughty and Culture will set the trail; Indian Aroma will cater. Drinks from the bar.

On, on!