London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

[RuiFromUK]

Did anyone book a table for this Saturday? I ask, because according to their booking app on their website there are no tables available to book at lunchtime, and I have no idea how successful we will be in the walk in section.

Sometimes their app misbehaves depending on the browser. It does not run properly on IE but it is fine with Firefox.

[Cob]

Rui,

You are a paragon of efficiency; my compliments and thanks!

Cob

[RuiFromUK]

Rui,

You are a paragon of efficiency; my compliments and thanks!

Cob

I just could not deprive myself from seeing my fellow fp Geeks one more time this year and give them my token Xmas presents.

[oldstoat]

Thanks for booking it Rui- I'll be there!

[Annie]

Well done Rui. See you there. I hope your wife will be joining us. It's good to have more girl power...

[RuiFromUK]

Well done Rui. See you there. I hope your wife will be joining us. It's good to have more girl power...

Unfortunately at the moment we are not sure if she will be there as Saturday is her brother's birthday and if he is not working she would like to spend the day with him.

[DavidDecorator]

I/we will be taking our liitle girl to see Father Christmas on Saturday. This means that I'll see you all in the new year at some point.

[Cob]

Lovely to see Murfie, Migo, Rui and his wife, Annie, View from the Loft and Old Stoat yesterday. A good time had by all I am sure and some very nice pens to be tried (I LOVE that Onoto View...) and some good swaps and deals too.

Best regards to all

Cob

[View from the Loft]

I enjoyed yesterday, and yes, some good swaps were made.

And trust me Cob, that Onoto (and its stablemate) are in good hands. One or other is always inked, with the CS100 almost always inked as well. The ruby one got a good work out last night as I caught up with some overdue admin.

[Murfie]

Lovely to see Murfie, Migo, Rui and his wife, Annie, View from the Loft and Old Stoat yesterday. A good time had by all I am sure and some very nice pens to be tried

The monthly get-together was most enjoyable - as always. For a change I didn't buy anything but managed a couple of nice swaps. Xmas cards and gifts were exchanged and some good banter was experienced. I'm going to miss these meetings when I get ejected from the UK and have to return to The Colonies.

[Annie]

Lovely to see Murfie, Migo, Rui and his wife, Annie, View from the Loft and Old Stoat yesterday. A good time had by all I am sure and some very nice pens to be tried

The monthly get-together was most enjoyable - as always. For a change I didn't buy anything but managed a couple of nice swaps. Xmas cards and gifts were exchanged and some good banter was experienced. I'm going to miss these meetings when I get ejected from the UK and have to return to The Colonies.

Is there not some way we can keep you? A petition? Chaining us all to the gates of No 10? Having a whip round for a bribe? Bra burning at the Home Office? Oh heck, I don't know. Maybe we should just adopt you.

[Murfie]

Is there not some way we can keep you? A petition? Chaining us all to the gates of No 10? Having a whip round for a bribe? Bra burning at the Home Office? Oh heck, I don't know. Maybe we should just adopt you.

Crikey, I'm all embarrassed. I think once you get passed 60 you are not eligible for adoption so that rules that out. It's all rather ironic given my great, great grandfather was born not very far from where I am staying. The monthly meetings have been really great and I've made very pleasant friendships as a consequence. Fortunately, Migo and I will be able to attend the January and February meetings before he head off to Oz for our stint there, after which the UK authorities might let me back in for another short stay when we can resume meeting attendance.

Thank you for the very kind sentiments expressed, Annie.

[Cob]

I am sure that I am covering old ground, but a letter to one's MP might just do some good, if a half-decent case can be made.

And keeping it "light," letter-writing is what we do isn't it - that is when we are not cleaning or re-saccing pens?

Best regards

Cob

[Murfie]

... a letter to one's MP might just do some good, if a half-decent case can be made.

Neither the UK nor Australia take kindly to immigration requests that don't fit into the wanted occupation/situation categories - which neither of us do. So you might be better to save the ink, Cob. But thank you for the thought.

[Chrissy]

There is one obvious way surely?

[Cob]

... a letter to one's MP might just do some good, if a half-decent case can be made.

Neither the UK nor Australia take kindly to immigration requests that don't fit into the wanted occupation/situation categories - which neither of us do. So you might be better to save the ink, Cob. But thank you for the thought.

Well at least you could point out that you would not be a charge on the State, which I would have thought is a distinct advantage when compared with the general run of things!

Rgds

Cob

[Annie]

But you have a 'wanted' occupation... You are half way to being a nib fettler. Google how many of us there are in the UK and you come up with 'they're as rare as rocking horse shit.' That's a small number and we need more. You are currently serving your apprenticeship under my instruction. I can certify you at the next meet (gawd knows I was certified ages ago...) and you can hand the guy a pen to sign your 'indefinite leave to remain' paperwork and we can all go down the pub and drink a pint of Diamine to celebrate.

Okay, I can't adopt you as at least one of my children (aged 24) is of the opinion that I am a totally crap parent but I am quite prepared to pose as your aged granny who is in need of a 'carer' on account of I have no idea who the prime minister is (don't care anyway) and keep showing my knickers (assuming I remembered to put some on) to people on the bus.

All other ideas considered...

[Annie]

Don't keep calling him Surely...

Okay...here goes nothing. Yo Murfie, I am old, single and broke. Most of what I have has headed south and I fart in bed and hog the duvet. Fancy getting hitched? You can use all of the above for the divorce hearing and once you have the decree nisi we can all go down the pub and drink a pint of Diamine... wait, I said that already. I still don't care who the prime minister is, so long as it isn't that UKIP bloke.

[oldstoat]

Nurse, I think she needs her medication....

[Annie]

Nurse, I think she needs her medication....

Great! Let's all go down the pub and... Oh okay, just hook up the drip and I'll go quietly.