The 2023 Annual RAN SH Sydney Rocks Xmas Pub Crawl Smokey...

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Fri Aug 11, 2023 11:34 pm

................................... :director:

IMPORTANT (END OF AN ERA) ANNOUNCEMENT :evil3:

.......... Announcing The 2023 Annual RAN Skilled Hands Sydney Rocks Xmas Pub Crawl Smokey GRAND FINAL BASH :blues:

Friends, it had to happen eventually, and as its now TWENTY YEARS since our very first Annual RAN Skilled Hands Sydney Rocks Xmas Pub Crawl Smoky (held on the 10th January, 2004, just over
a month after launching our RAN Skilled Hands Forum Website,) and despite any delusions to the contrary, none of us are ’19 and bullet-proof’ anymore, so reluctantly, I feel it is indeed time to call the...
..................................................................................... :pirate:

‘END OF AN ERA’ :pirate:

For the past twenty years, :omg1:

(amazing, considering my entire Naval career was only 12 years,) :roll:

I have willingly and religiously accepted the (sometimes) onerous task of rounding up starters (a.k.a.
the annual herding of the cats,), injecting enthusiasm :woohoo:

and motivation, :yess:

for our annual get-together, which I consider, in all modesty, was no mean feat… :figjam:

This time around it would be special, in that we’d all be raising our glasses :tchin:

to our absent compatriot, fellow MOBI and veteran of our Sydney Rocks gatherings since 2011, CMDR Dave Maxwell,
who left us just over a month ago on the 23rd of June. R.I.P. Dave... [-o<

In doing an initial ring around :mobile:

to determine availability of a few of our regulars :3some:

for the usual designated 1st Saturday in November, I first discovered that Col Kelson had a family wedding for that
weekend, :shit:

then learned Charlie Staples had a prior commitment for a two-week holiday trip :car:

to Melbourne, :bugger:

forcing me to start thinking outside the square… :-k

It eventually dawned on me that as none of our potential starters are still working, EVERY weekday is effectively a weekend, and thus, by tweaking the day, moving it from Saturday 4th to Tuesday 7th of
November, both Charlie and Col would be available… I then conferred with ‘Chippy Ned’ and Ellen, who in turn conferred with Steve Shepherd and Polly, (who were all happy to change,) finally ringing
Tafmo and Rhonda (in Adelaide) and Pony (in Melbourne) to test the waters. Pony was the only one with an issue, after having planning to be in Sydney for the Saturday 4th (for this one, having missed
a few previous runs,) en-route to his long-established family gathering in a Port Macquarie, meaning sadly, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to join us after all… :bugger:

So, here’s the final update Folks, with various physical ailments creeping up on many of us, we’ve decided that rather than having to endure an arduous Pub Crawl around 15-odd pubs in the Rocks in future,
we propose to downsize to an :tchin:

extended, relaxed, lengthy lunch, maybe 2, 3 or 4 hours in duration, :drink 42:

at a venue of your choosing, :wine:

1st Saturday in November :ouzo:

as
per usual, but having the benefit that many of us used to regional travelling could avoid two or three night’s accommodation, simply commuting to town for the event. Happy to massage these ideas when we
all meet on TUESDAY 7TH NOVEMBER at 9:30 AM at ‘City Extra’ at Circular Quay as usual to kick off our GRAND FINAL Annual RAN Skilled Hands Sydney Rocks Xmas Pub Crawl Smoky…

................................................................ :evil3:

To that end, here’s the preliminary ATTENDEE LIST so far… (Please confirm ASAP...)

............................................................................................... :happy:

Rick 'Hippy Chippy' Pengilly CONFIRMED
............................................................................................... :happy:

Brian 'Stroppy Chippie' Mackenzie CONFIRMED
............................................................................................... :happy:

Verna 'Toots' Mackenzie CONFIRMED
............................................................................................... :happy:

Brian 'CharlieS' Staples CONFIRMED
............................................................................................... :happy:

Col 'Pussasan' Kelson
............................................................................................... :happy:

John 'Chippy Ned' Kelly CONFIRMED
............................................................................................... :happy:

Ellen 'Mrs Ned' Kelly CONFIRMED
............................................................................................... :happy:

Steve 'Shep' Shepherd CONFIRMED
............................................................................................... :happy:

Polly 'Mrs Shep' Shepherd CONFIRMED
............................................................................................... :happy:

Bob 'Tafmo' King TBC
............................................................................................... :happy:

Rhonda 'Mrs Tafmo' King TBC
............................................................................................... :happy:

Dave 'Rabbit' Warren

............................................................................................................. MAYBEES: :bee:

............................................................................................... :-k

Mark 'Mobes' Mobley TBA
............................................................................................... :-k

Mike 'Pony' Moore (Long shot, unlikely)
............................................................................................... :-k

Gordon 'Gordo' Robertson
............................................................................................... :-k

Sandy 'Mrs Gordo' Robertson
............................................................................................... :-k

Howard 'Hendo' Henderson
............................................................................................... :-k

Henry 'Schoobs' Schubert
............................................................................................... :-k

Graeme 'Smiley' Rhodes(?) Definite Possible Maybe :finga:

.................................................................................. :hi:

P.S. If I've missed anybody, please let me know so I can add you to the list/s :evil3:

Stroppy Chippie · **Posted:** Sat Aug 12, 2023 1:10 am

TUESDAY 7TH NOVEMBER at 9:30 AM at ‘City Extra’ at Circular Quay it is. Stroppy and Toots are available and will be there.

Chippy Ned · **Posted:** Sat Aug 12, 2023 7:27 am

The Kelly's and Shepherd's are goers. :ok:

Graeme Rhodes · **Posted:** Sat Aug 12, 2023 11:18 am

Unlikely for me but still time, anything possible.

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Sat Aug 12, 2023 6:54 pm

Thanks Guys, :prayer:

much obliged, :notworthy:

and if you scroll back up 4 posts :laughing3:

you'll see the Attendees Lists :evil3:

have been updated accordingly... :yess:

mobes · **Posted:** Sun Aug 13, 2023 10:13 am

Unlikely for the Tuesday event but a definite starter for the Saturday. Might be able to get Bill Bowley onboard as well. I’m having lunch with him on Friday after the Long Tan commemoration in Martin Place.

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Sun Aug 13, 2023 11:25 am

I thought you'd retired, Mark...? :dontknow:

CharlieS · **Posted:** Mon Aug 14, 2023 1:03 pm

I'm in Rick, should be a good day as it's also Melbourne Cup day...... :turtle:

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Mon Aug 14, 2023 4:21 pm

Thanks Charlie, you're now CONFIRMED, :laughing3:

Mark has been moved to the MAYBEES List, :evil3:

as a TBC...
:-k

Hmmmmm... :-k

Melbourne Cup :horse:

could add a new dimension to The Rocks on the day, I'd better lock in our bookings...! :phone:

Stroppy Chippie · **Posted:** Mon Aug 14, 2023 4:40 pm

Noting the date maybe an abbreviated list of pubs to attend (just thinking of those more senior :stirthepot:

)?

More importantly, noting those who have moved on since the Rocks Run started and with Dave Maxwells request to lift a glass in his absence, might I suggest that those around the country that have attended (but not attending) consider lifting a glass at the same time as it occurs on the Run, in memory of all those before?

The 2023 Annual RAN SH Sydney Rocks Xmas Pub Crawl Smokey...

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