The Invitation

Hello bloggers…thought I would share a bizarre evening spent at Fremantle with my family (Jackie , James and Stephen)….brother in law and assorted others….

Well, the day started like any other….sun…..cricket…pool….and then…!!! A text message from Seamus..( brother in law) inviting us to;

1) View the newly named Steve Irwin boat, with a promise of an on board tour….and a possible meeting with Bindy and her mum etc….
and
2) Attend a book awards presentation.. Honouring the West Australian Maritime museum….mmmm… not our usual idea of fun but the promise of free food and drink swung it…

Mrs Steve Irwin wonders...where are Jackie and Stewart.....?

Well, the Steve Irwin was a fine looking vessel, however NO tours were happening and Bindy Irwin was not even in Perth….Ok, not a great start, but surely the awards ceremony would be a swanky affair packed with Australia’s finest……???..well….....

......No it wasn’t. Seamus met us and we were led into Perth’s oldest building..... which was full…(Well...err... 15 people) of Perth’s oldest professors…Seamus (59) was the young thrusting future of Perth academic research...a sort of Harry Potter amongst the old Wizards...…I (45) was like Pike from Dad’s Army…Jackie and the Kids were looked at like they were exhibits in a museum…

Now, I hear you ask…'what was the food and drink like’??…Well, two bottles of wine and a carton of orange were never going to satisfy the collective thirst…especially that, given the professors ages, most had to swallow medication with some sort of drink at regular intervals...I swear I am not making this up. Also Seamus tends to view wine as ‘gods gift’ ..just for him…
Seamus, incidentally was sweating more than any human I have seen. His sweat had sweat on it at one point and his shirt resembled a used flannel….

And so to the ceremony…Well the winner didn’t bother to show up…and neither did two of the judges!!….I stood next to a guy who looked exactly like Uncle Albert…complete with little sailors cap…really..... I really am not making this up…Jackie was, for some reason …mistaken for the woman who was taking over the West Australian Maritime museum web site….and was being questioned on her knowledge of the 1912 Australian Naval fleet …all with a look of ‘kill me’ written on her face…believe me, the opportunity of taking Stephen to the toilet was like hearing the judge declare you ‘not guilty’.

Jackie smiles for a Professor
We made our excuses and ran away…very quickly….