And they've gone and nicked me pole!

I had heard that a number of new Fire Stations were scheduled around the county. Never gave it another thought until receipt of an email which read ...

"Don't know if you know, but there will be a reunion for "Old codgers" like us at the Fire Station Warwick St at 1pm on Friday. The reason being is they will be moving to the new stations shortly and there will be a group photo taken for old time sake. I do believe there will be a small buffet as well.
Cheer,
Rolly"

Well it was today. It's so long since I commuted to Carlisle I had forgotten one important point...
Despite my being able to come off the motorway less than 20 mins from leaving the house 16 or so miles away, it then takes a further 20 mins to cover the last couple of miles to the Station.
Result too late for photo-call, not that I'm too bothered, I know what I look like: and the crowd looked so big I seriously doubt all faces will be visible anyway.

So. We caught up on the crack, gorged on the buffet, listened to Chiefy giving his spiel and receiving a painting of the old station. (Just a pity you can't see the drill tower, must be the oldest in the country, I'll have to dash back and GET it B4 it gets got.)

It brought home to me ''There's always somebody worse off.'', one lad turned up with two what looked like N.H.S. issue walking sticks; during the crack it came to light that, as he put it "Oh I'd have been in the wheelchair about then"; another lad (who may or may not be of retirement age, since I've lost track, actually did turn up in a wheelchair pushed by his wife.) Makes me happy I've just got a pair of dodgy-knees which make me sound like a barrel-dwelling Greek. Which, in turn is better than being a bungalow-dwelling Geek.

OH! and they've nicked me pole, on which I made a spectacle of myself periodically by climbing up it instead of sliding down it. Seems it's being installed at one of the new stations.
"How did they get away with that one Gaffer?"
"Easy, they didn't ask me."

There were also dire threats of another couple of  "Dos", one at each of the new stations, so that the old lads can get to see them.

Oh! The Blip?
1. The assembled horde, with the castle one of the "two towers"
2. The coat of arms.
3. The Painting.
4. And 6. Parts of the display.
5. Evidence that they've nicked me pole.
:¬((

To whom it may concern ... The dreaded Picasa© has just managed to weld 6 exposures and KEPT the EXIF.