A sad day in my life
??Tis a sad day today as a once and always healthy licensed surveyor is spending the day cleaning out his Ford Ranger with the diesel motor only clocking up a tad under 62.5K kms ??.. With numerous 1,800 k round trips up to Coober Pedy in the stark, remote north west of SOZ. While my wife is assisting me stack my trusty and faithful survey gear away in the shed at our retreat she has
a;llowerd me tosneak insid to writemy
allowed me to sneak inside to write my piece that as you can read. These days is now not straightforward to write or type as Mr P is kicking in with clumsy fingers not keeping up with my speedy brain. However on the bright side I am now slowing down and using two fingers to minimise typos. .But still have corrections that then take an age to correct spelling and word spacing.
On this day as I was pulling out the gear and odd bits and pieces past memories came flooding back. Washed out by drenching rain and torrents of water rushing under foot yet a k away at the official weather recording station zero rainfall was recorded at Coober Pedy. Today stacking the faithful, robust orange canvas bags used in the field as hand bags to carry those small items used in surveying. Like the tape measure (used to measure offsets), the modern two piece pegs (where a plastic white peg top was driven into a metal shaft), a short handle heavy hammer, countless GI nails, rolls of colourful plastic marker tape, etc, etc . All of my orange canvas carry bags sporting US surveying equipment suppliers that were picked up at numerous US survey conferences that I attended, where I made so many RADU friends thanks to the POB surveying chat board that preceded FB. Resulting in countless indelible memories of generous hospitality and unique experiences Too numerous to recount .With those who participated already knowing our unforgettable forged bond through surveying, be it across the ocean on distant shores or here in OZ.
This November would have seen half a century of field surveying after I graduated. With 41.5 years as a Licensed Surveyor and also working for myself as a LS.
Having in 1998 had a 12 month stint as Director of the inaugural 1989 Variety Club fundraising Bash in SOZ to ensure that it became a reality. But not ever in my wildest dreams ever expecting SOZ Bash number 32 to be taking off in 2020, having raised countless $ millions (like 40 plus) over the years for children who have special needs.
Well good bye Mr Field Work and please know that I shall miss you dearly.
Well at least when I wake up in the morning and can see my toes pointing skywards, I know that it is time to get up and face those daily challenges that Mr P has in store…..
Richard Abbott
Licensed surveyor
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