Date: 5th November 2011

Saturday session
• Lacked something to do so started on project for Ed
• Numbers low today 13 in total
• J and John still working on loft area clean up
• I got talk with D about why he came to the shed, little nervous? Memory and impairment?
• Smoko update on shed meeting with Areo club. I positive more information to come in writing. Found out the root of the concern was person parking petrol truck.
• Lots of joking about members large catch of whitebait
• After smoko mowed lawn area as trucks where not parked there and we had cleared up the area. Got instructions from I about they boundaries to mow to as this designated our area.


Today was a reasonable cold and overcast day. This may have been the reason for a limited turn out at the shed. Only 13 members in attendance today. I had brought a small project to work on but was prepared to help out on any of the ongoing projects (woodshed, loft clearance). None of these projects required help today. John and Jim were working on the loft and with limited space it was not practical to have other assist. I found a bench area and started sanding up a old kitset model I’d picked up from a second hand store in town. It was partially started and need the old glue taken off it so I could work on it at home with my son. It was a model Trebuchet (catapult). This was of interest to a number of the members who passed comment about whether the model was well designed and if it would work. I said I’d bring it in if we managed to make it work.
I got talking with D a member for the past 6 months who has been an intermittent attendant. He appeared a little nervous when talking and often repeated information and stories he had previously told. He appeared to have issues with his short term memory. We started talking about the old bench grinder, which in turn lead him to discuss the tools e worked with in his previous vocation as a metal mechanist. He had a number of stories about the quality of the different tools he worked with as well as how he liked to problem solve and find ways of mending machinery. In his retirement he has started purchasing budget power tools from the large hardware chains. It finds these have been, for the most part, reliable but when a part has broken he has been surprised that shops don’t stock parts instead recommending it being cheaper to purchase a whole new tool. Rather than find this frustrating he has enjoyed the challenge of fixing these tools and finding replacement parts from other broken tools on trademe. He can’t see the rational for not fixing these tools. After talking for a good 30 minutes he decided to start stripping down the bench grinder to see if he could make it operate more efficiently. I worked alongside him on my project and we continued to talk mostly about the deconstruction of the grinder and the reasoning for the repairs he was making.
Other shed members were busy on their individual projects. These included renovating an old garden trolley, constructing a wind chime and making planter boxes.
Over smoko I talked with I about how things were progressing with the Areo club. He was very positive about the progress here but would not disclose an information about decisions as this was to be put into writing and then presented formally to the group. He did say that the source of the complaints about parking came from the owner of the trucks who parked near the sheds. This has been an ongoing dispute and after I talk with the Areo club he has replayed to the members that the vast majority are happy with, and supportive of the sheds continued involvement. At smoko plans were also discussed with members about the Christmas function. This is planned for the 8th of November and I is still investigating cost. One member was the source of constant good humored jibes over the break. It took me a while to find out that this was due to the large whitebait catch he made in the previous few days. Many of the members felt whitebait patties should have been on the morning tea menu.
After smoko I packed away my project and offered to mow the lawns at the side of the shed as there were no truck s parked there. I agreed this was a good idea. He was very particular about the boundary I should mow to as this would help define our parking area. I spread the grass clippings on the trees planted as a shelter belt to help retain moisture and promote their growth. After finishing the lawns I noted most members had cleaned up and departed.
Left shed 12.15.