SBA Centenary

[EmsE]

The SBA website has been updated with the details of the centenary celebrations. It looks like a great weekend :D. Anyone else thinking of going?

http://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/About/SBACentenary.aspx

[Neils]

Looks like a good programme, don't think much of that Dan Basterfield bloke though ;) (I keed!) I saw a lecture by Keith De La Plane on IPM at the IBRA conference, he's an interesting speaker) I might have to see if I can make it up for this one, special occasion and all that.

[Jon]

Will try and make the effort as well. Have to check out the quality of the Guinness in Stirling.

[GRIZZLY]

Four of us hope to go from our ass'n.Should be a good "doo".

[Neils]

Short of actually booking anything yet I'm definitely intending to come. Pass arranged with the Mrs, I've learned over the past few years that If I want permission to go somewhere to do "bee things" all I have to do is invite her to come along.

[Calum]

Will try and make the effort as well. Have to check out the quality of the Guinness in Stirling.

Or Biberach/Riss are celebrating 125 years this year 21.4. and 22.04.2012 Scottish beekeepers are invited
Or 19& 20 May 2012 Hörbranz-Leiblachtal in austria will also be 100, they love Scotland, Hörbranz has its own pipe band, and highland games every year...
Next year ours will be 110 years old, there will not be a big party, certainly beers and a grill if anyone fancies it. Ryanair Edinburgh - Memmingen is an excellent connection...

The beer here is well worth checking out, the Guinness not so much.

[Neils]

I recommend an SBA centenary tour of Germany taking in as many different Dunkel Biers as possible :D

[Neils]

Simple questions before filling in the forms and trying to remember what a cheque book looks like:

Are people intending to do the dinner?

If people are staying, is there a preference on which hotel in best to choose? (I normally end up about a £50 taxi ride away from everyone else during these things).

[Jimbo]

Hi Nellie,

A few members from Helensburgh Association will be staying overnight even thought it is only a hours drive away. We plan to stay in the the Stirling conference centre where the event is also taking place. The SBA has organised a cheap rate with the conference centre and you have to quote the reference number when booking your room. I think the rate is £50 for a twin and £70 for a double/night. Most of the rooms if you look at the conference centre web site look as though they are doubles. The reason we are staying overnight is so that we can attend the meal/dance and have a drink

[Neils]

Thanks Jimbo,

Think I'm going to book at the conference centre and take it from there.

[Neils]

Flight's booked and the cheque, as they say, is in the mail.

[Jon]

Same here. Flight booked and cheque in the post.
Hope someone in Stirling knows how to pull a decent pint of stout.

When things go wrong and will not come right,
Though you do the best you can,
When life looks black as the hour of night -
A pint of plain is your only man.

When money's tight and hard to get
And your horse has also ran,
When all you have is a heap of debt -
A pint of plain is your only man.

When health is bad and your heart feels strange,
And your face is pale and wan,
When doctors say you need a change,
A pint of plain is your only man.

When food is scarce and your larder bare
And no rashers grease your pan,
When hunger grows as your meals are rare -
A pint of plain is your only man.

In time of trouble and lousey strife,
You have still got a darlint plan
You still can turn to a brighter life -
A pint of plain is your only man.
by Flann O'Brien (Brian O'Nolan)

[Neils]

Have my wristband now too! Highly efficient chap (whose name I've forgotten) I must say.

[Jon]

Bloke in Annan wasn't it. I remember getting stuck in that town with my mate Pete in the early 1980s hitching home from London.
We were standing in the cold at about 10.00pm and an old lady invited us into her house and fed us each a plate of field mushrooms to fortify us against the elements.
So not a word to be said against the residents of Annan.

[EmsE]

Found my wristbands in the post box today and accommodation is sorted:)

[gavin]

I'm late to organise things as usual, but maybe later tonight after sorting the arrangements for the weekend's beekeeping meeting I'll get the checkbook out. It will be great to meet up with some of the forum regulars and irregulars.

Don't suppose we could persuade Drone Ranger to come along?

[Jon]

C'mon JT. And we want you to show up in full masked splendour! Indian sidekick optional.

[Jon]

Got my wristband today and confirmation that there will be a vegetarian option on the menu.

[Neils]

Invasion preparation advances!

[keith pierce]

About 40 of us (irish) travelling over.

[Jon]

Hi Keith
You going on the bus with the Tipperary crew?
There are others driving over and taking the ferry from the North, Mervyn Eddie amongst others.
You going to be in the bar Friday evening?

[keith pierce]

Hi jon. Yes we are going with the tipp crew. I hope to be in the bar, not long after i get there and look forward to meeting you. Disregard anything i say after the first pint as it will just be drink talking.

[Jon]

Hi Keith.
Do you think anyone in Scotland can pull a decent pint of stout?
Not that the Irish are likely to be drinking!
I usually drink white wine - but not as much as George Best who put away 10 bottles a day by all accounts.
What time do you expect to arrive?

[keith pierce]

Hi jon..Just had a look at the itinery for the trip..Friday evening we are stoping off for a meal at the park hotel in kilmarnoch.Not to sure where we are staying as i just paid up my money and hopefully my wife will give me pocket money. Not to fond of the black stuff myself, but i do love some cider by the gallon, washed down with a small dram of bacardi.

[marion.orca]

Methinks our Irish friends won't be posting for a while after the celebrations ! The Scots can absolutely pull a decent pint of stout [ and anything else for that matter ] The Park Hotel ? Ah yes, run by 2 Mormons whose religion forbids alcohol, tea, coffee and illegal substances, your pocket money is safe.

[Jon]

The Park Hotel ? Ah yes, run by 2 Mormons whose religion forbids alcohol, tea, coffee and illegal substances,

LOL. Keith, still time to cancel and come over with EasyJet or you could flag down a taxi in Kilmarnock and go directly to Stirling.

[keith pierce]

Methinks our Irish friends won't be posting for a while after the celebrations ! The Scots can absolutely pull a decent pint of stout [ and anything else for that matter ] The Park Hotel ? Ah yes, run by 2 Mormons whose religion forbids alcohol, tea, coffee and illegal substances, your pocket money is safe.

I hope this is just scottish humor

[marion.orca]

Time will tell ! lol x

[Jon]

Well how will we all recognize each other at the conference?
I will be the guy in a Tuxedo and monocle with a Capybara on a leash.

[Jimbo]

Jon, I will be the person carrying the giant mars bar (not deep fried) and standing next to my bee mentor Ben who everybody in Scotland knows. Just look for the oldest Scottish beekeeper in the room. That's Ben not me.

[HJBee]

I will be the fresh faced person arriving on the Sunday AM, when your all nursing you hang overs and sore feet from the dancin' - I am talking orders for cold IRN BRU ( or Lucozade for those not ingratiated with the local 'ginger' ). I will also be wearing my newly acquired Fab at Forty badge!

[Neils]

I think I'll be fairly easy to spot.

I'll be the one without ginger hair, bagpipes nor wearing a kilt. :)

[Neils]

The invasion begins...

Did anyone else forget to book the dinner tomorrow night or am I entertaining myself?

[Jimbo]

There's a chippie just down the road with a man who thinks he's Elvis

[gavin]

Now I'm confused. Wasn't Elvis comparing the show? He did seem to have developed an Ayrshire accent and his pelvic thrusts have slowed down a bit, but it looked awfie like him!

[gavin]

I will also be wearing my newly acquired Fab at Forty badge!

Now I'm *very* confused! Wasn't there a twenty-something lady with lovely hair accompanying Ems at lunch today?

[gavin]

Right folks, I just want to say what an excellent event all-round that was. Very well done to everyone who put it all together and everyone who put the effort in with the displays too. Some truly excellent stuff - superb speakers, very imaginative local association displays, great organisation, lovely to see all the trade stands, excellent happy atmosphere, great showing from BIBBA southern neighbours and those party animals from across the Irish Sea. Well done to the ladies from Kilbarchan. Well done Dan the Man (and thanks for the kind words on the forum), the brace of Roberts and a Keith. They all put smiles on our faces as well as inform and challenge. The bar staff seemed well-able to keep up with demand, despite at least some members of the forum putting away a most impressive amount of hootch. Hope that you all return safely.

[Neils]

I agree, great weekend, excellent talks and great to put some faces to names.

I have no idea to whom you could be referring regarding the bar, I'm definitely not stood by one while I wait for my plane, honest.

[gavin]

Well ..... I wasn't going to name those with amazing constitutions but you seemed to have outed yourself! Should have acknowledged all the SBA and SBAi forum members from far and wide, whether from Bristol, Lochaber and Argyll, Wester Ross, and who-knows-where. And, of course, your hair was lovely too Neil.

[EmsE]

It really was an excellent weekend and I enjoyed every minute of it......it just finished too quickly. The displays were great and it would be good if we could get pictures from the weekend loaded here as part creating some kind of record of the event. It was great to get to put a face to some of the SBAi personalities and to speak to those I had the opportunity to and would have liked the chance to catch up with others.

The speakers were exceptional and each one complemented the other. It was certainly well thought out. Everyone involved in organising this weekend certainly created a memorable event and something the Scottish bee keepers can be proud of.

[HJBee]

Now I'm *very* confused! Wasn't there a twenty-something lady with lovely hair accompanying Ems at lunch today?

Flattery will get you everywhere!

I was only able to go today, i missed last nights dancing & drinking, but even so, I really enjoyed it and am proud to be one of Craig's Angels!1241

[gavin]

That name is going to stick, HJ! My one sadness is that I didn't spend enough time in the company of the Angels. Next time, for sure ...

Great suggestion, Ems, to stick all your photos up here. If anyone wants me to lodge JPGs or whatever on the server directly I'd be happy to resize to 800 pixels wide and you can link to those bigger images I tend to show. Email: gavinramsay@btinternet.com

I definitely saw Keith from Ireland with his famous propolis-covered camera out in the big seminar room, so let's be having you!

[Jon]

Made it back home. Good to survive the weekend although I have to confess to feeling a little delicate today.
Excellent speakers and great to meet so many folk from the forum. Even got a morphometry Mars bar from Jimbo.

[gavin]

That was quick! Maybe I'll get off my butt and stagger over to one of the Irish events next year. I've been threatening to do so for about a decade. Did no-one grab a picture of Jon getting presented with his Mars bar?!

[Neils]

Back in brizzle, waiting in the drizzle.

Maybe I should try and drag Gavin down to the Avon AGM!

[gavin]

I usually have to threaten to do something for about a decade before I actually do it, and I haven't started on that one yet! Mind you, I do now have family in the area ....

[Easy beesy]

So are we all going to get together and bid for Apimondia then?

[gavin]

Can't quite see it myself. Isn't it a bit like the Olympics? Try as you might to farm out little bits of it elsewhere, it would essentially reside in one place.

[Jimbo]

A great weekend with fantastic speakers. My best memory was of Jon's balancing skills at 1.30am as I left to wander through the miles of corridors to find my room. Need to check my Tesco vouchers to see if I have enough to get to the Ulster event in March

[keith pierce]

Great weekend. did not arrive in through the hall door till 1. 30 monday morning. Some of the other people on the bus had another 5 hours to go. I was guilty of propping up the bar on one of the nights with a few others.By the end of the night we had raised vast amounts of quality queens, uncapped tonnes of honey and there was no such thing as varroa anymore

[Jon]

I was guilty of propping up the bar on one of the nights with a few others.By the end of the night we had raised vast amounts of quality queens, uncapped tonnes of honey and there was no such thing as varroa anymore

Ethanol is the perfect catalyst to successful queen rearing it seems!
Good to meet up. We will get this big island west of Scotland populated with black bees sooner rather than later.