Chelmsford YHA Group

CYHA News

The Monthly Newsletter of Chelmsford YHA Local Group

May 2002

Ground Force 2½ - The Smell of Creosote

News of our achievements in the garden at Saffron Walden YH have spread far and wide. So far in fact that we were invited to a remote wooded corner of Buckinghamshire by Nicola, the Warden of Jordans hostel, to tackle a couple of modest gardening jobs. When we arrived at the hostel we were greeted by Nicola's cheery smile and a list of nine tasks including at least three major projects (she didn't want us to "run out" of things to do!!). Still, not ones to back away from a challenge, we all got stuck in to patio construction, painting and tree surgery with great enthusiasm.

Click on any picture to see a larger version...

Team work. Put the world (or at least the Middle East) to rights, whilst smoothing out sand for the patio base. "Patios for Peace" was established thinking if Mr Sharon and Mr Arafat built a patio together they would have to co-operate and would probably become friends (or one of them would get a pickaxe in the back of the head - much discussion as to who would come out on top).

Gerry attractively blended with the bluebells in his blue boiler suit (apparently he has a range of colours for different seasons) whilst Dave P's nephews were driven around in a ceremonial wheelbarrow, waving to the crowds.

Meanwhile in the woods, seven dwarves were slashing trees for burning. Check shirts were much in evidence as radical tree surgery enabled us to keep the bonfire burning until the next morning. There were also several sightings of a Yeti-like creature in a khaki boiler suit - identified as George when it was lured out into the open by tea and cakes.

Dave J was told off for startling a horse when he loomed out of the woods brandishing his big chopper.

Tom and Dave had to take it easy after laying the patio (though they managed a smoke). Tom immortalised our hard work by signing the patio CYHA 20.4.02, but resisted the temptation to add Lorna's phone number.

After exposure to the sunlight, we thought Trudi's white legs would benefit from a coat of cuprinol.

We worked so hard that additional supplies of Cuprinol, milk and Sunday newspapers needed to be rushed in, in the burning heat.

Trudi & Ali

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