As most of you know, we coincided this meeting with Andre's visit from South Africa. Helen arrived shockingly early (well done Hels 
) and when I got to the shop I found her chatting with Les and Susan, who have been absent from this forum for far too long (that is a hint, guys). We moved round to the loach aisle and a few minutes later Jane arrived. It was great to meet her at last - what a lovely person and so totally like the rest of us mad lot (that is meant in a nice way, Jane!). We were all getting a little concerned as to where Andre was, and a while later I got a phone call saying 'I got lost, but I'm in Peterborough now'. We thought that's good, he's only 10 minutes away then, but somehow he took a little detour. 
Anyway, he finally arrived, fashionably late, and found us lurking round by the loaches. He said he was hot and asked permission to take his top off. Of course we said yes please do (!) and he did so, only to reveal a Ferrari t-shirt ( 
) We chatted for a bit before heading off to a local pub for lunch (Martin, it was the same one we took you to) and more chatting/eating. Andre bought some very strange looking foodstuff with him, which was a kind of beef jerky I think. I did not try it because I don't eat meat, but here is a pic of him and Hels tucking in. I was laughing away thinking that any minute now the pub staff were going to tell him off for getting out a slab of meat and cutting it up with his penknife! 
We had our lunch and then went back to my house to see the loaches. I had starved the clowns since Sunday night in the hope that they would be rather keen on coming out for food today. The small ones ventured out first, and the barbs started making the most of the absence of bigger loaches and started scoffing the pellets. Then a few bigger loaches ventured out, but still no Marge. There were glimpses of 'a big tail' here and there, but we must have sat for the best part of an hour waiting to see if she would grace us with her presence. Well eventually she did, much to my relief, and I hope everyone enjoyed seeing her (especially Jane and Andre who haven't seen her before). The loaches became very playful and about 20 of them were out and about for a long time dancing and playing in the flow from the powerheads - I think Andre and Les may have pics/video of this, will have to wait and see.
We headed back to the shop at about 5pm so that everyone could take more time to see the selection of fish. Here we are, back in front of the loaches:
(Andre what are you doing to Helen?!)
(left to right: Les, Susan, Jane, Helen, Andre, me)
Whilst we were having a cuppa & cakes, Les and Susan picked out some lovely Rasbora pauciperforata to boost their shoal, Jane & Andre got some different foods for their fish to try, and Hels bought a blue moon tube for her big loach tank.
We had a surprise in stall for Andre, the perfect retaliation to his Ferrari shirt. Yes, this is our Italian friend drinking from a McLaren mug, hehe!
Luckily it was late night opening tonight (Thurs) so everyone stayed till 7:30pm. I really wish it could have gone on longer, such a fantastic group of people. Of course other regular LOLers were sorely missed. Hopefully we'll organise another one later on in the year.
Emma
Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
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