This is a trip like no other for us.
It has its origins in a simple story....a story of great mates.....and one bloody good bloke.
There is a crew of us that get together on a Thursday evening for a few cold ones.......a few stories........and more than a few laughs.
It's been going on for a long time.....longer for some than others..........but it began with one bloody good bloke.
His name was Lance.
We all knew him in different ways. But he decided that he wanted us all to be mates and made us part of his life....and part of his Thursday mob.
We gathered in his shed, at his bar.....played pool.....drank beer......had a bit of a feed.....then went home........eventually ;-)
Lance passed away twelve months ago.....it wasn't sudden......it was long.....it was painful for him. In the end though, as was his way, he said goodbye......and left us.
His family mourned....his mates mourned........and we carried on the tradition he had begun. Each week we hoist a shot glass of Black Sambucca and drink to his honour.
Two weeks after he passed the boys were sitting at my bar on a Thursday night.....where I sit writing this right now.
There were just the eight of us this night.......and we were in fine fettle. After a few beers and a few yarns one of the boys suggested we buy a lotto ticket in honour of Lance.
'Bloody great idea' was the general consensus.
He moved to my laptop and brought up the lotto page.
He called out for numbers.....we each picked a random number........he paid the bill.....we each gave him a fifty.
Back to drinking and forget about it.
Lance was there somewhere that night.........he still joins us on a Thursday.......we know he is there.
1 System 8 ticket....10 weeks
7 weeks we had good little wins
Week 8........weellll....you can guess the rest.
Lance loved Bali
He and his wonderful wife Lyn visited whenever they could.
They took kids and grandkids....family and friends.....they just loved it.
We decided that for the 1st Anniversary of his passing we would visit his favourite places.....after all....he had given us the means to do so.
Last Thursday 24 of us.....wife, family and mates.......hired a bus and went to the Bali Bird and Reptile Parks. We then cruised back to Billy's Bar and had a great night with a huge feed of Babi Guling......then washed it down with a few cold ones......just the way he would have liked it.
We partied....told stories.....cried, laughed and cried some more.
We toasted Lance....then toasted him again.
Bali is a special place for many people.
It became much more special for us all that day and night.
Vale Lance Harry Baker
A special man, whom we all miss dearly.
CBE
Cracker
P.S. Tomorrow I'll give your full JBR.