Some of the crew

Before I dropped the car off at Angus College I had 20mins to kill so I took a drive down to the RNLI station in Arbroath to see if I could get a pic of the car beside the station. I got parked up and was happy to see the door open so I could see the lifeboat pointing out there, ever ready. I knocked the door and met Alan Russell (centre of pic) who is the full time mechanic as well as being part of the crew. So he grabbed a jacket for a photo and rounded up Tommy Yule (right in pic)who was in the port, Tommy is the coxswain for the Arbroath RNLI. Then just to fill up the pic another of the crew arrived Ralph Barnett (and yes he is on the left in the pic). Dam it I was looking well educated here but for Ralph not being on the web-site but he is part of the crew I am sure. The web-site provided me with all my information that I didn't find out in the short visit I had and is well worth a look here is the address http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/scotland/stations/ArbroathTayside Allan and I are going back for a pic with both of us and the car sometime soon and am looking forward to learning more about the workings of this place. But what I did get in that very short space of time was a very friendly feel and closeness in their friendships that has them dropping in even when there is not a call out. They drop in to say hi, check what's happening, lend a hand or the way it appeared the guys just liked being there. I guess this comes from the nature of what they do, they are risking their lives for others and trusting their lives to these friends and crew members so a family like bond is bound to build.
Wow ok for those of you who followed my last blog for the coo this is very serious but I promise it will get silly soon, but for just this post and maybe a couple of others later on I think we can just appreciate the work these guys do. Plus any of the guys I met there will also want some more light hearted stuff as we had a good laugh in the short time I was there.
Will be doing more posts as we get closer (3 weeks to go) and look out for the drunken posts they are always good.

Thanks Again Angus College

Ok so I am alot slower at blogging than last time, but a bit bussier at the hotel. Anyway updates and where we are at. The car is away to Angus College and will be done in 2 weeks I am told, not sure if it is going for a can of duff beer which we will probably try to drink, or a colourful Simpsons creation. Whichever it is it is sure to be great and I am looking forward to seeing it. In the pic is Charlie Cameron head of the art department and Angus college in Arbroath. Again a huge thank you goes to him and his team for this help and effort they put in. If it is half as good as last years coo it will be brilliant. Funny thing is we were committed to doing the Simpsons before we had chosen our charity, cause a cool orange lifeboat would have made a great car. Never mind maybe next time. Anyway signing off with a big thank you to Angus college and Charlie Cameron for all there help and he has promised me some pics to put on the site as it goes along.

Our Charity is Decided.

This year we are going to raise money for our 2 local branches of the RNLI. Arbroath & Montrose. Having been down to the Arbroath Seafest for the last few years and enjoyed learning a bit about how the RNLI operate I was surprised to find it relies on charity and fundraising to continue saving lives. I also met the Coxswain of one of the Arboath boats on Easter sunday and got talking to him firstly about buying lobster (he assures me these are collected from his fulltime job and not whilst out on the lifeboat) but soon we got talking about the lifeboats. I remembered a documentory Suzanne and I watched which he and the rest of the Arbroath Crew featured quite heaavily in. If you take the time to look into the RNLI you will find familys who have given their lives to saving others, familys who have generations of people still willing to risk their lives to save others. So I hope you, like Allan and I have, will see what a worthwile cause this.

So the car choice now???

Have to select a car from these 3, all have MOT and all under £200. Well the Audi was £230 but I sold the stereo and traded the spare tyre as it was like new so got £40 back doing that. All cars have there merit, the Audi is just superb manual 2.8l quattro, I might just keep it. The Carisma is auto which might suit us lazy guys but will it cope with the Alps. The Frontera I have owned for a year and know it would do it, but floats on the road and really no good at corners. Oh the dilemma, also need a charity to do this for, Cash for Kids last year and something child oriented again but not quite sure what.