Melbourne Cup

by penny2 8 Replies latest social physical

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  penny2

  The Melbourne Cup is "the race that stops a nation" and it's on tomorrow. It's a public holiday in Victoria (Melbourne being the capital city of Victoria) - elsewhere it's a working day - but not much work gets done in many workplaces across Australia. In the morning, the "sweep" gets organised, then it's an extended lunch which culminates in watching the race.

  As a jw I used to find the Melbourne Cup quite embarrassing, constantly having to explain - no, I don't want a ticket in the sweep, no, I haven't got a horse, no my horse didn't win, I didn't have a ticket...and on and on. When buying a ticket was a matter of spending a dollar and then being part of the fun.

  Now I have no such embarrassments. I'll be buying a ticket or two, entering the hat competition, contributing to the food for the lunch and screaming as loudly as the next person when the race is run!!

  penny2
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  Stephanus

  Melbourne Cup afternoon used to be extremely good at the old Public Service office I worked at. Some good nibblies and fine wines to wash them down. Then the race.
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  sass_my_frass

  Yep, got me a day off and an open bar!!
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  penny2

  Hope you had a good day sass. And stephanus, hope you had a good day too, even though it might not have included that free glass of wine courtesy of the public service.

  No wine at our workplace! Straight back to work after the race and because there is machinery in the place, the boss decided that alcohol wasn't appropriate. That's ok, we had a good time anyway.
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  unclebruce

  And the winner iiiiiis some Japanese horse!
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  jwfacts

  Last year was the first time I did the sweep and it was great, made the race so much more exciting, all for the sake of a couple of dollars.

  This year I had an appointment and got to the office late, and missed out on the sweep. I couldn't believe it, the first time I could do it as a non JW and I missed it.

  It was a great race.
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  penny2

  winner iiiiiis some Japanese horse

  not just the winner, but no. 2 as well. See, I know my Melbourne cup!!
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  penny2

  Last year was the first time I did the sweep

  Did the people in your office notice you joined in whereas you hadn't before? This is a new job for me - no-one knows anything about me which I like. They just take me at face value.
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  unclebruce

  ..and after 2,346 years of horsing around, a Japanese horse finally wins a Melbourne cup..