A RARE HOBBY

Why is it I choose a rare hobby like number plate collecting?

I joined the NPCC (Number Plate Collectors' Club of Aust) a few years ago. My membership number is 1080 - a significant number for me.

I had already been collecting plates since I first went to Canada in 1969. Fay and I decided we'd collect a plate for each state or province we visited.

Last weekend, I went to my first national meeting which was held in Deniliquin. There were 70 members present from all over Australia and even one guy from NZ.

I took a small display, plus a bunch of plates to swap/sell. They were from North America. Well I think there was a bit of an imbalance regarding the "imports" and "exports". I sold 3 plates and purchased (mostly at auction) more than 70! I was able to pick up two rare Rhode Island plates and a District of Columbia plate. This meant I now have a full set of all the states of the USA from Alabama to Wyoming. I also picked up a plate from Hong Kong, 1 from Uruguay, 1 from Mexico and 1 from Belgium.

If you're interested in getting into number plate collecting, let me know - I have a few spares!

I'd now like to get 1 of every Canadian province and 1 of every style that NSW have put out. That'll keep me busy. Canadian plates I still need include: Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and New Brunswick.

Meanwhile excuse me while I work on my display for next year's meeting in Adelaide. It'll have to improve on my display this year I can see that.

By the way, the most expensive plate sold at auction over the weekend was a Victorian plate for $380. The most expensive plate I bought cost $25! Got any spare plates for me? I'll swap you.

BUSHFIRES, ORDINATION and PLATES

Wow... can I fit all this in?

Photo of burnt out area north of Dubbo this summer... near Mendooran. Not easy to photograph - results of fires.

Of course the photo of Deb and Brendan was taken at his ordination at St Andrews Church in Sydney on Saturday 3 Feb. We head to Logan Jack's baptism this Sunday, 18 Feb at Mortdale Anglican Church (oops, sorry, it's got another name, but I've forgotten.) That's in Sydney of course.

And then there's a shot of the number plates given to me recently by Doug from Washington. They are off his 1949 Cadillac! Wow! I met him last year on Vancouver Island at Comox (a neat town on Van Island)! Bro Bill plays quite a bit of golf with Doug's brother Dave. There's a whole tribe of them! Not a bad place that Vancouver Island - good cycling, golf even cricket!

Which reminds me.... how's your ODI team going?