Forum rules

Regular readers will recall that I recently joined a global business networking organisation called Entrepreneurs Organisation(EO). EO splits its local chapters into smaller groups of 6-8 members (called forums). Each forum meets monthly and organizes an annual offsite retreat to bond and share life and business experiences.

On Thursday, I joined my forum for its first overnight "mini-retreat" in Canberra. Our group of seven filled our time with various activities, some professional and some for fun. We kicked off with a half-day meeting and training session at the Royal Canberra Golf Club. This included a presentation by Kirsten Peterson, a former team psychologist for American athletes at seven Olympic Games. Sadly, her session was underwhelming, so much so that I volunteered to organise the presenters for our next retreat.

We then dined at Kodiak Bar in Kingston, a bar and restaurant owned and operated by a member of my forum. The crowd that gathered was an interesting glimpse behind the curtain of Canberra's political culture. I learned that many of its patrons were rank-and-file staff from Parliament and surrounding Government offices.

The following morning we got to meet one of these political operatives. Our group was lucky enough to be hosted on a tour of Parliament House by a local territory government MP.  He took us behind the scenes of the Federal Parliament showing us the main debating chambers and, much to my delight, the broadcasting studios of major television networks inside the building.  We then finished our time in the ACT with a leisurely outdoor lunch at Caribou, another establishment owned by our forum member.

This was my first retreat event with my Forum members. It proved a great opportunity to really get to know many of them for the first time. Our next group event is a Christmas dinner party on a private yacht in Sydney Harbour. We booked the MV Alfie for an evening of wining and dining on the high seas.

Moving on (again)

After our EO event in Auckland, Garry and I flew down to Tauranga for the weekend to join my family for Mum’s 79th Birthday. It was also an opportunity to visit Mum’s new rest home. Avid readers of my blog will recall that Mum moved into Copper Crest in early June. Unfortunately, this facility ultimately proved unsuitable for reasons I won't bother to rehash here. After several incredibly stressful and traumatic weeks in August, we eventually found Mum a new place to live.

In early September she moved into Avida Bethlehem Views in northern Tauranga. This has proven to be a godsend. The home is closer to the Mount and easier to get to (it’s just a block off the main highway out of town). I’m delighted to report that Mum seems more settled and contented with herself.

Her new room looks and feels like a cozy studio apartment. It’s a lot more spacious and homely than Copper Crest with windows on two sides that give it a wonderfully light and airy presence. One bank of windows looks out over a park filled with mature trees. The surrounding common areas inside and out are also more spacious than Copper Crest and feel more like a regular home (or an upmarket hotel). I feel so much more at peace with where she’s living now.

For Mum's birthday, the family organized a picnic in the park next door. We set up tables and chairs and spent a couple of hours eating, drinking, and laughing in the Spring sunshine. Mum seemed to enjoy the day. We’ll be back again in December to join everyone for Christmas. It’ll be the first time we’ve all come together over the festive season since 2018.

UPDATE: 12 October

Mum's home has finally been sold. It's the end of an era. Matt and Shelley's new neighbour is a semi-retired man from Auckland with family who live in the neighbourhood. They're both grateful that their new neighbour is unlikely to be hosting wild parties any time soon.