The Little World

What indeed? You have to assess the cost in several ways:

a. The club fees. One club I belong to has a $50 yearly subscription. Another has nothing, but costs me at least treble that amount in food and drink, electricity and insurance for the premises.

In both cases the fees are paid gladly.

b. The travelling expenses. Both clubs cost the same in petrol, oil, and car maintenance as they are equal distances from my home.

The travel time expense is radically different.

The Tuesday Mens Shed journey is undertaken in the worst of rush hour along roads that are clogged by both traffic lights and inadequate bridges. 45 minutes to an hour on the road under stress.

The Saturday club is at a library or my own studio. As it happens in the middle of the day the traffic is free-flowing and the travel time is either 5 or 20 minutes either way. No stress.

c. The social commitment. One club has far more members than the other and a greater variety of conversation. Both can stimulate the mind, or other organs.

Both groups provide a yearly exhibition of scale models over a weekend. In the case of Tuesday there is a daily Facebook column and a club website to provide exposure for the models. The Saturday group has a display in a public library that showcases the work all year round.