While Bob Doepel of Greenway (ACT) agrees with Ian Aldridge that North Queensland’s NRLW (C8) team should be called the Cowgirls, he goes on to say that “surely, this means that the men’s team would be the Bullboys”. Which brings us to the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the musings of Russ Couch of Woonona: “Once the Rabbitohs field an NRLW team, would we have the Does and Don’ts?” Depends on off-field behaviour.
Les Shearman of Darlington also looks forward to the introduction of the Dollphins.
We’ve fielded so many snake tales (C8) that we can dedicate today’s collection of anecdotes specifically to snakes and firearms, starting with Judy Jones of Thornleigh: “Our Grenfell friend saw a snake near their garden tap. She yelled out to her husband who charged out with the shotgun and did a great job of shooting up the new neatly rolled garden hose. One way of getting a soaker hose and two customers for the optometrist.” Jack Hill of Wahroonga adds that “Back in the ’60s, a colleague in a small North Coast school had difficulty finding words to request long-drop repairs that didn’t reveal a connection between a black snake and a shotgun blast.”
“When my sister married a Purlewaugh farmer, they had a rare flush toilet in the former outside long-drop,” recalls Lance Dover of Pretty Beach. “Puzzling over the piece of leather neatly nailed to the middle of the toilet door, I was told by my brother-in-law that his father had once gone there, found a snake on the cistern, got the rifle and shot the snake through the closed door shattering the snake and the cistern. They didn’t do things by halves back then.”
Jo Rainbow of Orange had this take on the running of the triathlon at the Paris Olympics: “Close, but no Bondi cigar.” But James Smith of Brisbane is one who was pleased the River Seine was declared safe for the triathletes. “Just as well,” he said, “otherwise they would just be going through the motions.”
Just when Olympic callers got a handle on pronouncing the name of Australian rugby sevens player and future Rooster Mark Nawaqanitawase, Don Bain of Port Macquarie reckons there are further challenges in the offing: “Leading the field in the ‘I’m glad I don’t have to say that’ stakes is Icelandic swimmer Snaefridur Sol Jorunnardottir. Perhaps worth trying with a mouthful of crisps?”
Column8@smh.com.au
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