Some perspective from Bill Wilkinson of Tumbarumba. “This time last year we were in a wee tad of trouble. Bushfires, thick choking smoke, no electricity, no telephone, no television, no radio, no water, followed by floods and contaminated creeks – but we beat it. This year is different – COVID, imminent lockdowns, border closures. So where the hell are the blowflies, the European wasps and the plethora of politicians who flooded the town after 2020’s beginning? It’s a mystery.”
A few years ago Pam Cunningham of Camperdown also found that the pips had sprouted (C8) in a Pink Lady apple. “I put them on a saucer of water and when they had grown leaves I planted them. We now have a spindly apple tree in our front yard, about three metres high. Mind you we have never had an apple, just the satisfaction of having grown a tree from a pip.”
Taking a different approach to David Gordon “chain gang” (C8) is Richard Hale of Paddington. “If the chain gang had 33 prisoners that would make 66 feet.”
Some years ago when ordering a load of timber for his fire, Bob Martin of Terrigal was told it was sold by the cubic ton. So, as any sensible person would, he “settled for a ute load”.
George Manojlovic of Mangerton chanced upon a delightful aptronym and immediately thought, “This is Granny’s bread and butter!” Certainly is, although usually it is instances of nominative determinism (and yes, there is a difference) that really fires up Column 8 contributors. George continues, “It was a chap who fathered 26 children by 16 women. His name was Philander Rodman.”
