1 week ago
25
“When my grandmother, Lottie Welsh (born 1886), was appointed to Riverstone Public School, she would travel by horse and buggy from her family home in Blacktown,” writes Anne McGregor of Highfields. “When she arrived at the school, the older boys would free the horse which would graze peacefully in the paddock until it was time for the return trip in the afternoon. Sounds idyllic compared to the current situation, with lot sizes of 125 square metres and traffic chaos. If she could see it today, she’d say, ‘the mind boggles’, her usual remark about new things (like the telephone).”
William Galton of Hurstville Grove says that “many years ago, the Herald published instructions on how to make a hat out of a broadsheet page. This sounds very much like the hat that the printers would have fashioned back then (C8). With a bit of practice and a broadsheet, I might just remember how it was done.”
“In the late ’50s/early ‘60s, it was common in Canberra to see cars with the sticker ‘Don’t Follow Me, I’m Lost Too’ as my father negotiated numerous roundabouts,” recalls David Prest of Thrumster. “He also remarked that Canberra was a very Scottish city as it had 13 statues of Robert Burns on its roundabouts.”
Jenny Rudd O’Neill of Cremorne reckons that “Dawn Glase using a leaf blower (C8) to clean dust from under the dresser sounds a bit fierce. My husband did a lovely job with dust trapped under anything by attacking it with my hairdryer. He also used it to melt the ice when defrosting the fridge.”
“Further to Monday’s 6pm news, where the police said to report anything that has been stolen, no matter how small, I would like to report a cockatoo, white, about a foot long with a yellow comb, who has not only stolen our parsley, but has flown off with the whole pot!” advises Lesley Green of Castle Hill. “Be on the lookout around Castle Hill and surrounds.”
“I take exception to Granny’s description of Morris dancers (C8) as odd,” protests Susan Bradley of Eltham (Vic). “Sure, they’re a little antiquated, but ‘odd’ is a bit harsh. This is my heritage you’re dismissing as odd!” Dominic Hearne of Maroubra adds: “In fairness to Granny recalling the odd Morris dancer, usually that would have been a driver, dancing around their car in a rage because their Morris wouldn’t start.”
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