I'm off to see a man about a dog....

First day of the new financial year and every man and his dog went to town on this date in history.
There was this, that, and the next thing happening blah blah blah *snore* so the MFE (Middle Finger Edit) has been applied yet again.

1794 Gov Hunter gave permission for convicts to be made into servants for landowners.
No one asked the convicts what they thought of this.
I'm sure a few preferred lugging their ball and chain about to washing dishes.
1813 They introduced the Holey Dollar (worth 5 shillings) and the Dump (worth 1 shilling and threepence but no loo paper required).
1851 Port Phillip Colony changed genders as well as names when it became Victoria.
1867 The GPO in Elizabeth Street in Melbourne was officially swanked up and opened.
1908 Federal Labour lost its ability to spell by adopting the title Australian Labor Party.
1909 Old age pensions were created as the elderly dying of starvation cluttered up the streets in a frightful fashion.
1909 The Commonwealth Quarantine  Service began. Achoo, horse flu?
1910 Sydney Sun, the first Oz fish wrapper with *gasp* front page news began.
1913 The Melbourne Hospital's new building was opened.
1932 The ABC was pupped.
1941 Payroll tax was introduced by the Commonwealth Govt. Bastards.
1942 Uniform income tax was introduced by the Commonwealth Govt, with State income tax abolished. Double bastards.
1946 Hawkesbury River railway bridge was opened. Yippee.
1962 Dunedin in NZ got it's own TV service. Lucky ducks.
1967 The Oz postcode system was created to confuse every man, woman and postie.
1977 Today saw the first National Gay Pride Week in NZ.
1978 The Top End aka Northern Territory became self-governing.
1978 300 people met to vote to hold a day-time protest against the Mardi Gras arrests.
1987 The Maori Language Act made Maori an official language.
1988 Bastion Point in Auckland was returned to Ngati Whatau ownership.
1990 Bicycle helmets became compulsory in Victoria.
1995 Telecom became *gag* Telstra. A rose by any other name would still be a piece of crap, Sol-baby.
2000 GST we were "never, ever" going to have (remember that promise, Johnny?) became reality.
2008 No Australian Democrat held a single seat to 'keep the bastards honest'  for the first time in 31 years.
2008 NZ's rail network was re-nationalised as KiwiRail.

*NB - I only included the Australian Democrats membership to show that their slogan is "Keep the bastards honest" as a certain reader has whined that they find the word offensive.

In Oz language and culture the word 'bastard' has a plethora of meanings and I would suggest overseas readers Google the usage of it in everyday speech in Oz to understand the variety of it.

I is sleepy....

 Exciting times, dear reader!
The chooks have almost cleaned up the weeds in the garden.
The fur-baby canine has learnt to suffer the Dutch Ovening that happens when *someone* eats Granny Smith apples.
And the eldest Fruit of My Loins has moved back home for a little while.

1849 Maori road workers in Evans went on strike, the first industrial action in Canterbury, due to the verbal abuse they received.

1908 The first crossing of Oz by motor Vehicle (or That Fecking Noisy Horseless Carriage) was started on this day when Murray Aunger and H.H Dutton tooted off from Adelaide in a Talbot car to arrive in Darwin on August 20th.

The Pride of my Tribe has moved back home to get away from a bad share house situation, 'nuff said.
No, there was no dead guy with a felafel in his hand but it almost smelt that way.
We've installed her in the back bedroom sans the bolt and padlock on the door....was tempting but then I'd just have to listen to her whine about how she was missing work.

1939 The New Zealand Listener, a current affairs and entertainment weekly magazine (somewhat akin to the now extinct Bulletin) was birthed on this day with radio license holders getting free copies.
For more info click HERE.

1975 In The Shaky Isles Television Two began blathering into people's lounge rooms with the first female newsreader in the Commonwealth, Jennie Goodwin.

The Future Son In Law has moved back home to his mother but I've been promised he shall visit often and eat just as much as usual.
Better stock up on herds of beef....

1978 Approx. 600 good bodies marched in Melbourne and Brisvegas to protest the arrests in Sydney at Mardi Gras.

1999 Leader of the National Party and Deputy PM Tim Fischer announced his sudden retirement from politics for his son who had been diagnosed with Autism.
Bless his cotton socks, Tim is a mad keen train fan, hosting the fab radio show The Great Train Show, and proved how he had a pair of stainless steel balls when he admited in an interview that he, too, has Autism.

2005 Spain legalised both same sex marriage and adoption.
The world didn't turn gay overnight and heterosexual marriages still manage to fall apart all on their own without any help from same sex couples.
Golly gosh.

Free heating - pull my finger !

Passed Horologist Lane in Ferntree Gully so I got curious and found THIS online to answer the obvious query - wtf is horolgy and does it come in shades of puce?
Dunno but there's an Australian Antiquarian Horological Society.

There was a pile of boring-as-batshyte stuff for today, like Ned being capturd, St Mary's cathedral in Sydney being begun (is that even correct grammar?!) and blah blah blah blah.

Go look it up in last years posting for this date if you really must but I got a tad savage with the editing finger.

That would be the middle one, yes Your Honour.

1801 Britain's first census was conducted.
You thought they'd forgotten about you way back then, eh Brian?

"Industrial Park".

What tosser looked at a bunch of factories and thought "If we call it a park no one will notice the fact that it's the furthest thing from where you'd want to have a picnic" ?

1864 Canada's worst train disaster happened when a train fell through an open bridge at St Hilaire.
For more info click HERE.

Was walking behind this chick at the market yesterday; a slim gal about size 8 or 10 or something but I swear to the Goddess the cut of her jeans was such a shocker everytime she took a step her arse looked like a pair of rhinos jelly wrestling.

It was so bad I even asked The Spouse if it was me or her jeans....he was so mesmerised by the battling buttocks he took a while to reply that it was the bad cut of her hipsters.

1990 World's first female bishop, Dr Penny Jamieson,  was appointed in The Land of The Long Twilight NZ.

I was almost tempted into patting her down to see if she was packing some illegal Hamsters.

Hamsters are illegal in Oz and after watching a doco on the inbred cannibals I'm not at all unhappy about that fact.

They're not a family animal, seriously; the moment the dirty little cannibalistic root rats saw the family cat/dog they'd be either planning their horizontal limbo-ing around Fido's run in the park or planning the dessert after Fluffy was the main.

The basic do's and don't's for dismantling a compost bin.

• Don't use an old concrete incinerator as a compost bin because each and every concrete block will die a sad and miserable death from concrete cancer eventually and you'll be left with wormies and bugs writing letters of complaint to the Tenants Tribunal.
• Do lift with your thigh muscles not your fingers tips and back.
• Don't suddenly go all girly-girly on yourself and refuse to get up close and personal with the bajillion creepy crawlies that swarm out to welcome you to their home.
• Don't wait until you're up to your elbows in squishy muck and think " Gee, I really ought to have changed into my gardening clothes for this."
• Do wait until the creepy-over-the-back-fence neighbour has come out to spy on you to unearth the sloppy wet stinking pile of shyte at the very bottom of the compost to knock both you and him off your feet and every bird out of the sky.
• Don't bother waiting or asking for the male of the household to assist in any way - he'll be even more girly-girly and sook about wanting to explore the inside of his eyelids.
• Do attack everything in sight with the electric whipper snipper the girly-girly male of the house bought...and if his precious herb garden happens to get in the way, so be it.
• Don't discuss your composting problems with the chooks - not only will they hold a superior position on the employment of the 'umble worm but they will actively discourage the composting of scraps for the entertainment of their good selves.
• Do chuck a worm to the chooks every now and then to keep 'em keen.

Roll me over in the clover, roll me over lay me down and do it again.....

 ...massage my back, you smutty minded readers...

Have included a little 'gem' I discovered lurking within the newspaper archives to show the good people just how far the knuckle-dragging neanderthals have managed to evolve since arriving on the shores of Oz in 1788.
Although some still retain a bit of gravel rash that no manicure could hide.
Click HERE to see what all the Black and White fuss was in the country town school in 1929.

1836 Hmmm.
"Snow falls on Sydney".
This entry was probably followed by "Gebus it's fecking freezing, pass the dogs over and let me be Dutch Ovened for pity's sake".
Or some such.

1914 The Assassination in Sarajevo happened otherwise known as the murder of Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand and his missus by Gavrilo Princip, which triggered other events that snowballed into WW1 and the assassination of a whole generation of boys.
F'ken Dickhead.

1918 In The Land of The Long White Cloud Alexander Turnbull (no relation to Oz pollie currently in hot water Malcolm Turnbull - or none that Alexander will admit to) dropped off the twig and left his massive library to "the King" (which was not, strangely enough, Elvis Presley).
Click HERE for the goss.

1973 The HMNZS Otago sailed for the French nuclear testing zone to act as both a silent witness and silent protest of the refusal of the French to accept the International Court's injunction against nuclear testing.
More info HERE.

1980 3,000 lithe bodies took part in the 3rd Mardi Gras parade in Sydney; they boogied down Bathurst St to George St then up Oxford St before ending the night with a big bang at a dance held in Paddington.

Hum a few bars and I'll join in shortly....

Feral Beast received a Distinction for his exam.
I have new sheepskin moccasins enveloping my tootsies in lush warmth.
The chooks are laying double yolkers.
The Goddess is in her Heaven and all's right with the world.

Today is the Feast Day of the Lares, small household Gods of Ancient Roman Mythology but tis better not to take any chances and set up an alter for the little beggars asap.

1971 Work began on Melbourne's underground railway system.
Yes, the State Govt believes in resting squarely on the laurels of past acheivements.
Although the glow you're basking in has faded somewhat, Brumby.

1975 Mark Williams, who became lead singer of pop group Dragon in 2005, first hit the number 1 spot in The Shaky Isles with "Yesterday was just the beginning of my life" for three weeks.

1978 A delegation made up of a small number of GLBT protesters met with Neville Wran, NSW Premier, to discuss the arrests at Mardi Gras.

1978 In Adelaide the NSW Tourist Bureau was picketed by 50 GLBT protesters over the police arrests at Mardi Gras.

1983 Stop the presses!
The Melbourne Cricket Club voted to admit women as members.
See, Hell didn't freeze over nor the sky fall down, boys.

1858

 

Picturesque gardens are just the spot for a ploughing match...!

Frugal Foods and recipe Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

Ok, the other day we had the pot with the 4 chook frames jostling away comfortably in their warm bath, remember?
Then I stripped the meat from the bones and tossed it into another pot, chopped up the mushies and a red onion ( coz the bag of red onions was only $1 and they look good) and covered with chicken stock to simmer for an hour or 2.
The Spouse had bought a packet of risotto (marked down to 50cents) and I dozed on the couch until it was almost Time Team time.
Too late for mashed spud, so I grabbed the risotto packet and cooked it up with the stock from the pot, added in some Parmesen cheese, black pepper and the chook, mushies and onion then served on a plate with Grissini sticks ($1.80 per packet at the wholesalers).
Dad scraped his plate clean as did FB.
They will get an elephant stamp tomorrow.

Wanted : Hugh Jackman, butter optional

Click all pictures to read larger image.

 

Because doesn't everyone have a Box Dray sitting idle these days?

Watch your step for the Echidna Love Trains.

 

No staunch horse....got a mother-in-law who's best angle is seen through the shafts of a dray, though....

It's also Chocolate Pudding Day....yaaaaaaaaaaaay!
Celebrate by baking some of these delicious self-saucing choccy pudds.
Psst!
It's only breaking the diet if you lick the mixing bowl and beaters, ok?

 

What is a staircase hand, please?

1860 Stuart got attacked by Aboriginals so the big jessie turned on his heel from trying to cross the isle of Oz from South to North and went back to where he came from.
Sook.

 

Oh, they'll be advertising for a sober lad for awhile....

1880 A Haiku of Oz History -
Kelly Gang,
Aaron Sherritt,
police informer,
Beechworth,
dead.

With the right estate agent you could sub-let the stables...

....as some of those tenants make horses look clean

1958 NZ's Labour Govt passed the 'Black Budget' which raised taxes on petrol, tobacco and grog.
Blood from a stone.

 

Yes, I want work for just enough time in your home to seduce your son and heir....

1958 The USA base at Christchurch Airport was established for Operation Deep Freeze.
Click the pretty coloured letters to find out.
Go on, you know you want to.

HERE.

 

Yes, playing doctors and nurses has been around for awhile now...

1978 300 people protested outside the Liverpool Courthouse where those arrested from the first Mardi Gras were being seen to, when 7 protesters were banged up by the cops.
The Herald newspaper published the names, addresses and employment details of every person arrested at Mardi Gras.

Praise the Goddess, someone was hoping for a miracle!

Lisa from Timespanner sent me a great link to a site showing then and now pics of the beautiful train stations in America that have been destroyed.
Have a gander HERE.

Here I offend a bajillion people eating their lunch by talking shit

Dam Buster asked a serious question on his blog -

Say you were walking along on the way back to the office after lunch and you noticed an elderly (and possibly homeless) woman taking a dump in a laneway and her sheet of newspaper (toilet paper) blows away, what do you do?

1. pick it up and hand it back;
2. avert your eyes and keep walking;
3. suggest to your workmate that he should pick the paper up and give it back; or
4. any other suggestions?

This is not directed at Dam Buster but those tossers,turds and tools who think everyone should be drowned in Chanel No.5, wear 5 inch make-up and who freak at the slightest speck of dirt.

Now, I opted for handing her back the paper - what's the difference to handing a total stranger who has their strides down around their ankles some bog roll under the cubicle wall/door when asked, to handing some bog roll to a total stranger with their strides down around their ankles in the breezy brisk Winter air?
Ohhh, that's right - 'what the head doesn't see the heart doesn't fret over',  we've all been removed from the actual event and had it made clinical for us so it's a bit hard to cope with reality.
Yes, boys and girls, the other people in the public toilet cubicles aren't sitting there knitting jumpers - they're taking a dump or having a slash. 
The ex got all big-girls-blousy on me when some of our neighbours cows were having trouble birthing and I helped pull them out. The big He-man (who was scared of showering for days on end and, yes, his shit DID stink) was chundering in the paddock squealing about "filthy muck".
Cows were pissing and shitting all over the lean-to, the floor was awash with placental goop and I was literally up to my armpits in cows birth canals.
Ripe, earthy smelly bliss.
A lady got on the bus the other day as ripe as the outhouse after a big storm had filled the septic tank.
Judging by the constant smell it
A. wasn't a fart
and the bulge under her coat lead me to suspect
B. she had a full colostomy bag
She did her best to sit as far away from everyone but one 20-something professional twat did his best to sniff loudly and 'tut tut' in her direction.
Oh, dear, fragile petal wouldn't cope in a nursing home where people shit their dacks as fast as blink their eyes, greet you by sailing out of bed in the morning on a tide of stale urine and guess who gets to clean it all up?
Yep, the caring, sharing nurses who protect the rellies from having to deal with it themselves.
Don't you be 'ewwwww'ing at me - there's no difference to changing a baby's nappy or picking up your dog turds when out at the park or digging fertiliser into your garden or stepping into a cow pat.
What's the difference - it's all waste from the digestive system!
If you see someone in a pickle or smell something that's not been homogenised by the Nanny State, it won't hurt you.

Prisoner, Matron and Coppers, Oh My!

I came across a reference to a coal miner, trapped in a colliery accident on this day in history, who was forced to use his axe (that he just happened to have handy with him in a coal mine?) to chop his trapped arm off.
I'm thinking that's going to take a bit more than a kiss from his mum to make it all better.
So, I went hunting for it in the Newspapers Beta archive *sigh* no luck so I can't regale you with more blood and gore.
But I did find this -

 

Yes, there's many a nurse who's had the urge to Tontine a patient....or co-worker.

There's a good reason why HR have their offices so far from the wards....

And there's a big clue right there in the first line.
But they have yet to upload the articles dealing with her trial - I have no idea if she got off (justifiable homicide, Your Honour) or if she's still bargaining with the screws , a little Lizzie Birdsworth cackling at the fresh meat new inmates and wtf did she use as a weapon, a bedpan?
What was her motive?
What was her uniform like and did her shoes pinch?
Oh I shall be in agony until I get the answers to these questions.
Or a slab of dark Club chocolate, whichever gets here first.

1860 25 camels graced the port of Melbourne with their presence when they pitched up to assist silly old Burke and Wills on their Sunday stroll.

1860 Potatau Te Wherowhero, the first Maori king, passed away.
For more information click HERE.

1926 Beryl Mills of WA jumped for joy (in the minimalistic, sedate way she'd been trained to portray as a Young Leddy) when she was announced as the very first Miss Australia.
Flossing with a g-string was not on the menu for Beryl.

1943 -

Titivating institutions indeed, Matron!

1943 -

I'm guessing they wouldn't be interested in super sizing their cheeseburger....?

1978 A vigil was held outside the Darlinghurst cop shop to bail those arrested at the first Mardi Gras on the previous evening.

Frugal Food and tips Chook Frames

Went for a wander down Bentleigh way and had a sticky beak in Ritchies IGA store there.
Found a bargain with umpteen packets of chicken frames (4 to a pack) marked down to 99 cents despite the fact their use-by date was 30th June.
W00T!
Chicken frames are basically chook carcasses that are left over when every possible cut of meat has been removed, but where there is plenty of meat still on there to create stews, soups, stock, etc.
I restrained myself to a single packet of the frames.

I tossed the chook frames into a large pot of water and simmered it for an hour or 2 last night and let it cool since then.
I'll scoop any fat off the top of the water - as it cools any fat rises to the surface and sets,making it easy to remove- then chop the meat off the bones, chuck in the packet of mushrooms I got for a bank busting $1, the fresh soup packet (spud, onion, carrots, parsnip, turnip, celery) that set me back $1, a handful of beans ($2 for a 2 kg bag) and snow peas ($1 for a 2kg bag) a bit of herbs and spices and all things nices, taste test to see what's missing, bung in a bit of the other and Bob's your uncle Aunty George.
It can be served as soup or thickened to become stew, served with fluffy mashed spud.
To fluff the mashed spud whisk with a fork while adding a little extra milk.
All up I spent $6 with enough left over in the way of beans and snow peas to do at least another 4 meals.
The pot of soup/stew will feed 4 people for at least 3 meals, depending how many go back for second helpings.
Can't figure out the maths at the moment as I'm trying to co-ordinate my Dad getting brekkie, Feral Beast opening his eyes to get out of bed, The Spouse to shift his big toe out from under the doona and the dogs out of the bed.
Slug-a-beds!
*and Blogger is being a mongrel by not posting my posts when I schedule them*

 

When she began growing bunions on her hands Mildred knew Dr Frankenstein's glow in the dark hand cream wasn't au naturale.

Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

I was going to post some pics but as I could prepare and cook a dozen batches of scones, milk the cow then separate the cream followed by churning the butter in the time it took to upload a pic tonight....I'll give you a raincheck and promise a photo soon-ish.

It's Flying Saucer Day.
Seriously.
I'll be celebrating when the Mothershp finally returns for me...

1854 The yellow rocks at Ararat and Maryborough were excited beyond compare when they were officially Discovered! and Put On The Map! when many men rushed to embrace them and whisper sweet nothings in their golden ears....

1880 O Canada was performed for the first time at a banquet in Quebec City.
Learn more about the National Anthem of Canada HERE.
Or check out the O Canada Shop HERE !

Are you tempted yet, Elizabeth?

1905 The New Zealand Truth hit the streets; brought across the ditch by Aussie John Norton who had launched the Oz version with Sydney Truth in 1890 and other similar publications in subsequent years.

1905 An unseasonably warm spell saw the snow melt earlier than usual and cause the Waimakiriri River to break its banks and undermine the rail track at Chaney's, near Kaiapoi, which saw the Christchurch to Rangiora train become derailed with the death of two passengers.
*Was a bit sus on this one but followed Lisa's method and checked Papers Past to confirm it*

1927 The Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres was officially opened.
This Memorial names 56,000 Allied troops reported as lost in the battles near Ypres in WW1.

1978 The Australian newspaper flashed its pink feathers and published a feature story on gay rights.

1978 At the stroke of 10am 500 bodies marched down George St to Martin Place to protest sexual repression of gay people and to remember the Stonewall Riots in USA.

1978 At 10pm what became the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras travelled down Oxford st then drifted over to Kings Cross where the crowd of happy campers swelled to 2,000.
Spoil sport police arrested 53 people in Darlinghurst Rd.

2004 The Gay and Lesbian Kingdom was founded in the Coral Seas Islands with the leader named as Emperor Dale I.
*some sources say 14th others say 24th but the homophobic nutters will choke on either date*

Frugal Foods tips and recipe Stuffed Meat

Those wafer-thin pieces of meat called sandwich steaks or the like that are usually marked down yet inspire little enthusiasm in the average shopper can be stuffed and rolled into a filling meal with little effort.

Mix up your own favourite stuffing mix.
Take a spoonful of it and spread it across one end, then begin to roll the meat spreading a little more for each time you roll, till you reach the end and secure with a toothpick.

For varients on this recipe you can add small slices of citrus fruit on the stuffing mix in the meat.
Or a prune/asparagus spears/whole spring onions/pre-steamed carrot stick at the centre -let your imagination work for you.
Cherry tomatoes can also look effective although just stop at the one in each steak.

When cooking these you can bake in a dish with a little marinade/sauce/wine of your choice to baste with a covering of foil or lid.
These can also be cooked in a pan on top of the stove with fluid in the pan to preserve the flavour and to prevent drying out.

When using larger pieces of meat the same guides apply - add the stuffing only a little at a time (remember less is more and you don't want it bursting out like a manical sausage).
Cook with added fluids to prevent dryness.
Sometimes it's better to truss the larger meat with string rather than toothpicks or skewers.
When making this for the first time keep checking and basting the meat until you have a good idea of the timing required.
When you're really confident - but not before - you could try dipping the stuffed and trussed meat into batter to encase the flavour (almost like a Beef Wellington).

 

The Addams Family Thing at home in his natural environment.

An apple a day will increase global warming

 It's Typewriter Day, boys and girls.
What's that, you ask?
Well, once upon a time computers didn't exist and....
No, no there's no need to get hysterical, children, and please stop hugging the LCD monitors so tightly!
No, Jeremy, the printers won't suddenly disappear overnight.
Yes, Susie, there was a time before computers...no, please stop screaming...
Ok, ok, let's just call it Stuff-yourself-with-chocolate-Day, ok?

Right, punters, I've got a bagful of Granny Smith apples and I'm not afraid to eat 'em.
This means I shall be shortly contributing to Global Warming with some ripper farts so pack a gas mask along with your lunch tomorrow.

Oh, hellooooooo, 'shortly' was sooner than I thought....

1772 Slavery was abolished in England.
Just don't tell The Spouse, ok?

This means Dutch ovening will be on the menu for The Spouse tonight as thanks for his impersonation of a chainsaw Every.Damn.Night.
Yes, the real reason why God forbade Eve to dine on the Granny Smith in the Garden of Eden was because the Dutch Ovening was gonna be nasty due to the years of payback Eve owed Adam.
Plus God had run out of air freshener and was pulling that cat's bum face again.
The same one he pulled when Paris Hilton raised her head from the trough.

First apple down to the core...let's pace ourselves with a couple of mandarins, now, folks.

1973 The International Court of Justice condemned the French nuclear tests in the Pacific which had been opposed by NZ since the 1960's.

More information HERE.

I was going to waffle on about Top Gear Australia and how they took two "smart cars" out into the Aussie outback and were never seen again *cue horror music* drove down the Oodnadatta Track to deliver the mail.
To overseas readers that obviously means nothing unless you've braved the dirt road in the middle of nowhere that is so corrugated it could be classed as having never-ending multiple speed humps.
Did you know that the Track was once a train line, with real, gorgeous lusty busty steam trains thundering along it?
Getting comfy with the second apple now... 

 1980 The first IVF baby in Oz was born to Linda Reed in Melbourne.


Was called The (old) Ghan after the Afghan camel drivers who danced about the deserts of Oz with the greatest of ease.  The (new) Ghan is in operation now and gallops across the desert plains with gusto and a full load of passengers who've hocked their grandma's gold teeth for the privilege of seeing the sunrise turn the rocks and scrub into all shades of the palette.
An oh-so-slight journey of 2979 kms.

1991 Sonic the Hedgehog arrived on the scene.

I suspect The Spouse has dipped into my secret stash of apples and has consumed at least one.

I heard flatulance from him and I fear he has rumbled my plan.

Rats.

Am starting on 3rd apple and feeling slightly cider-ish.

Frugal Foods tips and recipe Stuffing

As River remarked yesterday the best stuffing is the home-made sort.
Now, there's a bajillion varieties of the following recipe - and readers are encouraged to contribute their own favoured versions.

One recipe my Mum used to make was to sautee a really finely chopped onion with some celery and garlic, then mix it in with breadcrumbs, herbs and spices of choice and a finely chopped tomato.
She'd then shove it up the chooks do-hicky-whatsit (after she'd removed all the chooks bits and washed it thoroughly) and last of all she'd pop in a lemon that had been chopped into 4ths or 8ths, depending on size.
The moisture of the tomato and sauteed onions would bind the dry ingredients together but more sometimes needed to be added.
She'd skewer or tie the legs closed and roast it on a rack with water underneath - this stops the chook from turning into dry cardboard.

Now, you can also make extra stuffing and bake it gently in the oven in a baking dish as there's never enough stuffing for everybody in the do-hicky-whatsit of a chook.
Just add a little more oil/butter/juice to the mixture and cover with foil to prevent it drying out.
It will cook quickly so leave on top of the stove to keep warm but with the foil intact.

If Mum was doing the poor man's version of Duck l'orange with a chook, she'd substitute the lemon for an orange. An orange is naturally sweeter so different herbs and spices would have been used; you'd be able to use heavier or spicier herbs as the sweetness would off-set it somewhat.

And remember stuffing isn't confined to chooks - you can make your own rolled roast and stuff it with your own preferred stuffing, thereby saving yourself money and getting much more flavour.

I am trying to get around to everyone's blogs but due to the bandwidth theft my speed has been capped so everything...is....really....slow.... but I'm getting there!

 

Each time he heard mention of the Global Financial Crisis, Albert had to fight the urge to unhinge his lower jaw to devour the nearest bank manager.

Chuckin' a tanty coz Mummy says I can't have my own stately mansion, hmph.

 Labassa.

Want.

Now.

Only worth $6 million in its current state, can't someone slip it into my hot little hand for an unbirthday pressie or some such?
I'd let you have tea in the dining room, of course!
This is a true Cinderella of the stately homes set; in the 1920's it was divided into 10 flats and the original 15 acre grounds were sold off *sob* but thankfully only minor butchery went on inside to the 22 carat gilt wallpapers, plaster roses, ornate friezes, etc. Anything yellow in the house is 22 carat gold gilding.
Stop scratching the wall!
Can't take any pics inside as it's copyrighted, etc, but take my word for it that despite areas still needing full restoration the place conjures up words like sumptuous, original, priceless, beautiful, perfection, artistry.

It is Chocolate Eclair Day today, so we *must* throw ourselves into celebrating this!

 

Top of the gorgeous lead-light front door, lovely little imp leering down upon visitors!

Went on a self-guided tour (and drooled), then joined the guided tour through the house (and drooled some more) and then the architectural tour around the outside of the joint (oh, yeah, they had us purring fit to burst by this stage).
Feral Beast managed to snaffle a piece of broken 120 yr old terrace tile out in the driveway whilst on the 'treasure hunt' activity they have for kids (it was ok, they didn't want it).

The last owners whacked up an ugly 2 storey place right smack bang in front of Labassa, not 6 feet from the front steps. When council told them to make repairs on Labassa they decided it was easier to knock it down - the only thing that stopped them was the massive quote from Whelan The Wrecker.
Fast forward to 1984 when the National Trust managed to buy the hideous house on the front lawn and Whelan The Wrecker knocked it down - free of charge LOL!
Karmic justice.

1854 News of the Crimean War fired fears of an attack on the fair isle of Oz by the Russian Navy.
Nyet.

 

C'mon...you didn't think you were going to be spared the chimneys, now did you?!

The fact this house has been used and abused and is slowly being brought back to it's original splendour gives it more character and interest, in some ways, than the Comos or Rippon Leas of the National Trust stable. There has been plenty of water damage and there are no gardens like the other houses but it's a friendly place where the affection the guides have for Labassa is evident in their manner.

1863 Adelaide finally found a use for all the hot air its politicians were spouting by lighting its streets with gas.

 

Why, yes, I could certainly handle having this pair propped above my drawing room, thank you!

Delicious Aussie mahogany is everywhere, especially in the massive fireplaces whose pediments mirror the ginormous ( that is so an architectural word) doorways with their own matching pediments.
This house is a snapshot of multi-culturalism before the word was even created ; the first owner who built the house, known then as Sylliot Hill, was an Irishman whose widow sold it to a Canadian chap who'd been born at sea on a ship sailing from England to Canada who then renamed the house Ontario.
The Canadian engaged a German-born architect who created the Labassa as it is today by building a French Rococo drawing room that featured Aussie gum leaves in the ceiling frieze, German figures at the front entrance, Italian marble in the facade, a stunning trompe l'oiel, Greek Acanthus decorations, gilt wallpaper made in China for an English firm, a Roman head or two and a French Revival mansard roof.

1982 NZ PM Robert Muldoon was not a popular bloke when he announced a 12 month wage and price freeze which actually lasted almost 2 years.

Feral Beast on a rock climb after we had finished supping at the cup that was Labassa.

Have I mentioned the Gone With The Wind-style staircase that branches into two with niches on each side that house lovely statues holding light sconces and the MASSIVE scrumptious lead-light window centred on the landing?
No? Well now I have.
I shall be trotting back at the next open day - 19th July - and probably every 3rd Sunday of the month; with activities like plays, pantos, displays, etc, surely no one will notice if I sneak the house out brick by brick in my handbag?

2005 500 people in Takaka on the South Island were evacuated when a massive fire broke out in the dairy factory in the town.

Frugal Food and tips - Many meals from 1 roast

Now you've lashed out and bought a leg of lamb/beef/pork roast.
When you're baking the vegies, cook extra.
This isn't in case the footy team from down the road calls in after the match but so as you have vegies already cooked to accompany the left over meat for the following day.

The remaining meat can be cut and-

• casseroled,
• made into sandwiches,
• made into stew,

Or

• minced in your own mincer and then you can make
• sausage rolls,
• pies,
• pasties,
• rissoles,
• savoury mince,
• stir fry,
• spag bol,
• meat loaf,
• dim sims,
• stuffed capsicums/mushrooms/spuds,
  
• whatever you wish.

Keep the bones from lamb or beef and boil them up for stock for soups, stews, casseroles, etc.
This will freeze perfectly well.

The vegies only need re-heating and there's your meal finished with most of the preparation performed the previous day.

 

Even into retirement knife blades in the back will continue to niggle politicians.

Wonder twin powers activate!

It's gazillion o'clock and I've just souped up the fettle with more lemony squares of wicked goodness (pray for us sinners now and at the moment we scoff the last square, Amen).
Oh, yeah.
I'm soooooo going to Hell....where it's toasty warm and chilblains are a thing of the past (woot).
So, let's get down to business...

1887 Queen Vic had parked her posterior on the Royal Throne for 50 years....hence the new vegie patch at Buck Palace to cover up the night soil and the fact it's not just the corgies who pee on the lawn of late...heck, Liz is over 80 now, a little stress incontinence is to be expected....just point her in the direction of the lemon trees and she'll be right...

Saw a fab doco on wild Killer Whales that worked directly with humans to herd whales at Eden on the NSW coast back in the day.
The Killer Whales would make their way to the whalers homes and slap their tails on the water to call the whalers out for the hunt and would guide them to where the whale was.
In just 1 rowing boat, no motor, a hand-thrown harpoon and in freezing cold weather they followed the Killer Whales in the middle of the night (they did not kill more than 8 whales each year).
Now, I'm no fan of whaling despite what my sushi chef says in the tabloids (hmmmm Minkie, the other white meat) but this group of human whalers were actually trained by the Killer Whales who had also worked with the local Aboriginal People before the European settlers arrived. This behaviour and extreme level of trust and help towards humans by wild animals is incredible.
(Looking at watch, counting the seconds before someone starts bleating about animal rights which completely misses the point of this doco tick tick tick).
Check the details and info out HERE.

1964 From 21st until 28th the mop tops from Liverpool waltzed their way around The Shaky Isles warbling their hit tunes to bazillions of screaming girls.
Learn more about these ancient artefacts HERE.

Have renamed Feral Beast as Shadrach after reading Brian's recent post.
The Offspring formerly known as Feral Beast is unphased by this latest quirk.
OH! Read about how there's now Time Team America!
Foxtel better be airing it on the History channel....Thursday nights would be fine with me....if anyone's listening...

2006 Kiwi working dogs were exempt from being microchipped under new animal laws.
 Explore NZ dish lickers HERE.

Am taking Shadrach, formerly known as Feral Beast, to that gorgeous stately mansion I would love to slip into my handbag, Labassa.
We will be forced to endure guided talks amidst beautiful furniture, chandeliers, draperies, gold embossed wallpaper and architecture that makes my teeth sing - and you won't.
I may shed a tear for you....if I remember whilst snapping pics of the chimneys....

Frugal foods and tips Lamb Stew with Parmesan dumplings

• Grab some lamb bones from the butchers, chuck 'em in a pot with enough water to cover and let simmer away for a few hours.
• Once the bones have toiled and troubled, cut the meat off them ( the meat should actually just fall off without any effort), dice finely, then add back into the water with diced onions, carrots, celery, parsnip and any other left over vegies that catch your eye.
• Finely dice some spuds and throw them in, the longer they cook the thicker the stew will be as they mush down.
• Throw in the usual suspects of beef/chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, a dash of Tabasco to warm those chilly nights or just some spicy BBQ sauce for less zing and whichever herbs/spices you want.
• Simmer away on the stove top for about 2 hours or in a casserole dish in the oven/slow cooking crock pot for 2 -3 hours, the longer the better flavour.
• Chuck together 2 cups of S/R flour, cut some butter through till it's like breadcrumbs, sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese then mix with enough milk to combine.
• Roll into small balls and plop on top of the stew, cover and let cook for 20 - 30 mins.
• Serve with a smile.

April vowed revenge on Sister Intoxicatia who removed April's second head with an apple corer.

She shoots, she scores...she did something with her hair....

So I didn't delete the blog or run into the desert to have a tanty of the screaming heebies.
Awww, sorry I spoilt your fun.
Whatever, I'm still here.
(_(_) (_(_) (_(_) (_)_) (_)_) (_(_)

1790 The food shortage in the colony was relieved when all the demon-possessed ankle biters turned cannibal and they hid the bodies in the vegies patch.
Oh, alright, the store ship of the second fleet, the Justinian, rocked up in the nick of time.
My version was more fun.

My cousin has booked a house-sitter for her farm, near Horsham, for the first time (she usually has wwoofers) and is getting cold feet for some reason.
Gee, first holiday - a well earnt holiday- in two years, I'd hate to see her cancel.

Yesterday would have been Mum and Dad's 55th wedding anniversary, except Mum was not looked after properly by a medical "professional" and died on her third waltz with cancer.
A friend's mother was "looked after" by the same person and also died - we both swear if we ever see her we'll hijack the nearest car and run the bitch down.
"I'm sorry officer, I can't see a thing...."

 1864 2,500 Aussies crossed the ditch to fight in the NZ Wars, seeing action on this day at Te Ranga.

Dad's wheelchair is getting uncomfortable as he's losing weight (he's dying by the way), so I'm hunting down fluffy, feathery cushions for him and crocheting different coloured rugs for when The Spouse takes him shopping.
Perhaps I should lend the wheelchair to Glen to trundle John out again...Glen seems to be in need of a crutch on a regular basis.

1928 The Canterbury Aero Club was formed with the first pilot trained there a woman, Aroha Clifford, probably NZ's first female pilot.

Was reading through the 1945 Law Notices from The Argus - as one does when one has nothing better to do - and noticed Hawthorn used to have airs and graces being labelled once upon a time Upper Hawthorn.
Where, may one ask, did Lower Hawthorn reside?

1943 Darwin was bombed.
Yes, again.
Just one of the 64 times it was bombed by enemy aircraft.
Someone should make a movie and call it "Darwin!" with some bimbo drooling after Hugh...oh, wait, they already did.

Made Jeanie's lemon squares recipe, had one too many post-evening meal last night and was overcome with sleepiness and yawning -was tempted to slip into a diabetic coma but the kids made too much noise for me to die sufficiently.
Besides, there's some fuckers I still want to screw with.

1987 The All Blacks won the first World Cup by very convincingly thrashing France 29 -9 at Eden Park.
Read more HERE.

After commenting on Fitzroyalty's post about food hygiene FOI battle I noticed one of the previously "closed for renovations" local butcher shops is closed again for...."renovations".
Ahem, yeah, sure, buddy.
The ones "closed for renos" were actually closed due to poor hygiene practices ( so several other butchers and shop keepers let slip) and thankfully they were not shops I loitered near with intent, they were just....not nice.

 

The recommended method for getting tired and emotional bois home from The Xchange Hotel.

To borrow a line from a former PM - G'Day Scumbag.
That's not directed at you, dear readers, but at the piece of dog shyte who has stolen my bandwidth, hounded me with emails and, yesterday, sent a threatening email accusing me of being "a Nazi bitch and Jew hater".
All because I took exception to a rude commenter on my blog almost a month ago.
Now, apparently it was not because the other person was rude at all but because I'm "a Nazi bitch and Jew hater" who is being "wached" (sic) and I should "drop the act".
I felt sick to my stomach reading the almost illiterate email last night signed from "A Friend".
I did consider deleting my entire blog and walking away such is the disgust I felt at this latest comment, but I figured that is just what this scumbag wants.
My dad worked for many Jewish families over the years, taking me along and I played with their kids. I went to school with some Jewish kids whose parents were either lapsed or couldn't afford private schooling  (I have no idea, it wasn't a topic of schoolyard conversation as we were avoiding the boy germs on the monkey bars). The Spouse's grandfather was an inmate of Bergen-Belsen prison camp, tattooed with the number on his forearm and lucky to survive to make his way to Oz.
I do not give a fat rat's clacker about anyone's beliefs or skin colour, it is the person themselves that I judge.
Before the rude commenter starts claiming I've accused her of being the author I don't believe this is from her but someone who thinks they are doing her a favour.
With friends like that, who needs enemies.

Mother's adage ruined Cripin's favourite past time.

At eighteen June can vote!

Am half listening to a satirical doco Global Haywire that The Spouse and Feral Beast are watching, must be good there's chuckling and horrified gasps...and it's narrated by Tom Baker, after all!

Ohhhh, goodie, it's almost midnight and I'll just finish this and trot off to beddy-byes to listen to the Nightlife Challenge on ABC radio.

1788 Woot, grab your bottle of home-made ale and gargle a toast as the name Sydney began to be bandied about in the new colony.
For those who actually care it was a bit of brown nosing to name it after Thomas Townshend 1st Viscount Sydney.
I know you care...I can hear it in your voice....

1792 Naughty run away Mary Bryant and her fellow nicker-offerers (them what done a bunk with her) were slung in the clink indefinitely at Portsmouth.
Until she batted her lashes at some bloke and got let off....

1873 Ohhhhhh errrrrrrr, well isn't Perth the fancy pants then!
Perth went the whole hog and lashed out on oil street lighting which was bung in on this date.

1895 Minnie Dean, infamous baby murderer, went on trial at Invercargill Supreme Court.
More info HERE.

1907 In The Bay of Plenty Times  the Chairman of the Canterbury  Fruitgrowers' Association stated -
"If Tasmanian fruit is allowed free into NZ it will collar the market and the only thing left for us will be to chop down our orchards and go in for cow-spanking."
Cow-spanking.
Now there's a mental image to make you stay indoors after dark.....
*It actually means milking cows. Now finish your brekkie*

Lemon Pudding.

• Oil or grease a casserole dish.
• In a mixing bowl cream a huge-ish lump of butter with about 1 cup of sugar and 2 egg yolks.
• Bung in the juice and zest of 2 lemons, keep mixing.
• Chuck in a cup of plain flour and a large-ish dollop of milk, keep mixing.
• Toss in the egg whites after you've changed your mind about beating them into stiff peaks, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
• Scrape the lot into the casserole dish, bung on the lid and whack in a hot oven for 25 mins.
• Serve with ice cream or cream or whatever you prefer to bring on a heart attack/diabetic coma.
  

 

Enid found rubbing floor polish onto strange men lead to landing a few slippery customers.

June is sixteen going on seventeen...

Remember I shared the fact that I have the wireless prattling on through the wee hours?
I woke at 2.30 yesterday morning to hear Trevor Chappell (no, not the underarm bowler) announce the Womble-a-thon.
Yes, a Womble-a-thon.
A competition where they got callers to sing the Womble theme tune and win something insignificant in comparison to the name they've made for themselves for signing about some bizarre creatures on national radio.
A Womble-a-thon.
A bloke won, a ring-in I suspect, who just happened to live in Wimbledon as a child at the height of Womble-mania, and who knew all the verses !
A Womble-a-thon.
Giggling my way through that I dozed off while people were ringing in to explain why they missed a particular politician (thankfully one sms'ed in to say "I might miss 'em but my aim is getting better". Another asked "Yes, I am missing Harold Holt, do you know where he is?").
Then I woke up to hear Sabrina the girlie gardening guru around 3am-ish, snorting and giggling and wondering if it was too early to go sprinkle fertiliser around the lemon tree like she suggested for one caller I considered starting the day before sparrow fart but was just too cold.
So I planted my icy size 10's square on The Spouse's toasty warm back.
Did you know grown men can levitate given the right inducment?

1826 Fred Fisher, who became famous for being a ghost and claiming his murderer, was given the heave-ho into the next world.
Read about Fisher's Ghost HERE.

1832 The Hobart Town Crier had correspondence from 'A True Friend'.
Let's see :
"When I last addressed the PUBLIC I entertained a hope I should not again be forced to trespass on their attention....blah blah blah...."
Ok, folks, move along, nothing to see here, total fruit loop writing to the editor again.

1843 The Wairau Incident occured, the first serious clash between British and Maori after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Read more HERE.

1849.......

*squeeee* They have TWO pairs of handcuffs!

Think of the possibilities?!

That John Fox fellow shouldn't be too hard to spot...now, go hunt these ne'er do wells to earn your housekeeping money.

But remember -Constable Morris is under a dark career cloud at the moment, best apply elsewhere for the moolah.

1867 Sad but eloquent writer and poet Henry Lawson was pupped near Grenfell NSW.

1903 Hawera & Normanby Star trumpeted that they'd received a Letter ! from the NZ Brass Band in the Old Dart who had battled typhoid fever on the voyage but had held merry and successful practices during the remainder of the boat trip.
Speaking of which - Virgin are really plugging Pop Over To Britain flights at $1,445.
Verrrrrrrrry tempting.
But only do-able if I cancel the contract to sell my left arm and both legs for Feral Beast's braces, which have just been mortared onto his toothy-pegs this arvo.
Decisions, decisions....

Manicure Do's and Don't's

Too late Tarquin remembered his grand-mamma never used her tomahawk to trim her talons.

June was only sixteen, only sixteen...

Ahhh, comedian Ross Noble's balls are on fire..... a guy who opens his mouth and says what some of us would love to let rip.....bliss....
No, I tell a lie.
Bliss is when Paul McDermott used to do the brekkie show with sex god Mikey Robbins on Triple J and his acerbic wit would rip me from my gentle slumber to face the day with a gut busting laugh with his deepest and darkest sarcastic humour.
Or when he didn't realise the middle kid in pop group Hanson was a he...not a she.
Oops!

1828 The Hobart Town Crier was wailing about convict servant Mary Ann Jarvis - a saucy lass if ever there be one - who was charged with insolence and intoxication *horrors*.
After being sentenced to work in the Female Factory two men, who obviously greatly appreciated the charms of Mary Ann, attacked the Constable and the chickybabe prisoner was off like a frog in a sock.

1840 The New Zealand Advertiser and Bay of Islands Gazette carried a letter from a Colonist who rhapsodised about the beauty of the Bay of Islands...somehow he was in no danger of ailing from homesickness.

1860 The Moreton Bay Courier shared some gruesome tales with its readers; one about a prankster who strung himself up as a fright for his co-workers...who didn't find him until he was well and truly dead, the other about a chap who had survived a bullet to the noggin almost 12 mths earlier but *surprisingly* upped and died suddenly.
Dreadful, the way men are just leaving their employers in the lurch like that....

1889 The South Australian Advertiser was bleating about 3 randy old rams that had been running amok until being impounded and were to be offered for sale.

1920 The Grey River Argus proclaimed that the bottom had been kicked out of the tinned meat trade with employees of the Eltham Bacon Company having been paid off.
Mr AG Bignell of Wanganui thought that "Sydney seems to have a race day practically every day of the week,".
Mr Bignell if you think it's bad imagine how the horses feel!

Fifteen Junes

Isn't it a beautiful morning?!
Actually, it's after midnight as I'm chucking this altogether so let's just pretend it's morning, ok? You know what they say "humour the nutter and all will be well"....or is that rabid monkeys?
Oh! Speaking of rabid monkeys *waves to the feral mother from Spotlight* Scrabbling through the bargain bin of children's costumes and collecting a large handful, I swear I heard her snarl and bark at one shopper who moved near the bin.
Scary mofo, baby!

1826 Crikey Moses, Joseph the carpenter, Mary the mother and Nev the concrete koala, things were crook in The Apple Isle according to the Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser.
The Administration was going through money like it was water and had borrowed another £1,000 for something or other...blah, blah, blah...tits in a tangle is all you need to know...knickers in a twist...the editor could be heard to seeeeeth through the very words of the article.

I am not tapping my feet in time to Footloose at this moment, despite what The Spouse claims.
It's a nervous twitch.

1865 A correspondent to the Perth Gazette and WA Times apparently already had his jocks in a knot, judging by the letter which was *gasp* agitating for self government!
Yesssss, I know!
Crazy!
Next thing they'll be demanding women in parliament....

The Spouse is currently channel surfing the utmost crap on telly while waiting for me to finish this epic.
Oh wait!!!
The Goodies are about to start on the Comedy Channel!!
Might...spin.....this........out.............a..................bit.....................longer.............

1901 The South Australia Advertiser announced that 'boisterous weather' whipped the capital leaders into high excitement...oh wait, I see it was actually 'an exceedingly high tide' in the Port River that tickled the underside of the wharves and flooded the north side of St Vincent and nearby streets.
That doesn't explain the left behind chicken fillets under the kitchen sink or the condom water balloons in the bath tub....

1912 Not forgetting across the ditch The Evening Post announced that No.30 company Wellington Technical School had had a bout of 'Morris Tube shooting' practice.
Had not the foggiest what this was so I went on the hunt for you, dear reader, and discovered a Morris Tube was a small rifle barrel that could be inserted inside a larger rifle barrel (keep it clean) for shooting practice.
Anyway the lads hadn't played with a Morris tube before so their scores were a bit droopy.

1927 The Northern Territory Times announced the Thrilling News! that the Children's Fancy Dress Party was to take place on the 17th.
Oh super, we'll let the little devils come au naturale as themselves.
Should scare the old church ladies off for a bit

Regurgitations from my amygdala

Twitter : what are you doing?
Sitting on my ever-lovin' arse typing the most mundane prattle to a bunch of strangers who could care less.
I fear my standing appointment for bamboo being shoved under my fingernails is in no danger of lapsing....

Nike - Just Do It!
Yeah, yeah, procrastination is verbal constipation.
Like governments the world over and the UN in particular.

Victoria On The Move....
Again with the bowel movement references and the fact Victoria is the arse end of Oz.
Just so long as Bumbling Brumby is driving the caboose.

AFL throwing a tanty over AC/DC playing at Etihad Stadium-
The game is twitching, it's on life support, just be kind and pull the plug, admit defeat and let a world renown band really do what Aussie Rules has only pretended to do in recent years - entertain the masses.

Rove : What The...?
Katie Price and Peter Andre hitting splitsville is apparently news.
Damn, had hopes the Jolly Jug Juggler would keep the screechy 'singer' quiet by smothering him every so often.
Now he's on the loose again and threatening to re-launch his singing career...Ohhhh the humanity....

Global Warming is turning my tootsies blue June 14

Some bits and bobs from the NZ Papers Past on this date.
Enjoy!

1866 In the June 14th edition of the Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle a one A. Dudley Dobson possibly crushed the hope and spirit of a budding palaeontologist who oh-so innocently requested Dobson's help in excavating a petrified bird from a stone; but noooooooooo Dobson did not have the imaginaton to see the rare, but now quite flightless, winged creature trapped within the rock and proceeded to report his findings to the world at large through the newspaper.
Professor Owen - and other  fossil lovers- were probably cast adrift into a cruel sea of monotony and allowed themselves to be dragged by their fathers into careers of tax auditing baboons, insurance sales for dust bunny collectors and toe nail trimming for camels.
*Apologies to podiatrists for the last remark, we know how much you love fossils*

In The Nelson Evening Mail of the same date, Mr Thornton of the Victoria Hotel in Haven Rd, Nelson was keen to let the world know his reasonable prices for alcohol including the fact Scotch Ale was a piddling 1s 6 d.
Could throw a whole party for a few quid....in fact I hear some miserable professors got shickered up good and proper that night.....

Elsewhere in the Nelson Evening Mail there were harsh words about the little Sunday School horrors who were damaging the windows, removing the books, breaking pencils and the slates, and outright theft!
*ahem* 8th commandment...? Someone forgot to drum that into the little darlings heads?
Gracious, how far is it to Mr Thornton's pub, again?

Perhaps put one of the louts to work? The old saying is "idle hands are the Devil's tool" after all!
The Bruce Herald of this date had a position for -
"a stout lad to milk a cow, look after two horses, work in the garden and make himself generally useful. Board and lodging and £6 10 a quarter".
That's it, keep the little bugger working so hard he'll be too knackered to even think about nicking a pencil or Sunday School slate ever again.
So there!

Shivering Saturday June Thirteen

 Tis the Alphabet Soup Radiothon of JOY 94.9, started yesterday and continues until June 21.
So listen online, join up and support a fab resource.

823 Holy Roman Emperor and King of the West Franks Charles the Bald ( or in PC parlance Charles The Follically Challenged) was pupped.

I have solar and dynamo powered radios (that charge up on mains if need be) and I have the radio going all night, every night so I can catch the pearls of wisdom on gardening at 3am or a trivia challenge at 4am or the news at 2am...you get the picture.

Imagine me sitting up in bed shivering enough to turn the bed into a vibrating novelty, teeth chattering morse code while I wind up the damn radio that had gone flat in the middle of the night so as I wouldn't miss the dulcet tones of Red Symons at breakfast.

Yes, it really is coldest just before dawn! LOL

1835 The collection of shanties we know today as Melbourne was considering the title of Batmania on this day.
Yes, I will trot this out on the same Bat time, same Bat channel every year if only for the pleasure of saying ner ner ner ner ner ner ner ner ner ner ner ner ner BATMAN!

How cold is it?

It's so cold sparrow fart hasn't registered for days as the sparrows are hogging the farts for extra warmth.

1866 The shocking Maungatapu murders took place.
For more details click HERE.

We sleep with a dog in her beanbag, the other dog and a cat under the doona.

You know it's cold when the animals whinge if you don't share the hot water bottles with them....

1933 Having a lump of dirt doing nothing, The Australian Antarctic Territory was established.
Because it was just there.

Chooks are happy with Feral Beast's suggestion of sawdust mixed with the straw and shredded newspaper....they put themselves to bed, tuck themselves in and have laid 2 double yolkers so far.

1949 Brekkie presenter and character of wit, Red Symons celebrates his 21st all over again.

Watched Message Stick last night and all I can say is Walgett is damned lucky to have Craig Ashby who is a passionate student teacher with his head screwed on the right way and full of determination and vision to hope to be guiding future indigenous and non-indigenous students through the intricacies of Oz history.

1956 Broadmeadows, in the wild west outskirts of Batmania Melbourne was loudly proclaimed to be....A City!!!!

You know what really sucks hairy dogs' balls?

Finding an article in the newspaper archives, dated 1946, reporting a new Aboriginal committee person's maiden speech which clearly stated how mission schools were failing the Aboriginal children and how their literacy and numeracy skills were poor or non-existent.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.....

Young 'ousemaid Nicked March 30th 1927

Back in the day when it was beginning to become apparent that the lower orders really had stopped tugging on their forelocks at their betters, a housemaid made orf with a Most Expensive Garment, Your Worship!

In March of 1927 the Federal Parliament parked their collective posteriors for the final time in Melbourne, beginning on the 24th.
Sir John Gellibrand, a Distinguished General from The Great War (one of those in charge who came home in one piece to establish Legacy) was the National Party MP for Denison in Tassie and had brought along the missus, possibly for a little shopping, a little round of dinner parties, perhaps they were going to lavishly entertain other politicians but I'm certain the little wifie had no plans of handing out her apparel to the hoi polloi.

At number 2 Collins Street in Melbourne - a mere 2 years before the commencement of building Alcaston House - the titled Gellibrands were based with their trunks, bags and assorted accoutrements. Probably planning a light round of socialising until the heavy politicking work was behind them, they no doubt had full faith in the servants engaged to care for them and their belongings.

One servant cared for one dress in particular so much so that she thought the poor wee lambkin should be taken home and given a loving family to look after it properly.
Elsie Wilson, who called an 'umble abode in Gertrude Street, Fitzroy home, took a fancy to a georgette frock and "another item of clothing" when doing her housemaidly duties in cleaning out the bedroom and wardrobe ( such a thorough lass!).
Alas, the georgette frock was worth a magnificent £17, far more than young Elsie was used to spending on her attire, no doubt, and Lady Gellibrand had a liking for that exact frock.

The filth wuz called an' young Else wuz in the crap propa wiv the filth pokin' their noses in 'er gear right orf. She knew the game wuz up an' wuz a lousy liar so she owned up quick smart, did young Else, didn't give no bovver to the plod.

Poor girl probably had a good scare back onto the right track in life when her 3 month gaol sentence was suspended and she was put on a good behaviour bond for 12 months with a £ 10 surety after a court case that was concluded on 29th March, a mere 5 days after Parliament began sitting.
Speedy justice for the titled, hmmm?

Puzzled

Heya folks,
I'm sitting at work, on the computer hoping that someone on the floor has a newspaper... but so far, not so good...
I've tried jumping onto Google and looking for websites, but due to my restricted internet access, alas, I cannot access anything...



I've found an MX, but its from the other day and I've already done the puzzles in that.
its too early in the morning for me to work without being mentally awake.

The guy that sits just near me who likes to stick his nose into everyones business, and assumes that if he brings donuts into work for everyone, that we all automatically become besties with him and he's given permission to stare at our breasts, is as usual making my day, his business... i just stood up to go ask one of the boss's if there was a news paper lying around, and he's jumping in before i've actually locked my knees and was technically standing, and asked what i was doing and if he could help me with anything.
please note, i'm a more senior rep than he... bloody fool.






so today's not starting off as possitive as i'd like... no mental stimulation, and Idiot bragade on full alert...
so here i am trying to create my own distraction/mental stimulation... not rly wrkin akchooly...

Tis The Twelfth June

As I know how much some readers enjoy Midsomer Murders I tried to hunt down a pic online of the star in his muscled glory robed in those all-too-brief shorts....alas this is the best I could do but I know some of you will be speechless.
Hope you've eaten brekkie!

 

1365 King Edward III of England stamped his royal heel and banned the playing of that barbaric game, football.

Lads were to busy themselves with the practice of archery instead.

*twang*

1848 Kemp's Deed was signed giving the New Zealand Company control of the land from Kaiapoi to Otago.

Read more HERE.

1901 At Williamsrust in South Africa Victorians were trapped by a surprise attack in an horrific 5 minutes-long raid which resulted in the deaths of 18 and 42 wounded.

1942 The first of an eventual 100,000 American servicemen arrived in New Zealand.

For more details click HERE.

What is it with people and marriage lately?!

First is a person I met through a friend who upped and left her hubby then it comes out she's got her sights set on a married male friend while playing nicey-nice friends with the wife.

Then on Monday I was down Carnegie way only to bump into our 2-doors-along much married neighbour who was playing tonsil hockey with some teen-looking bimbo. I knew he'd seen me after I walked past as I could hear the swearing!

Wonder if I'm game to walk up to the shops today and see what I bump into then?!