Month: December 2017

The early morning was a mixture of drizzle and sunshine after which a leaden overcast developed. Nevertheless, there was to be no further rain.

Some teachers from schools in the inner city went on strike, again, today. This is the third such occurrence in the past six weeks. The strikes stem from a dispute in regards to staffing at the Erskineville Infants’ School.

“Here It Is” follows “Last Of The Wild” on Channel Two. In this evening’s edition, Steve Raymond is made to look like a werewolf by an artist who specialises in such effects. Another in the series, “Gemini Man”, follows “Willesee” on Channel Seven.

The Second Test begins at Old Trafford, in Manchester. At 10.00 p.m., Australia was 1-61 with opener, Ian Davis, on thirteen and Greg Chappell, thirty-nine. Rick McCosker had been dismissed for just two. Chappell was in superb form, as his score would suggest.

When stumps were drawn, early this morning (A.E.S.T.) Australia was 7-247. Doug Walters’ 88 represents his highest score in a Test on English soil. Of those batsman dismissed, Greg Chappell scored 44 and Rod Marsh, thirty-six.

I thought that the prices had been adjusted at The Nut Bar, inside the main entrance to Miranda Fair, but when I realised that they had not I was moved to comment that the price of cashews there was twice that of elsewhere. This drew a heated response from the woman behind the counter as she informed me that she only worked there and, therefore, had no control over the prices that were charged.

And whilst on the subject of charging! This evening’s edition of “Last Of The Wild”, from six o’clock, is about the elephant. Channel Two screened recorded highlights of the first day’s play in the Second Test, from eight o’clock. This was followed, at half past eight, by its coverage of the second day’s play, live, from Old Trafford, in Manchester. Australia was dismissed for 297 and England was 2-24, in reply, when I turned in, at ten minutes to midnight.

We were awoken, at 7.00 a.m., by a bird which bore the call of a wolf-whistler. I turned on the radio and learned that England had fought back from being 2-23 to be 3-206 at stumps. Derek Randall had compiled seventy-nine while Bob Woolmer remains undefeated on eighty-two.

At noon we watched a programme in the series, “Cher”, on Channel Seven. It was followed, at one o’clock, by another documentary in the series, “Survival”. This one is about the rare birds in the English county of Norfolk. At ten minutes to two and also on Channel Seven, Malcolm T. Elliott, situated in the studio in Sydney, introduced today’s live coverage of the Australian Rules match from Melbourne between Essendon and the competition’s leader, Collingwood. The ‘Bombers’ led for a time, only to be overhauled prior to the final siren.

“Grey Affair” won the Doomben Cup, in Brisbane, this afternoon and paid $5.05 and $1.40 on the N.S.W. T.A.B. New South Wales defeated Great Britain by thirty-five points to five, in rugby league’s match of the day, which was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The score at half-time had already been twenty-one points to two.

“Plant Eaters”, a documentary that is narrated by the actor, Vincent Price, screens from half past six. It is followed by “King Solomon’s Mines”, a film that bears the copyright of 1950 and includes the English pairing of Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr.

I watched the Second Test, live, on Channel Nine. Bob Woolmer and the lanky Tony Greg were thrashing the bowling. The Australians — wicketkeeper, Rodney Marsh, in particular — obviously felt, as I did, that Greig had edged a delivery from Jeff Thomson and been caught behind, but the umpire did not see it that way. When I retired to bed, at a quarter to eleven, England was 3-288, with Woolmer, 137 not out and Greig, also undefeated, on seventy-six.

Australia is struggling in the Second Test, with England 9-436 at stumps — a lead of 139 runs.

Fallen needle-like leaves from the palm, at the front of the house, became tightly entwined around the lawn-mower’s blade shaft. Sensing my frustration and annoyance, Tiki came to my aid with a sharp knife.

While Tiki painted the doors of a cupboard ‘Tusk Ivory’, I gave the walls of the bathroom their second coat of the same. We only just had enough paint to finish both jobs. Later, she dusted and placed clothes in draws.

In the afternoon, during the washing of our 1973 Chrysler ‘Galant’, we realised that water had entered the vehicle via a leaky, rubber seal in the rear door on the driver’s side. The only plus from today, thus far, has been the gloriously sunny weather, which delivered a maximum of eighteen degrees Celsius.

Tiki, from four o’clock, watched the picture, “Slaves Of Babylon” (1952), which features Richard Conte. Ninety minutes later, “Ask The Leyland Brothers” covers travelling across the Nullarbor Plain aboard the Indian-Pacific train, which traverses the longest straight length of railway line in the world; and the tranquillising of deer, from a helicopter, in New Zealand.

Channel Two’s edited replay of this afternoon’s clash between Canterbury-Bankstown and Manly-Warringah follows. Played at the former’s home ground, Belmore Oval, Canterbury held a slender advantage of three points to two at half-time. Although Manly moved to a lead of seven points to three, it was receiving little ball from the scrums and it was, therefore, of no surprise when the opposition prevailed by twelve points to seven. Today’s loss means that Manly-Warringah is now in fifth position on the competition’s ladder, with twenty points; three ahead of Canterbury-Bankstown.

Channel Two’s news is followed — as it has been for years — by “Weekend Magazine”, which includes an item on the train, ‘The Gulflander’, which runs between Normanton and Croydon in the far north of Queensland. “Test Cricket Highlights” came next, at half past the hour, but by eight I had turned the dial to Channel Nine and the latter half of “Hawaii Five-O”.

In Adelaide, the Australian ‘Socceroos’ defeated Hong Kong by three goals to nil in a preliminary match of the World Cup.

As we had been about to eat lunch I had enquired of Tiki, “Is this pumpkin butternut?”

“Kent”, she concisely replied.

“As in Clark?”, I volunteered.

“That’s right.”

“Does that mean that when I eat it, I’ll be able to fly and jump off tall buildings?”

“Yes. But before you do the latter let me know, so that I can have the garbage bin in position.”