Last night proved to be an extremely restless one for both of us, as it verged on being almost unbearably still as well as starry. Rather than disturb Tiki further, I arose at a quarter past twelve and watched the film, “A Taste Of Excitement”, on Channel Nine. Produced in 1969, it stars Eva Renzi.
Just for a change, from eight o’clock, I decided to listen to 2BL. At half past the hour, Caroline Jones, who is a fan of Test cricket and the compere of the A.B.C.-TV’s investigative series, ‘Four Corners’, began playing old recordings by Bing Crosby. These included that of “Makin’ Whoopee”, which was recorded in December of 1928.
After nine, I turned the dial to 2GB and its announcer, Jimmy Hannan, who talks too much for my liking; even when a record is being played. Consequently, it wasn’t long before I was listening to George Gibson’s show, “Music Machine”, on 2KY, as I washed the dishes from last night’s delicious meal. Before commencing this task, I firstly had to carry the hot water required from the archaic heater in the bathroom to the kitchen sink.
I enquired of our next-door neighbour as to when we would receive the one hundred and eight dollars. This amount being their share of the cost of materials that were used in the construction of the new side fence. He said that we should be in receipt of it by Wednesday or Thursday. At twenty to twelve I left to walk to Miranda. There our rates were paid to the Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board, at the branch of the Rural Bank in Kiora Road, prior to my collection of five blank claim forms from the branch of the Medical Benefits’ Fund which is located inside Miranda Fair. Tiki had told me it was on the ground floor of Grace Bros when it is actually on the ground floor of Myer.
Nock and Kirby became my next port of call. There, I purchased a small tin of undercoat in addition to another of paint which is ‘Saddleback Brown’ in colour. Both paints are to be used to protect and cover those spots left bare by the removal of the fittings that held and supported the old awning that was affixed to our bedroom window. I also bought a block, some sandpaper to wrap around it and a bottle of mineral ‘turps’. My intention was to also buy a hacksaw, however, the service was so poor and the youths serving, so young, that I dispensed with this idea because I sensed the futility in asking them about what sort of blades they would recommend to accompany its purchase. Instead, I bought a lightweight pair of shears, that had been manufactured in America, at a cost of sixteen dollars and thirty-five cents.
At two o’clock I watched “Ripcord” which now screens on Channel Ten. “Forest Rangers”, a documentary which is set in Canada, was shown on Channel Two from twenty-five past the hour. It is about the illegal shooting of beavers. The dial was turned back to Channel Ten, at three o’clock, to observe what is a pretty mundane edition of the defunct series, “The Mod Squad”. The latest programme in the Australian pop series, “Right On”, screened from four. Its presenter, Kobe Steele, has developed a tendency to giggle more and more often in recent presentations and, quite frankly, is becoming somewhat inane.
Following Channel Seven’s half an hour of news, read by Roger Climpson, “Willesee”, at seven, features Billy Thorpe, the Australian recording star. Billy, a Mancunian by birth, at the age of thirty-one is sporting a new less clean-cut image. Another English-born Australian counterpart of his, Johnny Farnham, narrates another in the documentary series, “Survival”, at half past the hour. This evening’s offering centres upon the bats of the Tamana Cave in Trinidad.
My sister, Susan, rang from Melbourne to enquire as to when we shall arrive at her place for Christmas. Tiki is taking up the hems of her new dresses by hand. We retired after another episode of Channel Seven’s police serial, “Cop Shop”.