Category: My Diary

Today’s weather has been fine with a maximum of twenty-seven degrees Celsius, one degree above the average for this time of the year. Swedish actress, Britt Ekland, appeared on “Willesee” this evening.

Eighty-one homes and other buildings have been gutted and five people have lost their lives as a result of grass fires in western Victoria, at the weekend. The township of Streatham was almost destroyed. Injured cattle and sheep have had to be shot.

A two-hour “Starsky and Hutch” ‘movie special’ is on TCN Channel Nine, this evening, whilst on Channel Seven, there is the continuation of “Rich Man, Poor Man: Book 2”.

At 8.30 p.m., on ATN Channel Seven, Bill Collins, who lives and breathes for films, introduces “Gods Of The Sun”. It bears the copyright of 1964 and stars Yul Brynner and George Chakiris.

“The Omen”, with Gregory Peck and Lee Remick, is screening at the new Hoyts’ Cinema Centre on George Street. The building contains seven cinemas.

A hamburger cost forty cents. Three carnations, of varying colours, cost forty-five cents.

At The Lantern Tavern seafood restaurant in Cronulla: two whole lobster mornays cost seven dollars and eighty cents each; two orange juices; rich lemon cheesecake with cream; apple pie and cream; plus two coffees, came to a total bill of only nineteen dollars and seventy cents.

After dinner I listened to Sam Gallea’s programme on the radio. He played Cliff Richard’s recording, “Blue Turns To Grey”, and listeners were asked to phone in and name the artist as well as state the year (1966) in which the record had been a hit. Sam volunteered that The Shadows’ old instrumental recordings are, once again, really popular in England.

The postmen are currently on strike. Today’s maximum was twenty-nine degrees Celsius.

“Donny And Marie (Osmond)” is on television, this evening, with guests that include the comedian, Paul Lynde, and Sonny and Cher.

Australia is 6-345, at stumps, in Christchurch. Doug Walters remains not out on one hundred and twenty-nine.

Last night’s concert, at the Showground, featuring Rod Stewart, had to be cancelled, due to the storm which struck Sydney. Today was quite chilly, with a maximum of twenty-four degrees Celsius.

At the orchard, Glenburnie, in Darkes Forest, between Sydney and Wollongong, we bought three pounds of “green” grapes for a dollar, three pounds of “red” grapes for a dollar and thirty-five cents and three pounds of large plums for a dollar and fifty cents.

From 6.30 p.m., “Space 1999”; 7.30, and also on Channel Seven, “Morecambe And Wise”, with the pair’s guest being the celebrated British actor, John Mills.

At stumps, in Christchurch, New Zealand is 3-106 in reply to Australia’s 552. Doug Walters amassed 250 and the left-handed all-rounder, Gary Gilmour, one hundred and one.

David Hookes, a left-handed batsman, has scored 156 against New South Wales. It is his fifth century in six innings, for South Australia, and his fourth in succession.

At half past eight, this evening, on Channel Nine, the movie, “Kill Charley Varrick”, from 1973, has Walter Matthau cast in the title role. Another film, “Whatever Happened To Rosemary’s Baby”, is on Channel Seven.

A six months’ trial to ban smoking on public transport begins today. It is a pity that it was not introduced a year earlier as last year was Sydney’s wettest since 1963 and, as two non-smokers, we had to rely entirely upon public transport.

Sydney experienced rain this afternoon. The city, on average, receives approximately one thousand two hundred millimetres (forty-eight inches) per annum.

The rain of yesterday continued all night. I collected a Tax Rebate form from the post office at Brighton-le-Sands, and a Medibank Exemption form from St. Peters Post Office.

The First Test, in Christchurch, ended in a draw. New Zealand was 8-293 (Bevan Congdon 107 n.o.) in its second innings; fifty-seven runs short of victory.

The rain went, for the day, after lunch, having teemed all morning.

At 7.30 p.m., “Serpico”; 8.30, a two hours’ programme, ‘The Trick Book’, of the “Policewoman” series, which stars Angie Dickinson as Pepper Anderson. The British actress, Joan Collins, is listed among its guest stars.