AT: I heard a whisper that former Port Fairy baker Ian Gibb has copped plenty of flak since it was revealed in last week’s column that he had mixed some cat food into his homemade stew and ate half of it before he realised. Any truth to the rumour?
TA: One Hundred per cent. He’s been getting phone calls and when he answers all he hears down the line is meeeeoww, meeeoww. Wife Mary has been asked in the supermarket if she had picked up the cat food for the week. There’s no doubt it was a funny yarn.
AT: Mick Nevill also copped plenty after his run-in with a butter menthol last week. He was even offered a few more soothers when he tried to get a beer at the footy last weekend. This week’s targets include a couple more well-known lads. Popular plasterer Barry Primmer is sporting a ripper black eye this week. Big Bazza was a bit distracted when he opened his ute door and forgot to move his head. Clipped himself with the door on the cheekbone and finished with a sensational shiner. But that’s not as good as tyre salesman Kev McCluskey. The trimmed down version of what used to be Big Kev went to get some washing off the line last Sunday after a “social day” and believe it or not he tripped on a peg. Kev woke up with a crook ankle and had to have two days off work. I’m tipping boss Baulchy at Beaurepaires was asking the tough questions when he found out why his right-hand man was out of action.
TA: Warrnambool horses Baughurst and Hissing Sid left Melbourne by air on Monday night for Queensland with both contesting some big races over the next month. Apparently the trip back to Warrnambool was tough for Symon Wilde and Paul Daffy.
AT: Not surprising when Daff was involved.
TA: Story goes they got caught up in one of the worst ever fogs. The pea soup was really bad between Geelong and Camperdown. The speedo was lucky to make double figures for some of the trip but fortunately when they got to Camperdown the fog just lifted. I hear there was a lot more action in Port Fairy’s leading hotel last Friday night.
AT: Would the action have anything to do with Damian “Joey” Gleeson?
TA: News must travel fast. After one of Joey’s long lunches he thought he was having a heart attack but after calling in expert medical opinions he was told he was suffering from indigestion. In the pub last Friday night those in attendance did a re-enactment of Joey’s medical emergency. Well known builder and Port Fairy surf club member Jimmy Chambers even performed mouth-to-mouth on the one-eyed Collingwood fan in the pub as part of the show. Funny part of the story is Joey now has Quick-Eze in his pockets, the glove box in his car, on his bedside table and even his labrador has a satchel around his neck carrying Quick-Eze in case of an emergency.
AT: Talking of Port Fairy, great to see the village is getting some spin-offs from the bonanza caused by southern bluefin tuna which has attracted fishermen from across Victoria and interstate. There have been 50 boats out from Port Fairy each day this week. There were 400 boats launched from Portland last weekend. Pity all these fishermen are driving past Warrnambool.
TA: Why’s that?
AT: Tim there’s no doubt most of these fishermen would come to Warrnambool if we had a decent boat ramp. Not even the locals will put in a boat at Warrnambool because of the dangerous sea surge and the potential of doing damage to the big boats valued up to $250,000. It’s about time the council got itself into action and was at least ready for next year. Petrol sales in Portland jumped $10 million last year which was directly attributed to recreational tuna fishing. Warrnambool has the accommodation. Fishermen going to Portland are being forced to sleep in their boats. The industry is estimated to generate about $50 million a year in Portland. It’s time for Warrnambool City Council to act promptly. The fish are off Warrnambool and it’s time to spend some money to make sure everything is in place next year.
TA: Jeez, you’re wound up about that, what about missing out on Better Homes & Gardens when the footy was shown live last night?
AT: Tim, I’ve said for the past couple of years that Channel 7 has been ripping off the public by loading up the footy coverage with ads. Congrats for moving the game up to be broadcast live but let’s leave it like that now and provide a half decent service. Sunday afternoon is just as bad — it’s embarrassing it has so many ads.
TA: We must acknowledge the passing of one of our avid readers, Barry Wallace. Barry passed away last Sunday. He loved reading all the gossip and often gave us little bits of information.
AT: Barry was one of the best bottle shop operators in Warrnambool. He had worked in pubs for years and years. Funny thing was he was a non-drinker. Barry had a big funeral yesterday which was a fitting tribute to him. Until next week hooroo.
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