AT: It was a bit cool at the footy last week, I'm glad I had my big heater up at Mack Oval.
TA: Now I hear that the appearance of your heater on the big reunion weekend caused a bit of confusion especially to leading plumber Joel Barclay.
AT: Right you are Tim. I'd been having trouble with the flu heater. Joel came and had a look the week before, patched it up, but then a closer examination during the week revealed that a couple of parts needed to be replaced. Joel ordered the parts and the heater was to be out of action last Saturday when the top temperature was tipped to be just 14 degrees.
TA: Bet he got a shock when there was a crowd camped around the heater as per normal on Saturday.
AT: Joel came up early in the afternoon with a very quizzical look on his face. He checked the heater was operating and then made some inquires of The Bride. Barbara had teed up the boys on the hill and they were very quick to tell the big backman that she had enlisted the help of a gas plumbing specialist who had no trouble fixing the minor problems. Joel was still shaking his head in disbelief and pulled the Bride aside to try and find out just where he might have gone wrong. Eventually the Bride fessed up that although those flu heater are fairly rare her brother David has one. We ducked around to Dave's place on Saturday morning, loaded up the heater and had it in full swing just in time for Joel's arrival.
TA: Don't you love it when a plan comes together.
AT: Talking of plans a certain Koroit policeman thought he might have come to the end of the road with umpires recently. The copper, who also coaches one of the Saints junior sides, booked a bloke recently for speeding. He thought he recognised the speeder, but he couldn't place him and didn't think any more about it. The officer went to training and was staggered to learn he had nicked the Koroit reserves umpire and it soon became common knowledge around the club the officer would never get another free kick in his life. "I was a bit worried, but I was just doing my job," he said. The officer was pleasantly surprised when he got a free kick in the opening quarter and relations now appear all clear.
TA: After last week's gossip that an expensive boat had come off a trailer which was being towed by a four-wheel-drive at the round-about outside Port Fairy's Star of the West Hotel, it appears the intersection has claimed another casualty. On Thursday morning a tradesman was driving his car and trailer around the round-about and one of the trailer tyres went sailing the air. The lucky tradie pulled over and on closer examination five nuts were missing from the trailer wheel.
AT: It's a bit unusual that all five nuts were missing.
TA: Apparently the nuts were spotted on the trailer a few days before the incident but the shaken tradesman has been left wondering who could have taken the nuts off. On a completely different topic, we must acknowledge the achievement of colourful local identity Ray Walsh.
AT: I spotted Ray working in his role as one of the clerks of course out at the Warrnambool races on Tuesday. What's he done?
TA: After more than 30 years as a grave digger out at the Tower Hill cemetery Ray has hung up his crowbar, pick and shovel.
AT: I'm sure he would have worn out some shovels in those 30 years?
TA: I would like a dollar for each grave he has dug. I reckon we could retire. Ray used to dig graves in Warrnambool and Nirranda as well as Tower Hill. I think he used crowbars, picks and shovels for 27 years out at Tower Hill. It's only been the last three years that he has used a backhoe to help dig six-feet holes. We must also mention Elizabeth Moroney who was out at the Warrnambool races on Tuesday celebrating her 90th birthday with family and friends.
AT: I managed to catch up with a couple of the AFL Melbourne players during the week when they caught up with Mick Dawson at St John of God hospital. Young Jack Trengove is a very impressive lad. He's going to be a gun in a couple of years.
TA: The hard-working Port Fairy Folk Festival committee is busily preparing for its future with planning meetings looking forward for the next years.
AT: We all realise the festival is one of the biggest events in the region. It brings people from all over place. What's on the agenda?
TA: Next year is the 35th running of the event and there are some massive plans which we'll reveal in coming weeks. Any other gossip?
TA: I hear that the Whalers Inn and Rafferty's Tavern are in the process of changing hands. The Whalers to someone who already owns a pub in town and the Tavern to a large outside group. There has also been talk about interest in the Royal Hotel, but I hear the operators of the Flying Horse have knocked back offers. Until next week, hooroo.
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