Latest news with #MalcolmNicholson
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sending it by sea snail mail
The recent news story of the message in a bottle finding its way from Canada to Ireland, reminded Malcolm Nicholson of Katoomba that his family have a letter that was found in a bottle on a Victorian beach during World War I: 'My great great uncle threw it overboard as he left Albany, WA, on his way to Egypt. He asked that, should anyone find it, to return the letter to his family in Springwood, NSW. A lady and her daughter found the bottle and forwarded the letter, with a note of explanation. Now a family keepsake.' David Prest appears to have the wrong McCarthy in placing Andrew, of Toormina, in the 1973 entry into HMAS Nirimba: 'I was a sprog when he was in 6th term, so he may have had the pleasure of rolling me out of bed. I'm a proud MOBI and not a MUPPET, like A.R. McCarthy.' For those struggling with all this naval neologism, it would appear that a MUPPET is the 'Most Useless Pathetic Person Ever Trained.' Here's hoping A.R. isn't a C8-er. Elevenses came early for Kerry Kyriacou of Strathfield: 'Whenever I see the words 'prime minister' and 'Xi Jinping' on the news. I think of cricket. I wonder why?' Still more roundabout advice (C8) from Col Begg of Orange: 'Surviving roundabouts here depends on hearing boom box-equipped Hyundai Excels, approaching at speed, sans signals, while the P-plate driver has the mobile phone wedged between head and shoulder, while delicately painting toenails on a foot propped up on the dash.' With both being German establishments, the recent Audi/Aldi mix-up (C8) has Judith Allison of Bexley seeking a bargain: 'Should I now await the chance to buy an Audi in their famous centre aisle specials?' Ann Madsen of Mount Annan reckons George Manojlovic (C8) is quite correct in choosing Wellington, New Zealand over its NSW counterpart for the Duke's favourite meal, the reason being that the New Zealand city 'has twice the annual rainfall of the Central Western town. Hence, there's a much greater need for waterproof boots there.' However, the man from Mangerton does make a concession to the initial faultfinder: 'You're right, Peter Duckmanton, remiss of me to ignore our very own Wellington. I'm such a Dubbo.' The suggestion of an anti-Septic envoy (C8) has moved Peter Miniutti of Ashbury to ponder, 'who will be charged with being our anti-Static envoy?'
The Age
6 days ago
- General
- The Age
Sending it by sea snail mail
The recent news story of the message in a bottle finding its way from Canada to Ireland, reminded Malcolm Nicholson of Katoomba that his family have a letter that was found in a bottle on a Victorian beach during World War I: 'My great great uncle threw it overboard as he left Albany, WA, on his way to Egypt. He asked that, should anyone find it, to return the letter to his family in Springwood, NSW. A lady and her daughter found the bottle and forwarded the letter, with a note of explanation. Now a family keepsake.' David Prest appears to have the wrong McCarthy in placing Andrew, of Toormina, in the 1973 entry into HMAS Nirimba: 'I was a sprog when he was in 6th term, so he may have had the pleasure of rolling me out of bed. I'm a proud MOBI and not a MUPPET, like A.R. McCarthy.' For those struggling with all this naval neologism, it would appear that a MUPPET is the 'Most Useless Pathetic Person Ever Trained.' Here's hoping A.R. isn't a C8-er. Elevenses came early for Kerry Kyriacou of Strathfield: 'Whenever I see the words 'prime minister' and 'Xi Jinping' on the news. I think of cricket. I wonder why?' Still more roundabout advice (C8) from Col Begg of Orange: 'Surviving roundabouts here depends on hearing boom box-equipped Hyundai Excels, approaching at speed, sans signals, while the P-plate driver has the mobile phone wedged between head and shoulder, while delicately painting toenails on a foot propped up on the dash.' With both being German establishments, the recent Audi/Aldi mix-up (C8) has Judith Allison of Bexley seeking a bargain: 'Should I now await the chance to buy an Audi in their famous centre aisle specials?' Ann Madsen of Mount Annan reckons George Manojlovic (C8) is quite correct in choosing Wellington, New Zealand over its NSW counterpart for the Duke's favourite meal, the reason being that the New Zealand city 'has twice the annual rainfall of the Central Western town. Hence, there's a much greater need for waterproof boots there.' However, the man from Mangerton does make a concession to the initial faultfinder: 'You're right, Peter Duckmanton, remiss of me to ignore our very own Wellington. I'm such a Dubbo.' The suggestion of an anti-Septic envoy (C8) has moved Peter Miniutti of Ashbury to ponder, 'who will be charged with being our anti-Static envoy?'
The Age
28-05-2025
- The Age
Tableware gets the stamp of approval
'My family arrived in Australia for a three-year-stay in 1956,' writes Simon Dixon of Bolton Point. 'Having been raised alongside Green Shield stamps (C8) in the UK, the rewards concept wasn't new to us and my mother soon discovered that Kellogg's was offering silverware in exchange for tokens from its product. On the menu for the next three years, Corn Flakes and All-Bran featured daily as we raced the clock before our return to England. We succeeded, and the cutlery came back with us, only to return when my father retired and migrated to Australia in 1966. I followed with my family in 1970. Both parents are no longer with us, but the cutlery is still in use, appearing on my table daily. While I still regularly eat All-Bran (because it keeps you regular), I still can't face Corn Flakes.' Malcolm Nicholson from Katoomba writes: 'When I was a kid, Marchant soft drinks used to give away kites if you collected enough bottle tops. I remember sending off the required number and nothing arrived. A letter of complaint followed and one duly arrived, followed by a second one a month late. They were great kites, but they usually ended up in trees.' 'It's elementary, my dear Graeme Finn (C8), you probably just need to check your Hotmail to look out for the missing model number of your Email cooker,' suggests Mary Carde of Parrearra (Qld). 'Or maybe just try turning it off and on again.' Brian Harris of Port Macquarie has an eyewitness account of his letter box theft (C8): 'Thieves had trouble removing our letter box so they took the whole gate. We were watching them but didn't say anything for fear they would take offence.' 'I've never had a letter box stolen, but I've been letter box bombed twice,' reveals Jeff Evans of Cambewarra. 'Once in Greystanes in the 1980s and a second 20 years later in Cambewarra. Caught the first culprit but not the second. The family were amazed that I thought it hilarious. A touch of karma from the Fifties?'
Sydney Morning Herald
28-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Tableware gets the stamp of approval
'My family arrived in Australia for a three-year-stay in 1956,' writes Simon Dixon of Bolton Point. 'Having been raised alongside Green Shield stamps (C8) in the UK, the rewards concept wasn't new to us and my mother soon discovered that Kellogg's was offering silverware in exchange for tokens from its product. On the menu for the next three years, Corn Flakes and All-Bran featured daily as we raced the clock before our return to England. We succeeded, and the cutlery came back with us, only to return when my father retired and migrated to Australia in 1966. I followed with my family in 1970. Both parents are no longer with us, but the cutlery is still in use, appearing on my table daily. While I still regularly eat All-Bran (because it keeps you regular), I still can't face Corn Flakes.' Malcolm Nicholson from Katoomba writes: 'When I was a kid, Marchant soft drinks used to give away kites if you collected enough bottle tops. I remember sending off the required number and nothing arrived. A letter of complaint followed and one duly arrived, followed by a second one a month late. They were great kites, but they usually ended up in trees.' 'It's elementary, my dear Graeme Finn (C8), you probably just need to check your Hotmail to look out for the missing model number of your Email cooker,' suggests Mary Carde of Parrearra (Qld). 'Or maybe just try turning it off and on again.' Brian Harris of Port Macquarie has an eyewitness account of his letter box theft (C8): 'Thieves had trouble removing our letter box so they took the whole gate. We were watching them but didn't say anything for fear they would take offence.' 'I've never had a letter box stolen, but I've been letter box bombed twice,' reveals Jeff Evans of Cambewarra. 'Once in Greystanes in the 1980s and a second 20 years later in Cambewarra. Caught the first culprit but not the second. The family were amazed that I thought it hilarious. A touch of karma from the Fifties?'
