Among the things I enjoy when the pressure’s off is a zip round the world’s
newspapers. Start with the familiar and then zoom off, France, India,
Australia. What a wonderful world. New York is anticipating a storm…as is
Sydney.
Among locations affected include Armidale, Orange, Mudgee, Gulgong, Tamworth,
Gunnedah, Moree, Narrabri, Walgett, Dubbo, Parkes and Lightning Ridge.
Possibly the most under-reported story here last week was the women’s soccer.
When the U.S. comes last in a competition we don’t get to hear about it. Why
is this important? Of course it isn’t, but France coming first, followed by
German and England…that’s an indication America’s lead may be fading.
In the question and answer session after the play performance our Eisenhower
got to tell the story of how he made the former president laugh. An
undergraduate at Gettysburg College, he picked up from the campus post office a
letter from his mother and then read it as he walked. At one point he looked
up and saw, walking towards him maybe fifteen feet away Eisenhower and two
Secret Service guys. Since he was in the ROTC and was wearing that uniform, it
occurred to him that he ought to salute the Surpreme Commander. But is it
correct to salute an ex-president? He started, stopped, started, stopped…by
which time Eisenhower had walked past and then all three of them laughed.
I learned today that the chicken alarm signal is the opposite of humans’. We
screech and make high noises. They warn each other with low, cooing sounds.
Check it out next time you’re near a flock.
Carry on,
David Ritchie,
Portland, Oregon
