Reporter’s diary

Press, 24 August 1988, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Bouffant bushes A Christchurch husband and wife took week-about turns to cover plants when there was danger of frost. When it was his turn, the husband invariably forgot, but the wife was puzzled that the container of peonies on the decking were not only surviving and thriving, but often still felt warm to the touch. Puzzled, that is, until she ambushed him at 6 o’clock one frosty morning, as he guiltily thawed the frozen plants with her hairdryer. Chariots for fun TIRED of the trots? Don’t fancy greyhounds, speedboats, or motorbike racing? How about giving chariot racing a go? Plans have begun for the first chariot race carnival in the Southern Hemisphere, on January 15. The idea came from Mr Don Murray, whose land overlooks Lake Papitonga, south of Levin. He has already built three racing chariots and a track. Large Roman banners and flags will

adorn the track and riders will be dressed, naturally, in gladiatorial glad rags, or something similar. Swotting up on racing techniques and dubious ploys will be the hardest part, although television could help here by doing a few reruns on classics such as “Ben Hur” (sorry, “Ben Person”) or “The Ten Commandments.” And they think we are silly in the south. For show only LATTER-day gold prospectors might be bitterly disappointed to learn that $70,000 worth of gold will not be given away at the 3ZB Winter Show, as repported in "The Press” on Monday. Certainly, $70,000 of gold will be at the showgrounds, but would-be collectors will have to keep their sticky paws off — it is for display only. It will be exhibited by the Cromwell promotional group, which plans to give away a mere $6O worth of gold to competition winners each day of the show, from August 27 to September 7.

Picot NO, no, Picot does not stand for "Parents In Charge Of Teachers,” says an indignant student. It stands for “Pupils In Care Of Tyrants.” So sorry. Lyrical situation? GEORGE Bush, in accepting the Republican Presidential nomination, showed he is at least able to laugh at himself. In a portion of the speech where he said he may not always be an eloquent speaker, he said “There are actually those who claim I do not communicate in the clearest, most concise way. But I dare them to keep it up. Go ahead and make my — 24-hour time period.” Stayer takes all SO frenzied have people become about moving to Australia — and urgently, for some reason — that there is a special breed of garage salespeople developing. Habitual garagesale browsers have noticed a distinct type of “I am going to find fame

and fortune elsewhere” seller. The person going to Oz, they say, is so desperate to sell that bargains are common. A buyer looking for something he could make into temporary steps, spotted a beer crate. The seller only wanted $2 for it, so the buyer was delighted with his scoop. He was about to take only the crate but the seller insisted he take the odds and ends in it. So for $2 he scored a 4-litre tin of undercoat, tubes of sealants, fillers, a plasterer’s trowel, five paint trays, three paint rollers and other assorted gadgetry, all in excellent condition. Oh yes, and the beer crate. Cloudy issue USING Maori names for main cities in New Zealand is fraught with dan-, ger. Even Aotearoa poses problems. A letter sent from Australia ended, up in Teheran. It had been marked “Try Ayatollah, Iran.” —Jenny Setchell