BACK when I joined the council in 1980, Jim was my first supervisor and one of my initial tasks was preparing for kerb and guttering in Lagoon Street, which happened to be outside the residence of Jim’s daughter Maree (“Rummy”) and her husband Butch Townsend, now owned by I. J. Cross. Back in those days, to level the site you would be down on your hands and knees screening sand using a spirit level. These days, a grader is used to cut in the K & G base. Maybe the saying “back in the good old days” didn’t apply to 1980 - well at work, anyway.

FRIENDLY local window cleaner Kal Crossley was doing his rounds earlier in the week when Telecottage C.E.O. Anthea Macpherson spotted him giving the windows at Brady’s Saddlery across the road a once over and probably for the last time. Bernie Brady, who opened the saddlery 42 years ago, will close his doors for the final time tomorrow week – Friday May 19 - and then after a short spell will operate from his residence in Hill Street.

WELL, wasn’t that day to remember last Thursday. After travelling to Guyra with Tim Beaumont for the final round of the New England Vets Pennants competition, Blowie’s golf cart ran out of power after just five holes and we were lucky to get it off the course. Without a substitute, that was end of the section for me, but Blowie managed to get another couple of holes in.

AT least the Walcha team won the overall competition and while waiting for the presentations enjoyed a few beers, although I was drinking Tooheys New at the time. When one of the Guyra blokes we started to go around with earlier in the day turned up drinking a Tooheys Old (my preferred beer)  I asked him if he poured it out of a stubby. He replied in the negative before pointing out it was on tap. So much for my attention to detail.

WHILE at Guyra, I bumped into former Uralla school teacher Rowan “Chalky” Chandler who not only enjoys his vets golf but is also involved in organising the Armidale Veterans cricket team.  He is in the process of receiving players for next season, so if anyone is interested in having a hit at the end of the year, let me know and I will pass it on.

WALCHA Golf Club captain Willy Brennan has long been known as the “King of the Countback” here at home because the majority of times Will is in any countback to determine prize winners he usually prevails, and certainly not because he conducts the countbacks. Just to prove everything is above board, last Sunday Willy and his 4BBB team mate Don Brooks were declared runner-up in the nett section of the Barraba Open with a score of +8 after a three way countback was called for.

LOCAL golf club champion Wayne Brennan won a nearest-the-pin competition at the Barraba Open but didn’t hang around for the presentations, so one of his stablemates Simeon Cross brought the prize - a bottle of wine - home for him. Sadly, when “Simone” arrived at his house, the bottle slipped out of his hands and smashed on the ground. When Simeon informed “Brenno” of his misfortune and offered to replace it with a six pack of ale, Wayne suggested as far as the wine went it was probably in a better place anyway.

NO Footy Big Wigs this week due to the “rep” round, but that didn’t stop Scotty Withers having a good look at his card late last week at the Apsley Arms. At the same pub, there was a Big Wig though, when Johnny Bell selected Timmy Martin’s horse Roguish for his punters’ syndicate bet and it saluted at Rosehill, returning a tidy little dividend. It's not the first time “Belly” has come to to the rescue.

ROOS gatekeeper, local touch football life member and Dragon tragic Bill Bullock was the winner of the rugby league wood raffle last weekend, which was fairly fitting really. Last Sunday, Billy put off something he had lined up to do so he could carry out his gatekeeping duties which usually fall on a Saturday. One thing I learnt during a lengthy association with Bill through touch footy is when you have him on side, he is there rain, hail or shine.

GOOD to see the Roos out there having a go despite a few setbacks with injuries including a broken thumb to captain coach Troy Yarnold and a serious knee injury to talented young centre Lee Harrison. Hooker Ben Moran was also forced to miss last Sunday’s game through injury which certainly didn’t help the team's cause.

REPLACING players the calibre of Lachlan Brown, Lachlan Laurie, Jason Latham, Glenn Olrich, Thomas Boyd, Luke Brennan, Corey Jamieson and Jayden Harrison, who all played in last year’s premiership-winning squad, isn’t going to happen overnight. Keep your heads up boys, and best of luck at Boggabri on Saturday.