Posted in 1 Guildford Rd, 10 Reserve St, Penrith Infants, Penrith Primary, Penrith South Primary, Pre School, tagged Camden, Christmas Day, Elderslie, plum pudding, Roast Dinner, threepence on December 25, 2012| 3 Comments »
Threepence – most desired prize at Christmas
Camden Nana’s baking dish,
Flavours of years released into
The great Christmas Day roast.
In this little house in Elderslie
Everything feels just …
Well, … just right!!
Excitement mounts for the piece-de-resistance.
The plum pudding, where threepences hide
And discovery invokes little feet to run to Mum:
“Mum, I found one!”
Posted in 1 Guildford Rd, 10 Reserve St, Penrith Primary, Penrith South Primary, tagged Coca-Cola, Yoyo on October 21, 2012| Leave a Comment »
The school hosts
Visiting troupe of professionals
Sportsmen? Entertainers? Educators?
Uniforms clearly identifying
Coca-Cola
Generous contributor to a new, essential
Life skill.
They provide tools,
Show the fun,
Teach the skills of …
YoYo!!
Wondrous tricks with spinning discs
They make them whistle, sleep, walk, almost talk, certainly bite.
We’re hooked.
Note:
This entry was prompted by a picnic yesterday with old Penrith buddies Ian Elliott, Paul Kenny, Bill Joyner, & Merril Worrad.
Bill (of course) produced a couple of yoyos and away we went. It was like riding a bike, the skills passed on by those representatives of the ubiquitous Cola company emerged from the depths, perhaps a little rusty but largely unscathed by the passage of time.
Posted in 138 Station St, Penrith South Primary, tagged beautification, school council, school project, South Penrith Primary School on June 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »
“School beautification – the theme
For the major school project.”
The committee, student coucil decides:
A fountain, front lawn.
Circular design, pool at the bottom
Sandstone rim.
Central column, sandstone
Shallow bowl at top – large radius.
Official ceremony
Turns on the water.
It works!
It looks beautiful.
Project complete and commended.
Note:
Remember the Short Memories are not meant to appear in chronological order. They are as I recall them. Today I drove past South Penrith Primary and it caused me to remember the fountain project … the fountain is no longer there. I wonder does anyone have a photo – I used to have one. Help.
Posted in 138 Station St, Penrith South Primary, tagged Balmain Tigers, Leichhardt Oval, Penrith Panthers on June 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Western side,
Steeeply banked hills,
Attracting screaming kids
With cardboard sheets
Careening towards the fence below.
Parents shout at kids, then at the ref.
Were ordered to stop, then …
Amusement from
The bloke in the singlet,
Shouting, shadowboxing, shouting
T-i-i-i-i-ge-e-e-rs, Go T-i-i-ges
Leichhardt Oval.
Kevin Yow Yeh scores.
Posted in 138 Station St, Penrith South Primary, tagged generation gap, growth, hippies, parents, The Beatles on June 13, 2012| 1 Comment »
Between The Beatles of 1964 and 1967
A chasm defined by parental questioning.
During Australian tour 1964:
“Why are they screaming?”
By 1967 – Strawberry Fields:
“You wouldn’t want to look like them, would you?“
Beatle suits, boots & mop-tops were one thing … this was entirely different.
More judgement than question
Anxious to please …
My head shakes but
My heart throbs.
“Between the emotion and the response falls …”
Posted in 138 Station St, Penrith South Primary, tagged collecting, No. 1 Singles., The Beatles on June 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Is growing.
The Beatles, catalyst for starting this
Dominate the collection,
8 singles already.
Starting with
“We Can Work It Out.”
Only 15 months after our collection kicks off.
The Beatles hit the top again with Penny Lane
And the flip side: Strawberry Fields Forever.
There’s been a shift.
Posted in 1 Guildford Rd, 10 Reserve St, 138 Station St, Nepean High School, Penrith South Primary, tagged football, football socks, hookers, props, scrums, shin pads on May 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »
We are wearing the jerseys with the white band across the middle. From left to right is: Paul Bardon, Max Cowan, Steve Cameron, Greg Mobbs, Mick Harpley (bending)
“I just like ’em rolled down,
Dunno why.”
Not good footy etiquette
And being practical
Socks “up” would hold shinpads
To protect shins from
Kicking, raking, & threshing
Of hookers and props
In scrums that are contests.
I don’t like shinpads, either!
Coach & parents reluctantly sigh:
“Just win the scrums, Max.”
Posted in 1 Guildford Rd, 10 Reserve St, 138 Station St, Nepean High School, Penrith Primary, Penrith South Primary, tagged football boots, polished boots, ritual, Rugby League, school shoes on May 29, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Friday ritual
Football boot preparation
Clean, polish, shine.
Thick white cotton tape wrapped ankles & bridges.
Respectful of the game, teammates, opposition.
Shiny black boots laced with thick white cotton tape
Extra lengths wrapped around ankles & bridges.
Ready for fields dusty … or muddy.
A ritual loved.
Contrasting school shoes
Scuffed by kicking the can
And reluctance to polish.
Posted in 138 Station St, Penrith South Primary, tagged academic, public, Secondary School, selective, travel on May 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »
The choice is between:
Assigned local school,
Nepean High School,
Or
Hurlstone Agricultural College
Nearest selective school.
Headmaster Smith suggests local is best,
Teacher Mr Bruce, values the school
Selecting its students.
My choice!!
Todays route using M4, M7 is around 40 mins. Imagine 1968 route.
Hours travel, friendless, disciplined,
Versus
Nearby, friends, laid back.
It doesn’t seem a choice at all.
365 Short Memories 