Christmas ham 2025
MONDAY, DECEMBER 22
Academic Peter Long is writing a book – ‘Wooden Ships Iron Men’ based on his father’s time as a World War II Coast Watcher. One third of the Coast watchers were killed but they were responsible for the deaths of 5,000 of the enemy – the Japanese. Peter’s father was in the Armed Forces and trained with Z Force on Fraser Island off the Queensland Coast. But many of the Coast Watchers were civilians who lived in Papua New Guinea or on islands and conducted clandestine operations, often alongside Allied soldiers.
My wife, Marie and I return to Brisbane from Lismore via Bangalow which boasts a craft brewery – Common People Brewing.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23
As a jockey is interviewed at Taree Races, a young lad in the background, wearing a Cronulla-Sharks rugby league jersey, does the floss dance. As I put out the garbage bin I recall the days of leaving a six pack of beer for the garbo, also the milkman and bread vendor. Even if councils and/or companies still allowed the practice those six packs would quickly get flogged.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24
A bloke visiting one of our neighbours and enjoying a cigarette spots my Roosters polo shirt and says: ‘Keep walkin’ before tyring to be social by asking if I live in ‘East Sydney’. Queensland Rugby League CEO Ben Ikin sends a lovely Christmas greeting. Thanks Ben. Our daughter Melanie is sent on a mission to get beetroot from Drake’s Supermarket in Samford and it comes from China! Gads, is nothing sacred. Beetroot!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25
In Brisbane and surrounds it is the hottest Christmas Day since 2017 but it is snowing in Tasmania. There are mainly older people at Mass at Church of Sacred Heart, Samford, but there are also several young families, one with a lad wearing a Samford Stags rugby league polo. Christmas lunch at our place involves Marie and I; our daughter Melanie; youngest son, Lliam and sons Ethan and Connor and their mother, Channelle. Our eldest son, Damien; his wife Emma and daughters Parker and Evan, are celebrating Christmas in France. “Christmas isn’t big in France,” says Damien. Well that’s to their detriment.
Connor wants proof Santa is real, so his dad goes to Chat GPT, which confirms that the old man from the North Pole is indeed real.
My brother Andrew lives at Dan Nang in Vietnam and enjoys lunch on the beach at Mad Platter. Here at Samford Grove one of the residents, Carole Young – a widow – hosts other ‘single’ residents to a spread.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26
At Samford Grove Happy Hour fellow resident Laurie Hayes says he went to a Boxing Day Test at the MCG when the crowd was bigger than today’s roll-up for the Ashes match.
Perth pace bowler Jhye Richardson (playing in tonight’s Big Bash game) looks so much like former rugby league star Mark Hughes.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 27
The Poms win the Boxing Day Test – on Day 2!! I mean fair dinkum – forget about who won – it’s the game’s duration. Channel 7 are entitled to be filthy as the host broadcasters. I spot a Hull City (soccer) banner in the crowd as well as one from Otley on Tour. Both banners from Yorkshire.
Trevor Cook Annual Day is held at Coolangatta Sands pub in honour of the late former skilful Easts and Norths Brisbane Tigers rugby league back who died far too young, aged 54, after a battle with cancer. Cook was chosen for a Queensland Primary Schools side as a 12-year-old but had to withdraw after he was scalded in an accident at home. His place was taken by future Test cricket great Ian Healy who was a pupil at school at Biloela.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28
The MCG groundsman has to front the media and rightly so. The Boxing Day Test was over within two days and the spicy pitch was largely to blame for the ridiculous fall of wickets although it could be argued Test batsmen now don’t value their wickets as they should. A neighbour – Ken Cluff – flew to Melbourne on Boxing Day and had tickets – with his three sons – for the Second Day. Thank God it wasn’t for Day 3.
French screen ‘godess’ Bridget Bardot has died aged 91. I was in love with her at one stage. At another time it was Olivia Newton John who I was infatuated with and way back it was Janet Munro from the movie Swiss Family Robinson.
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