Unlocking the mystery of the shores

September 22, 2021 â€" 9.00pm

“To indicate that something was not completely obvious, my Nana used to say: ‘A blind man on a galloping horse wouldn’t notice,’” recalls Bob Doepel of Greenway. “I had never heard this expression used anywhere else until Suzanne Saunders from Ocean Shores used it in Tuesday’s Letters. I wonder if anyone knows where the saying originated. Interestingly, my Nana, Agnus Halpin, spent her early married life (1904-1924) in Billinudgel, which is next door to Ocean Shores.”

Susan Bradley of Eltham (Vic) feels that the champion of the nominatively-determined (C8) was the Melbourne columnist “who discovered a fireman named Bernd Pohl”. And Ron Polglaz of Bullaburra notes: “Not content with her ‘Probyn’ of politics, Auntie upped the ante with a throw to newsreader Michael Storey.”

“Playing vinyl records at the wrong speed isn’t as wacky as it sounds,” according to Peter Riley of Penrith. “Crafty radio stations used to speed up their turntables by about 5 per cent which not only caused them to sound more vibrant and zingy but magically afforded another three minutes every hour for more adds. And in the other direction, check out Dolly Parton’s 45 Jolene played at 33 on YouTube. You’ll be amazed.” Granny takes no responsibility for any stylus damage incurred by impulsive readers.

“I think, after listening to 42 Bob Dylan CDs and seven Leonard Cohen CDs, Eric Scott (C8) may need some urgent cheering up. I suggest he skip the Stones and Beatles and go straight to his Christmas albums,” suggests Michael Fox of Gerringong.

Jack Dikian of Mosman notes that “Whilst Sydney’s Latte Line (C8) is an imaginary geographical divide, Sydney’s Red Rooster Line starts with one of their outlets in the south-west and ends in the north-east where, I’m told, there’s nary a Rippa Sub to be seen [Sorry AUKUS â€" Granny], and people are more likely to have opinions about wine.” This gives credence to the theory of Peter Miniutti of Ashbury that, “There is also the Chardonnay-Sav Blanc Line and if you go back many years there used to be the Tooheys-Reschs Line.”

“Most whistlers (C8) I heard in the 1930s and ’40s whistled the popular tunes of the day, walking home from work or returning from the pictures,” writes Bill Dougherty of Grafton. “Pleasant sounds, though I don’t know how they would go with rock ‘n’ roll, and today’s heavy metal.” That would require the tin whistle.

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