Follow The Van - And Don't Dilly-Dally
Judith Wallis's tale will make you chuckle all the way from here to Brisbane.
Home | On The Gold Coast
January 13, 2009
March 23, 2007
A Tale Of A Novice Traveller
...There was much muttering as the bus proceeded south to Petrie where we were again met by a phone toting rail employee and told to return to the train. At this news the muttering became malevolent, rose in volume and was interspersed by a variety of four letter words. No longer lamb-like the mob moved en masse, stamping out their displeasure as they trod up the stairs and down, myself being carried along with them...
Judith Wallis has fun and games when she goes travelling by train.
October 12, 2005
Goodbye Butterfly
"For several weeks each year the company in the bus shelter had watched, enthralled by the courtship of scores of butterflies. Before their eyes the butterflies had hovered, do-si-doed and parley-voused...But the old road had been widened and the golden cassias cut down, the green grass replaced with concrete...'' Judy Wallis's story tells of a sad farewell to the dancing butterflies.
April 29, 2005
Sleepware Old And New
Judith Wallis is somewhat shocked when she goes shopping for lingerie for her granddaughter. Her experience in a department store leaves her thinking that the word feminine had been replaced by a shorter, more explicit word: sexy.
April 22, 2005
Hair
A young person dressed in khaki shorts and shirt and wearing heavy work boots passed us on the roadway. As he walked briskly ahead the wind caught his shoulder-length hair, blowing it about. My daughter watched in silence for a moment then, obviously puzzled, said "She was a funny windy man, wasn't it mummy?''
Judith Wallis writes of hair styles, then and now.
March 25, 2005
Papier Mâché - Big And Small
"Mrs Oddy, dressed only in her underwear, stood before my mother who was pasting strips of brown paper onto our neighbour's body from shoulders to thighs,'' says Judith Wallis, recalling an incident from her childhood. Now, as they say, read on...
March 18, 2005
James Lobb
Judith Wallis recalls one of her school teachers, Mr Lobb, a middle-aged man with a kindly round face who wore tweed jackets which smelled of sunlight and grass.
March 11, 2005
Honey
"...not fancying crunchy honey I dug a hole in the garden and buried the sticky stuff...'' Judith Wallis tells a couple of honeyed stories that will leave you smiling as happily as...well as happily as a bee in clover.
February 25, 2005
The Pot Cupboard
When a rainy day persuaded Judith Wallis to clean out the pot cupboard she never suspected that she was embarking on a "voyage'' of discovery.
February 18, 2005
Australia Day, 2005
"The pattering began again. Harder, faster. Rain was falling. Steady sold rain. A wonderful sound...'' says Judith Wallis, as rain finally came to Queensland at the end of Australia Day.
February 04, 2005
The Bird Table
Judith Wallis writes about the construction of a most unusual "bird table''. Though a bird lover, Judith confesses that she would have praised the inventor of a remote control, something that could be pointed at partying parrots so that, with the touch of a finger, their obstreporous outpourings could be muted.
January 28, 2005
Tutor
Judith Wallis pays tribute to Peter Taylor, who ran a writing class for Moncrieff University of the Third Age in Queensland. The quality of Judith's writing is vivid evidence of Peter's tutoring skills.
January 21, 2005
Missing Word
In December, says Judith Wallis, a simple four-letter word disappears from our vocabulary.
January 14, 2005
The Storm, The Dog, And Me
"Spectacular rivers of lightning continued to flood the sky and the thunder applauded the show.'' Judith Wallis brings comfort to a surprise visitor, a golden retriever, while a dramatic Queensland storm rages.
January 07, 2005
Measles
A bout of measles resulted in the most disappointing week of Judith Wallis's young life.
December 31, 2004
The Party Question
On this New Year's Eve, in the aftermath of the worst natural disaster in a century, Judith Wallis is in no mood to party. Because modern media has drawn countries closer together the tsunami victims are our neighbours, she says.
"I am hopeful the goodwill generated this New Year's Eve will encourage generosity towards our neighbours.''
December 23, 2004
First Christmas
Judith Wallis's nostalgic column is steeped in the sweet sadness that many folk feel at Christmastide. But Judith is not downbeat. She has a suggestion that could make this Christmas a whole lot better for you, and for everyone you meet this week.
December 10, 2004
Rain Is On The Way
Writing with a vividness that allows you to see, hear, smell, Judith Wallis describes the coming of rain on a Queensland evening - and the hunt for a poisonous toad.
November 26, 2004
Whale Watch
Judith Wallis goes whale-watching off the Queensland coast - then views an extraordinary collection of human ears.
November 19, 2004
A New Baby
Where do babies come from? Sooner or later, every child asks this question. In this delightful column, Judith Wallis recalls the day she sought an answer from her parents.
November 12, 2004
Microwave Madness
Judith Wallis remembers the day when the man-about-the-house tried to cook a chicken in a 20-year-old convection-microwave oven.
November 05, 2004
Phyisically pffffft!
Phyisical energy is funny stuff, says Judith Wallis. There one minute, and gone the next...
October 28, 2004
Shoes
Judith Wallis says we lost something special when leather-soled shoes became unpopular. As a child she could identify people by the sound their shoe leather made as it contacted the pavement.
October 21, 2004
True Friends
So what would you give to encourage a friend? All of your hair? Judith Wallis's inspirational true story will make you feel pleased to be a member of the human race.
September 09, 2004
Thoughts On Using The English Language
"It is a sad fact that the lack of literacy skills often labels us uneducated and can greatly influence the amount of money we may earn in return for our labour,'' writes Judith Wallis.
September 03, 2004
Heard But Not Seen
At last Judith Wallis comes face to face with a cat whose plaintive cry of loneliness has been haunting her days and nights.
August 27, 2004
Beep
Judith Wallis's life is ruled by beeping machines and appliances. Is this a blessing - or should we be worried?
August 20, 2004
Simple Pleasures
So who were the thieves who helped themselves to Judith Wallis's favourite tin of toffees?
August 13, 2004
A Big Adventure
Can't remember what you were doing five minutes ago? Judith Wallis is the same, but she has detailed memories of things that happened long ago, as she reveals in recounting this splendidly creepy childhood adventure.
August 06, 2004
The Ordinary Man
Judith Wallis draws our attention to the wonder of ordinary people - to those who go unsung about their daily lives, holding the amazing web of humanity together.
July 30, 2004
Foul Murder
Judith Wallis tells us about Tom Shaunessy, a natural born killer unable to control his violent instincts.
July 23, 2004
Computer Monster
Ever lost words in your computer? Judith Wallis has even thought of posting a notice on her clip board: All Lost Stories Please Meet Here 9 am Friday.
July 16, 2004
Writing Class
In her latest column Judith Wallis speculates on the meaning of truth. Does she find an answer? Read on..;.
July 09, 2004
In The Beginning
Here's a welcome to our new columnist, Judith Wallis, who lives on Australia's Gold Coast. In her first entry in Open Scrapbook she brings a reassuring message to all those who are bad spellers.
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