Wendy Gray of Belimbla Park is “currently waiting to get my car in for a safety recall, which conveyed a degree of urgency not matched by the availability of a booking (three weeks) or by this curiously worded warning: ‘The fuel pump impeller may become deformed under certain environmental conditions, interrupting the fuel supply. If this occurs, the engine could stall, resulting in a sudden loss of motive power.’ It goes on to say if you stall in traffic there could be an accident. I was intrigued by having a possible loss of motive power. I experience this frequently when I don’t want to get up in the morning.”
When all hope is lost, check with the learned locals. Like our friend Arnold Elphick who is “born and bred Wauchope (C8) and the pronunciation is definitely ‘War-hope’. Now living in Dalmeny, whenever I’m asked where I’m from, and I say ‘War-hope’, the inquirer will automatically respond ‘War-choppie?’ Must be a phonetic thing, I guess.”
“While solving the Wauchope question (I favour ‘War-hope’), please remember there is another one in the Northern Territory north of Alice Springs,” says Adela Parkes of Boat Harbour. “I have heard it pronounced ‘walk-up’. Perhaps someone could call the roadhouse and ask.”
This is a job for Vic Prociv of Rosehill: “When we lived in the Territory many years ago, our Wauchope was always pronounced ‘walk-up’.”
Having finally moved on from condensed milk (C8), Mary Carde of Parrearra (Qld) would “like to chew over something a little more meaty: Tom Piper Camp Pie. Maybe not everybody’s charcuterie board favourite, but I have fond memories of this pantry standby if, only because I won a Kodak Brownie in their colouring-in competition many moons ago. Oh, and as a kid, I didn’t mind the ‘nondescript’ texture and tastiness.” Can’t believe this item didn’t go straight to the spam folder.
Here’s cheers to Carole Dawes of Randwick: “Yes, Eric Sekula (C8), tubes of Vegemite were a godsend when travelling, but the thing I miss most about economies of scale for Vegemite are Vegemite glasses. I still have two treasured glasses in the cupboard, only used on very special occasions. Can C8-ers, please raise their Vegemite glasses to a much-missed icon?”
“I’ve waited so long!” proclaims Wolf Kempa of Lithgow. “Finally, a case for Inspector Clouseau with stolen jewels from the Louvre. Those dastardly bandits will get what is coming!”
Column8@smh.com.au
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