When a beer is not really beer
EVER helpful granddad was happy to help grandson with a few chores around the young fellow’s Toowoomba home last weekend.
It proved quite warm out under the afternoon sun and so “Pop” decided he’d cool off with a nice softdrink.
Not being a partaker of alcoholic beverages, Pop found a ginger beer in the young lad’s fridge and sat in a shady area while he consumed his drink.
What he hadn’t realised was that the ginger beer, although low in alcohol content, nonetheless had a reasonable amount of alcohol in it.
“This tastes really good,” Pop said, “better than the old ginger beer.”
To the smirks of his grandson and others, Pop helped himself to a second can.
His face turning redder by the minute, Pop started talking “rubbish” but still didn’t catch on as to what the others were giggling about.
HIGH STEAKS
JBS Australia (Beef City) launched a new beef this week, Yardstick, the different cuts going over very well with a table of dinner guests in the Glasshouse at the Burke & Wills Hotel.
While the guests “oohed” and “aahed” over the delicious offerings, one guest, something of a dining expert sitting three seats away from the host, said: “The meat is lovely but the pastry on the entrees is divine.”
While he would have preferred the compliments remain with the beef, the host laughed but added JBS wouldn’t be going into pastry anytime soon.
A Whispers hats off though to the only vegan at the table who sat politely nibbling on salad and veges while surrounded by feasting carnivores.
ACT OF GOD
AT THE same dinner as the diners sat down to entrees Wednesday evening the heavens opened and that hail storm pelted down onto the Glasshouse roof creating an almighty noise.
One wag suggested that a hail storm was a showing of God’s affection.
“Hail is God’s way of saying ‘I only have ice for you!’.”
WHO’S CALLING?
FRANKIE the cheeky pet bird who appears in this column from time to time has done it again.
His owner had recently acquired DVDs of the old Crawford TV Production of Division 4.
For those too young, Division 4 was a Sydney-based television police series of the 1960s/70s starring Gerard Kennedy in the lead role as Detective Sergeant Frank Banner.
Frankie’s owner was watching an episode when, from the TV one of the characters yelled to the main detective: “Frank! Frank!” which set the bird off no-end, squawking back at the TV, Whispers was told.
TWO SUNRISES
WHO said daylight saving doesn’t suit Queenslanders?
Earlybirds who got out of bed and headed to Queens Park for the Sunrise breakfast show telecast on Wednesday were able to get themselves in front of the cameras then go home and see themselves on the telecast when the program hit our screens on a daylight saving hour-delay.
DE JA VU MOMENT
A COUPLE of old footy teammates were reunited at the Toowoomba Expo at the Toowoomba Showgrounds last weekend although initially they didn’t recognise each other.
Yatala-based Royal Flair motorhome sales manager was showing Toowoombabased journo through a flashy caravan. The journo wasn’t wearing his name tag but the sales manager, while describing the caravan’s unique features, had a “deja vu” look on his face.
Eventually the salesman said: “You know, I know you from somewhere”.
The journo replied that he didn’t think he knew anyone in Yatala.
“But I’m originally from Clifton and played a fair bit of footy with the Wattles Club,” he said.
“I played for Wattles too,” the journo replied, “back in 1980”.
“Yeah, I was there what’s your name?”
It was only then that Brett “Bugsy” Anderson and Peter “Millie” Hardwick realised who the other one was. Well, it had been more than 30 years since they’d played alongside each other.
Local rugby league fans of the 1970s and 80s would remember Bugsy as a flashy centre who played for Wattles, Newtown and the Clydesdales and was a very handy goal kicker as well.
WHAT A TWIT
DID you hear that YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are going to merge into one company?
The new entity will be called YouTwitFace.
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
WOMAN in Toowoomba keeps pets which make for strange bedfellows.
Yet, the dog, the cat and the rat all seem to get along well.
In fact, the cat and the rat reside in the same cage at times.
“Would the cat eat the rat,” a work colleague asked.
“Nah,” she replied, “they get on really well.”
Obviously, all are well fed.