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SPRATTY SAYS 30-12-2006
Well there goes 2006, I can’t believe it’s a full year since I challenged the laws of physics on the Pacific Highway with boat and trailer. It’s also a year since my women folk arrived from the big smoke. Looking at them now it’s hard to believe there was any angst in the relocation process whatsoever.
I was reminded over the past week or so, I guess in part because of the festive season, what a special place we live in a variety of ways. Firstly the ongoing hospitality accorded to my family and myself is not something you get living in the city and I am still, so often humbled by it and the extreme generosity of the hosts. Also strong family oriented values, so often forgotten in today’s busy world, underpin a lifestyle located in nature’s wonderland that would be almost impossible to replicate. In fact I often need to pinch myself to remind myself I’m not on permanent holidays still.
On the Santa front I clearly need to lift my game, as the big fella gave me a wide berth (again!). I really thought I had it in the bag , I played nicely with the other kids this last year, and even went easy on the story telling, but perhaps I had my sales coloured glasses on when I conducted my annual Santa related performance appraisal. Fortunately my womenfolk were on hand to ease my distress, suffer through yet another Santa related disappointment and supply me with lots of sympathy and goodies.
Here we are about to launch into another year, in itself not a biggie, but its 2007! Hard to believe for those of us who remember the 60’s quite clearly. Thinking ahead over the next 12 months, there are a few things deserving of serious naval gazing. The retail landscape in Grafton will change forever over the next 12 months, a state election in March will kill a few trees in the next few months and will also probably put the ‘bridge’ and other promises back onto the political menu, the experts reckon the drought will break in 2007 putting cattle prices through the roof. Petrol prices will probably go up and interest rates will probably go down.
The Grafton Redman will again excite us with some stirring performances…also enter the Gold Coast Titans into our world. On that note our new accountant is looking at his footballing options, with some big decisions pending, as he is eligible to play state of origin wherever he wants, still not under contract to any code and I discovered his parents have a UK passport..the options are complex, but I’m sure he will work his way through a maze of footballing opportunity. The general improvement of the Highway, will along with a few other things will hasten the Clarence’s discovery by ever growing numbers of seachangers, tree changers as well as the common garden variety tourist.
Finally our best wishes for the New Year from all at Mighty River, our thanks for an excellent 2006 and looking forward to a sensational 2007.
Happy motoring,
Spratty
PS PLEASE, PLEASE take care on the roads and on the water.