Today was different in our bookshop for a change no freaks well just me. We got there late, that means we were looking for books to fill orders before we left home, well Anne was.  I was as usual doing emails, listening to the wireless, radio modern speak.

Am talk back radio

I always get bagged by everyone at the bookshop, Steve & the gang at least, for listening to talkback radio to be exact.

First up I listen to Alan Jones he is into everything it’s amazing listening to him talk to people from every walk of life effortlessly.

Then it’s on to Ray (Bolts) Hadley, not much of a choice but he is a no nonsense character a little overbearing but I can listen he has no end of good interviews doesn’t take BS well but then who does?

Next is Chris Smith he always makes me laugh with his funny yet cheeky talk a bit self-righteous enjoyable and fun overall.

In the afternoon it’s Jason Morrison, a good measured talker I like his style.

Next is Ross Greenwood a sure fire financial wizard he rounds off a good day.

It seems that the best people to run our country are all doing other jobs & all we get is a motley crew of people that are bereft of real ideas except for how to line their pockets.

“Wow here I am the days almost gone” But no it’s not lunch time yet. All I have done is talk about the antiquated AM radio station I listen to.

But I must also mention that my listening on Saturday & Sundays 2UE is the George & Paul show good fun all round.

“Hey now hold on Jim this is supposed to be about freaky events of Friday for Pete’s sake.”

Okay I’ve snapped out of it now.

We’re at work now with all the little jobs that go into opening signs, open doors, computers running, a quick scan of the HDD’s print out our orders pull books pack and post answer any last minute questions but this happens all day long.

Now we have people coming in the shop browsing, buying books and asking questions, the main topic today is the weather, it’s rained for the last four or five days, I don’t care, we live in Dorothea McKellar land, a land of drought and flooding rain as the poem  My Country goes.

Isobel Marion Dorothea McKellar

I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of droughts and flooding rains.

I love her far horizons,

I love her jewel-sea,

Her beauty and her terror –

The wide brown land for me

I enjoy everyday no matter the weather working in a bookshop does that to you I don’t have go out in the sun or work in the rain. I’m just sorting & pricing books talking to people about books, learning about different subjects. My previous career had me working in the hottest & coldest days followed by  endless glasses of beer be it one or ten mostly more, in the pub when it rained drinking like there was no tomorrow, those days are long gone now and this is much more fun.

Some of the questions today were

• Can you find this book for me? The Blue Privilege. Last Tattooed Maori Women. Te Kuia Moko Answer Yes
• I have these books what will you give me for them? Well there in nice condition but they are all marked remainders, the only one that was worth anything was Bryce Courtenay Danny Dunn first edition hardcover very good condition, sorry but I don’t need them thank you.
• I have some books will you buy them of me or swap? We’ll work something out eventually we came to an agreement ,I had a dozen Wake-Up Call my Journal Through Cancer by the author Lynn McCudden
• My friends Jan & Steve called in to say g’day & see if I had any Dr Seuss books no luck yet mate. But it was a date for coffee after work at the usual place.

Wake-Up-Call by Lynn McCudden

At last the day is finally over pack up our gear finish all the jobs a reverse of this morning then call into have the coffee with Jan, Steve & Russ was there in his year round uniform KingGee shorts & shirt. His tales of days gone by, and old friends from Morisset and Lake Macquarie and beyond are a snapshot of how we lived in days gone by.

After a quick leisurely chat and its home we go, then I have to get ready for another day.

It’s still raining by the way.

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