AS school bells rang for the final time in 2024, there was one local principal wondering where to find his next running challenge partner. Although Steve of Inglewood had squibbed many a battle with his predecessor John who had been posted back up around Pyramid Hill, the sense of competitiveness rarely diminished. OTF is looking forward to Steve hitting the tracks ... perhaps instead of an occasional tilt at sweaty stardom, he could venture to the weekly parkrun in Boort or even Pyramid Hill when that town joins the world-wide craze this year.
GOTTA put a shout out to Leesa whose passion for all things Rheola only rivals that of local historian Julie. Leesa has chronicled one of the more hectic Christmas-New Year periods of anyone in the Loddon with anecdotes about life, friends and events locally and even on the big stages of Melbourne. We reckon Leesa will keep us on our toes in 2025.
BIG shout out to Jye and Kristy for helping make a tasteful Christmas. OTF purchased the obligatory festive ham from the award-winning Boort butchers. Always good but this year the local product was even more flavoursome, tender and moist. Skipped the traditional Boxing Day barbie because of the heat, well, delayed it a day when dinner was some beaut lamb chops from The Fat Butcher in Inglewood. All washed down with some great local wines from Black Wallaby and Water Wheel!
WHILE OTF normally avoids the shops over Christmas - leave that to the wife apart from when she popped into Carlie’s in Brooke Street at the weekend to spend her Chrissie gift voucher. Another of the great local shops with quality goods at very reasonable prices. And taking part in the Loddon’s local shopping promotion.
NOW New Year resolutions are pretty old hat. They say they can’t be kept ... we’ll differ on that. OTF says keep the puns and fun rolling.