a lunch invitation
the soaring opening to the Beatles’ ‘Lovely Rita’
coming in the back door and the aromatic delight of the slow cooker I’d forgotten about
The Queen pronouncing ‘happy’ as ‘heppy’ on The Crown
dawn when the family’s asleep
strolling into Adelaide Oval for the first time of the summer
gravy
the best ever one-hit wonder, ‘You Get What You Give’ by the New Radicals
that first glimpse of Kapunda High
coffee with Claire at the Broadway kiosk on a wintry afternoon
Jarman again. Around the body. That’ll do. That. Will. Do.
the boundless lawns of Peter Lehmann’s winery
Saturday morning errands, concluding at the Glenelg North TAB
‘I guess the brothers are driving down from Queensland and Stella’s flying in from the coast’
at a cricket club barbecue, pea and corn salad in a blue ice-cream container
the immediate bliss of ‘September’ by Earth, Wind and Fire
Bugs Bunny in drag
on the phone with Mum
‘In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars’ from The Great Gatsby
my annual writing retreat overlooking Knight’s Beach in Port Elliot
an Op Shop shirt
getting through airport security and with a holiday beginning, that sudden excitement
Ripper ‘76
the annual walk with old Kapunda mates up Rae Street to the North Fitzroy Arms
Jesus was born on Christmas Day and died at Easter. What’s the odds on that?
The Australian band TISM’s most probing lyric: So who is your favourite genius/James Hird or James Joyce?
Langhorne Creek cabernet sauvignon
having turned danger into grace, Andrew McLeod streaming forward across the MCG
dropping the needle on side one of Hot August Night
fruchocs
as she drives away hearing Claire toot her car horn
calm murmurings in the front bar of Hobart’s Shipwright Arms pub
a painting job, well concluded
The Members of Bung Fritz Appreciation Society Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1100 metres at the Gawler and Barossa Jockey Club
a pub schnitzel with chips on the side, not buried beneath in an ungodly insult
Grey Midford school shirts
Alex wearing my Greg Chappell hat
The festive season’s first playing of A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
cowbells
being in the Prince of Wales in Kapunda, and not losing a spoofy final
at three Max telling me he was, ‘cooler than a robot, older than the wolf’
my wife eating her breakfast in the car
Harry saying to Sally, ‘I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night’
the sight and smell of a freshly edged lawn
the reassuring piano on Gang of Youths’ ‘Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane’
shaking Dad’s hand
The Gambling Bug on the cartoon Early to Bet and the penalty wheel, number 14: The Gesundheit
hearing Supertramp and it instantly being 1982
Claire taking me to Mickey’s Beach on Randall Bay in Tasmania
The Country Cricketers’ Bar at Adelaide Oval
a late-morning sausage roll
convinced it was dead but one morning spying a green shoot on one of our trees
Tame Impala at the Entertainment Centre with Alex
The Adelaide 36ers at the Entertainment Centre with Max
Autumn leaves in the Barossa
Golden Retrievers on the beach, Sunday morning
the full and flowing 11.2 kilometres of Military Road from Taperoo to Henley Beach with its sole traffic light at West Lakes Boulevard
Manhattan’s most emblematic skyscraper, the Chrysler Building
Fisk
Read other yarns by Mickey Randall HERE
To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.
Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.
Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.
Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE.

About Mickey Randall
Now whip it into shape/ Shape it up, get straight/ Go forward, move ahead/ Try to detect it, it's not too late/ To whip it, whip it good
- More Posts
Love it! Almost a memoir.
Cheers and merry everything to you and yours
Thanks Rick.
I think lists are much maligned and play their role. Just like a decent half-back flanker.
Have an excellent festive period yourself!
Some memories there,Mickey ! Thank you
Thanks ‘Book. I should’ve added the SANFL to my list, especially as this year’s grand final was a magnificent game that offered so much! Even for a Glenelg supporter.
Mickey,
Is the Gambling Bug that same series that featured other episodes like The Fence, Happy Birthday, The Works etc? It’s where a hapless gambler must spin the penalty wheel (sic) every time he loses which is always notwithstanding the gambling bug’s ongoing urgings of “go on, you can’t lose all the time!” If so, it rates as one of my favourite cartoon series along with Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam, the Tasmanian Devil etc.
A friend of mine once observed that Yosemite Sam and Daffy Duck were the shortest tempered angriest characters in cartoons. Given the Warner Bros script writers used to base these characters on senior company managers they obviously detested, I’d be intrigued to know who the real life human villains were.
RDL
RDL,
Correct! A key ingredient is the expert use of the great American song, ‘Blues in the Night’ and the musical riff centring on the lyric, ‘my mama done tol’ me.’ The song was composed in 1941 for the film eventually released under the same name.
Veteran Adelaide band Gumbo Ya Ya used to play it occasionally and it was always a highlight.
Have a wonderful Christmas!
I didn’t realise that about Military Road. I like learning something new.
Enjoy the festive season Mickey and Someone.
I love a tooting horn as my husband drives away too! What are the odds? X
Thanks Swish.
Suburban roads are a great narrative inspiration. Of course, Melbourne has Lygon Street among others, but Adelaide’s have claimed some attention too.
The local writer Stephen Orr wrote two wonderful pieces for InDaily with one on North East Road-
https://indaily.com.au/opinion/2019/10/25/the-road-that-is-adelaide/
and another on Grand Junction Road-
https://indaily.com.au/opinion/2018/03/29/cod-trust-short-journey-long-road/
And my brother-in-law, Don Morrison (ex-Bodgies) wrote a great song about this much-maligned arterial-
https://youtu.be/UOTQRXepcuQ
I think Military Road deserves widespread praise, when we’re not busy howling about South Road.
Merry Christmas to you and all the Swishters!
Evocative of time and place. Thanks Mickey.
The Victory Hotel on Sellicks Hill is a must visit every time I come back to SA. Once a compulsory stop on the way to Victor Harbour trots – now a culinary oasis. The flat expanse of the Adelaide Plain and the green of the Southern Vales vineyards encircled by the Mt Lofty “Ranges”. Looking out across St Vincents gulf to Point Giles siloes clearly visible on the eastern flank of Yorke Peninsula. Dreaming of family golf Sunday afternoons at Wool Bay where the slag scrapes had wire strainers to keep the merino mowers off them. You could replay without penalty if you hit a strainer or upright with your approach shot. As a 14yo my chips were always going in when they hit a strainer. The optimism of youth.
The Avenging Eagle and I are “gathering round” for 10 days in April to see 91yo Dad and observe our ritual humiliation by the Cats (Port on the next Saturday are always a silly chance). Hope to see you while we’re over there. AE and Someone can compare notes.
Ah, slag scrapes. Most of my golfing youth was on these, even the now desirous Barossa courses although I reckon only Marrabel had the additional sheep deterrents. JTH may have a different view, but these were unnecessary at Eudunda because even the sheep avoided that course.
Be great to see you and AE early April. We could have sparkling burgundy. Thanks PB.
brilliant Mickey. The Chrysler Building mesmerises up close, the unforgettable cover of Ripper 76 and I’m still traumatized with Jarman’s 1997 GF performance sadly
I thought the Chrysler Building was in Tonsley Park
I’m stunned Ripper ’76 wasn’t on a previous list! And concur with the late morning sausage roll.
Always enjoy your lists Mickey. Have a great Xmas, hope to see you at the NFA in 2023.
Ian- Ripper 76 soon to be on high rotation on my patio. The 325,000 Dogs fans who claim to have personally been at that prelim and witnessed that behind reckon they’re equally traumatised!
Swish- when next over here you could take the train to Flinders via Tonsley (I’m yet to treat myself).
Cheers Luke. Let’s lock in the NFA.
Thanks everyone.
Eudunda is a great golf course with a short 3 that may even have Pebble Beach’s seventh covered. On a windy day it’s tough.
Thanks JTH.
You’ve reminded me of another topic to bring up with our one-hundred-year-old neighbour, Mrs Hambour. She shared a birthday with the late monarch- April 21- but was born four years earlier. Her parents were country publicans, owning among other pubs, Gawler’s Bushman’s. Once married she and her husband settled in Eudunda. I understand that she was a pretty handy sportswoman and played golf and bowls there so probably has some memories of the Eudunda Golf Club. I’ll ask when we next visit but her memory’s patchy now. A quick google search- I was looking for an online honour board to see if I could find her – no luck – but did learn that the club celebrated its centenary this year too.
Love everything about these lists.
They are life-affirming.
Thanks, Smokie. I’d been thinking about mindfulness and gratitude and decided it was time for another of these lists!