A few things have changed since I had the opportunity to guest post here at Athlone & Associates in July. We have replaced the IXL tins with two modern glass Cottees bottles that seem to crank up the speed on the email. We have given the baling twine a miss and have opted for some fencing tape that seems to hold during the inclement weather. But life on the farm pretty much falls into a routine except when a horse turns the attention on itself by doing something silly like running into a fence or developing colic. Pretty much attention seeking behaviour by the equines we feel, but what can you do?
One issue that has moved along (albeit at a snail’s pace) since we last spoke is the TVN coverage issue to rural Australia.
For 3 days a week I offer my services to the local Telstra Countrywide office and last Thursday started as most of them do - an armful of complaints, several upset customers and no chance to get a cup of coffee to keep the sanity.
My phone rings and it's my husband Evan. (“Phew” I think to myself!).
“WE HAVE TVN! I can see the Sydney races! Woooohooo and it only cost us an extra $1 per month!!”
There is now one very happy man in Warwick.
Maybe the politicians had listened to my cries of help? Maybe the politicians moved heaven and earth and realized how unfair this whole situation is to those of us who live outside a metropolitan area??
Don’t get too excited. They didn’t do anything. It seems that Austar had found a loophole in their contract and could now bring this wonderful service to all of its country providers!
... and there was dancing in the street and much rejoicing because finally, finally someone had come to the aid of country Australia!!
Ever heard of that expression, “Don’t count your chickens?” Hmmmm.
At approximately 2.00pm Saturday afternoon - courtesy of an injunction by Sky Channel - a message flashed across our screens, “Sorry folks, due to an injunction by Sky Channel this broadcast has been terminated. We will fight them in the trenches and on the beaches ... Blah, blah, blah ...”
Surely commonsense says that there is room for two providers of horse racing in this great country of ours? Or does this issue go further to the TAB's and their controlling influence in this industry? Or perhaps life as we know it, does not exist outside of the metropolitan areas of our capital cities?
Whatever the answer is to these questions, there is now one unhappy man living in Warwick, who had the sweet taste of Utopia for such a short time and now has to settle for the Globe Derby of an afternoon as a fill in to the Sydney and Melbourne programmes. Helen McDonald www.massielodge.com
www.gallopers.com.au
