WLM Member Monday – Woofie Wotsit
Victoria Twead:
Today’s WLM Member spotlight falls on crazy member, Woofie Wotsit who was born in a zoo. (No kidding!) Ask her anything you like and she’ll pick one winner to give a fab mounted photo from her gallery, http://woofess.smugmug.com/WLM
Victoria Twead Morning Woofie Wotsit! What time is it in Oz?
Gill Hi, Woofie. Which, in your opinion, are the best and worst Australian TV shows ever?
Woofie Wotsit Tis now 1646 hours and it is horrendously hot outside, but air con is still working inside here
Mary What is your very favorite read?…
Woofie Wotsit For the Worst TV show it is a toss up between Neighbours and Skippy. For the best one – that’s hard .. wait on.. yeah.. Aunty Jack! “I’ll rip yer bleedin arms orf!”
Woofie Wotsit Best book was “Goodnight Mr Tom” Mary
Anne Hi Woofie – I would love to hear why you were born in a zoo please
Woofie Wotsit Though is hard to single out one, cuz I have read thousands I reckon, same as you lot
Mary Thank you…It is only 2:55 a.m. here in the Midwest USA and I’m here because I can’t sleep..So glad that happened so I could meet you….
Karen Hi Woofie, have you a favourite all time picture that you like.? What is your favourite topic to photograph?
Karen Good choice of book Woofie
Alison morning /evening Woofie!!!!
Woofie Wotsit Actually I think I was born in a hospital but me birth certificate states Zoo Grounds, Domain. We lived in a zoo – or rather the Aust Navy commissioned the Hobart Zoo what had become defunct after their star attraction died – the star attraction was the last remaining Tassie Tiger. My Dad specialised in maintaining and trouble shooting oil installations so we got to live in the only house in the zoo. All the animal cages etc were still there. One day my cat Wowie saved me from falling into the lion pit. Wowie used to follow me everywhere apparently. One day me Mum saw Wowie’s tail moving near the lion pit and she got there before crawled over the edge.
Victoria Come on, Woofie Wotsit, you were born in a ZOO??? What’s that all about?
Woofie Wotsit Best picture or the one most watched might be more apt – The African Queen – and of course Lawrence of Arabia – he was so cute *sigh* and the music is brilliant! I like photographing critters and flowers and tiny weenie thingies
Anne How lovely – much more interesting than ‘****** Maternity Hospital’
Cherry How did you come by the name of Woofie?
Karen Thank you Woofie, your photos are amazing
Karen Where in the world is your most favourite?
Woofie Wotsit Good one Cherry! Back in the mists of time and before the Internet became commercial, there used to be these things called chatters. They were sort of like FB but purely text based and they were run by different unis around the world. Everyone had a handle or screen name. I was friends with a pair of Canadian science teachers. They were into saving wolves and they were the Wolfman and WolfCub. I became the Wolfess. However, with a name like Wolfess I got a lot of err unwanted attention from other creeps on the Internet. So I changed it to Woofess and now my friends just call me Woofie.
Woofie Wotsit Karen – that is a hard one. I think my favorite places are mostly where my friends live and where the ppl are great and the scenery is fastastic such as Northern California, New England, Georgia, Scotland, England, Malaysia…hmm.. I could ramble on for ages here!
Cherry Gregory Ha Ha! That’s a great way to get a name. Like it!
Alison Teeshirts Woofie you are making me look totally normal; i must up my game! how accurate are you with that gun of yours?
Woofie Wotsit Pretty accurate Alison, though I would be more bleedin accurate if me bloody eye surgeon dude would pull out his proverbial pinkie and give me a cataract op. He sez i have to wait till I am totally blind and crashing into things! He did say that I will be amazed when I do have the op though! BAH!!!
Alison Teeshirts tell him your aim is going astray and offer to show him!lol
Woofie Wotsit LOL!! I like your thinking, Alison!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Frankie Can you ever see yourself becoming ‘normal’ or do you intend to continue to grow old disgracefully (Like me!)?
Cherry Gregory I know a few people who’ve had cataract ops, Woofie, and they have all been amazed at the result. Me, I just wish there was an operation to cure extreme short sightedness and low light blindness! Despite that, I’ve had a good look at the photos in your gallery and I love the one on your farm, with the small splash of a red truck just off from the middle, Brilliant.
Woofie Wotsit Frankie – “normal” means boring ppl like auditors or accountants! Like you I will never be normal! And “growing old disgracefully” I agree with you is the only way to go
Woofie Wotsit Cherry, can you get one of those ops where they correct your eye probs by laser surgery?
Cherry Gregory Yes, I’ve looked into it, but my eyes are still deteriorating and until they are stable, they won’t operate. I’m going back to the optician next month, hoping they are “stable” at last!
Cherry Gregory Do you live on a farm?
Woofie Wotsit Cherry – you want me to sort out that optician dude for you?!!!! And no, don’t live on a farm yet.. we had a couple of blocks of rural land (one acre which our house is on and 1.5 acres next door). We sold the block next door to a neighbour and used that money to buy a block nearly 400 acres out of Perth. We are moving there next year after I do the R thingy
Alan Parks Apologies Woofie, Im out today, but if you havent been asked above, I want to know more about your zoo!! Catch up tomorrow.
Woofie Wotsit OK… I am waiting for the first person to ask me about one of the statements in the pic. I will not tell you which one, but the first person to ask the right question wins the prize. Also I feel generous so will add a second prize as well. No I am not feeling generous.. I just want an excuse to play with my photo printer
Cherry Gregory Perhaps we can sort out each other’s eye doctors! If we miss (very likely with me) police won’t know who to blame! Great that you’re moving to a farm…I spent my childhood on a farm (in England). Hard work, but a wonderful life.
Terri WHY do you wear steel-capped boots? Or as we like to call them, Steel toed boots.
Cherry Gregory What’s all this about leaving shoes all over top part of Australia?
Mary What was your 5 minutes of fame on Page 1 shark photo…
Woofie Wotsit Cherry wins!!! It was the shoe problem which was the secret question! But do not despair.. there is still another prize for the rest of you and you are all equal contenders, except for Cherry who has just won the first one Pick yer photo and let me know Cherry
Cherry Gregory Thank you so much, Woofie. I’ll go back to look at your gallery and choose one.
Woofie Wotsit Terri, I wear steel capped boots cuz I can kick folks at work who get up me left nostril!! No, actually, I got supplied with them when I did fireman training at me last job. I used to work for a govt dept what looked after both native forests and state parks. As an employee you had to learn to be a fireman as well and so you got special fire retardant overalls, a safety helmet and steel capped boots. I loved my steel capped boots, because the steel caps allow a roomy part for your toes and thus are very comfortable.
Cherry Gregory It’s a hard choice because all the photos are suberb, but I’m choosing the one of Loch Duich in Scotland, because my husband and I have been there and it will bring back happy memories. Thank you, Woofie!
Woofie Wotsit Mary – that was very funny – Our division at work had one of those annual planning day thingies and for once the powers that be allowed us to actually hold it outside the office (it never happened again though!). It was held at some convention place on the river in Perth. When we broke for lunch we all wandered outside along the river and saw a shark in the shallows going beserk. I happened to have my camera with me and snapped pics of the shark. Our Publications manager at work saw the pics and he had friends in the newspaper world so he sent my pic off to them. Next thing I know I was headline news cuz seeing sharks that far up the river is not common. My pic ended up on Page one of the state newspaper. BUT, the funny thing was that our CEO of the time was furious! He came storming down to me and was quite abusive… “How dare you get to be Page 1 news and my report is shunted to page 19?”!!!
Cherry Gregory Love it that your boss was annoyed! Mind you, a shark is a lot more interesting than a boring report!
Cherry Gregory You’ve clearly travelled a lot. Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been to?
Woofie Wotsit OK.. the lost shoes. I was hoping I had kept a copy of what I wrote about this ages, but it is either lost or buried in the mists of time and ASCII.. Anyways there were a number of incidents over the years. I will just mention the first one. I used to be a School of the Air teacher in Katherine in the Northern Territory. Unlike other schools of the air in Australia, we had our own radio station (VL-5SK) – the others have or had to share their air time with Flying Doctor radio installations. Note that in the 70’s radio was the only form of communication in remote areas of Australia. Even phone services were “radio-tel”. Anyhows, once a year we endeavoured to visit all our students, even though they were scattered over the Top End of Australia. To facilitate that we had our own pilot. On one flight across the Top End for some reason I left pairs of shoes behind at each stop. I do not know why.. mebbe it was just a precursor to woof droppings!. Anyways, at the end of our tour, the pilot teacher and I arrived back in Darwin. I had no shoes on cuz it was too hot to wear shoes. We park the plane and plan to meet up in the hotel lobby where we have planned to stay the night before flying back to Katherine. I have a shower and get dressed before going down to the restaurant where were meeting for dinner. I realise I have NO shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Argghh! It was sooo embarrassing cuz the hotel restaurant was sort of up market for Darwin and I hadda crawl into the restaurant and hide me bare feet under the table. Me pilot mate was a bit of a stickler for appearances and he freaked out when he found out I had no shoes! Oh well Interesting footnote (excuse pun) for months after that mysterious packages would arrive from thousands of miles away containing pairs of shoes
Woofie Wotsit Cherry, that is a bloody interesting question, It made me think. And the most interesting place I have ever been is Beetaloo. Beetaloo is a cattle station in the NT south of Katherine and north of Tennant Creek, if I remember right. What you need to know that is in the 19th century the Aust govt imported a lot of camel drivers from Afghanistan to run camel trains. Of course those Afghan camel drivers got cosy with the local Aborigines, as did the Chinese coolies who were imported for various labour tasks.. On Beetaloo Station there were lots of these Afghan/Aboriginal descendants and as such they fell under our school of the air. One of my trips involved travelling to Beetaloo to meet with our students. This was an eye opener folks!!!!! I drove into the homestead and was met by the governess of the students, who was actually a terribly British guy.. While we were chatting school stuff, one of the students comes in and sez to me:
Woofie Wotsit Ahh.. now you have to wait for the next bit..
Woofie Wotsit And the student asks me: “Excuse me Maam, but would you care for tiffen?” I kid you not!!!!!!
Karen Why do idjits get up your left nostril in particular? !
Cherry Gregory Beetaloo! It sounds an amazing place. I didn’t realise you’d had camels in Australia, but it makes sense, of course. (Are they still there?!) Hilarious that you were offered tiffen, like something out of Edwardian England!
Woofie Wotsit Idjits wot is idjits! Folks wot ask dumb questions.. heck anyone wot tries me patience! The folks I work with/for drive me crazy cuz they tend to be soo iggerant. To give an example: One time staff folks were doing something ignorant or stupid, so I sent out a message to everyone saying “Please desist in this practice!” And I got emails back asking me what “desist” meant! I directed them to Daffy Duck who was the master of the word
Peggy Good day Woofie Wotsit. Sorry to hear about your eyes. I had cataracts removed from both eyes, and the difference is amazing. Hope they settle soon. Why do you hate shopping ??
Woofie Wotsit Yup Cherry, we still have camels and they have gone feral and all over the centre of Australia. Ironically we export our camels to all them Arab nations cuz our bloodlines is superior or pure or summat.
Karen Who or what lead you to join the WLM fb group?
Woofie Wotsit Peggy.. I hate crowds and noise and going into supermarkets and running down lanes trying to find what I need gives me the panics. Shopping centres always seem to have pressurized noise and folks pushing and shoving. I just have to get out in the open air so I can breathe again..yeah.. I know.. means I am weird or whacko or summat
Woofie Wotsit Good one Karen.. I had no choice in the matter… that evil Victoria Twead hijacked me and forced me to join!!! Actually I really enjoy the works of the authors on here. They have kept me commute trips to and from work, sane
Karen Not weird or wacko Woofie, there are a few of us who feel them same x Good on you Victoria,! Are you tempted to write a memoir of your adventures?
Cherry Gregory I hate shopping too and know that feeling of just having to get out in the fresh air!
Rowena Great photos Woofie. My hobby is photography. I am better at setting up family / people shots. My kids, nieces and nephews must be the most photographed seven kids in Australia. One day, I will put them all in a book.
Karen Well done Cherry on winning you picture x
Karen What is the most bizarre thing you have eaten? Widgetty grubs etc (excuse spelling)
Woofie Wotsit No Karen, I haven’t actually considered writing me memoirs until just recently.. that’s cuz I have only written stuff cuz I have had to.. dunno if that makes sense.. sometimes yer pinkies just type on their own accord and you just have to let them have their way.
Karen So could you tempt those pinkies into writing a memoir, you have travelled to a variety of places and in a sure you would have some great adventures to tell.
Karen You could entitle your first book “Missing Shoes!”
Woofie Wotsit Hah! Good one Karen! And then there was the episode of the missing shoes in Exmouth wot stopped a plane taking off… hmm.. that was tooo embarrassing for public eddification! I am going to bed now and will talk to me pinkies when I wakes up… enjoy yer day youse lot
Bambi Why specifically your left nostril Woofie? Is the right fair game?
Karen Good night Woofie, catch up later z
Woofie Wotsit Good question, Bambi. I have no idea why it is the left nostril now I come to think on it.. I am gonna have to ponder that one!!!!
Woofie Wotsit And Cherry.. I have PM’d you… will be in the “Other” thingy.. need yer snail mail addy. Night all and doan let the bed bugs bite
Karen Sorry I think you have missed my eating question. I know I have asked quite a few!
Woofie Wotsit Bummer I did… I will check back…
Woofie Wotsit Snake, Karen.. slightly cooked the Aussie Aboriginal way, where it is just singed over a fire…
Karen Yuk!! (Bows down in admiration!)
Bambi Good night Woofie! I’m off to work now. lol
Micki Really enjoyed reading the questions & answers, folks! Hope you sleep well Woofie!
Victoria Twead Night night, Woofie, don’t let the huntsman spiders bite. We’ll probably pester you again tonight – your morning.
Peggy Ditto the above !!
Laurie I too want to hear about being born in the zoo.
Lorraine Where does the name Woofie Wotsit come from? Any particular episode in your life?
Karen Peggy and Lorraine if you check back on previous thread, Woofie answered this already. Hope this helps xx
Mary That story about the shark was so funny. As if you’d give a rats behind about what the reporter did…Your CEO should have patted you on the back, given you a raise, and fired the reporter….That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it…
Terry I think we need to discuss that big gun in your wolf paw….
Linda Kovic-Skow Wow! Woofie Wotsit you’ve led a very interesting life. I, for one, would love to read your memoir. Off now to check your photos now.
Linda Kovic-Skow Beautiful photographs, Woofie Wotsit I especially like “Avatar” scenery in Central China.
Mark Bean: Brilliant, someone else who thinks shopping is dire and wears steel toe capped boots !! And has a (Ruger?)
Sue Clamp: Just love your photos, Woofie! Oh, the book “Goodnight Mr Tom” always makes me cry! Tears will roll down my face if I’m reading it to a class of children. I always have to warn them in advance! The film was nowhere near as good, even with John Thaw in it. Great choice!
Woofie Wotsit: Folks… Am waiting till 24 hours are up and then putting names into a hat and will get the spouse to draw name of lucky person for a mounted print.
Woofie Wotsit: Mark Bean smith n wesson and Terry Bryan do you think I need gun aversion therapy to make me put down me sporting appliances ? *grin*
Terry Bryan: No, dear, I am for shootin’ what hurts ya…howeva, I do think the U.S. could do with a few less firearms… Okay, now for my question. Do you follow any sporting events? If yes, which?
Woofie Wotsit: We ain’t alowed to shoot folks here, not even ones wot get up yer left nostril! As to sport Nah… Sometimes watch a bit of soccer, but not often, Terry
Mark Bean: Hey Woofie, what cal do you shoot?
Woofie Wotsit: 22,22hornet,38, 44 magnum 357 sig 357magnum and12 gauge well you did ask!
Anne Wine O’clock Durrant: Good morning/evening again – I am in awe of you with all the interesting things you have done – I was just wondering what will you be doing on Christmas day?
Woofie Wotsit: We are doing summat different this year. Instead of cooking lunch, our frink Krazy Kiwi ( her ancestors were cannibals ) is taking us for dinner at the casino and we will get to lose all our money on the pokies. Loking forward to it
Woofie Wotsit: Frink? Friend dammit! Wot about you Anne?
Anne Wine O’clock Durrant: Well where do I start – hubby and I retired 2 weeks ago, because he had a heart bypass earlier in the year also his mum passed away in August and it made us realise there is more to life than work. So we are selling our house, and moving into a granny flat above our sons garage. We have bought a campervan – we intend to drive to Corfu, Greece next March for 6 months with our dog Poppy. We are renting an apartment there and just going to walk, swim, eat and generally chill out – reading all the books I have downloaded onto my kindle. Back to the question – we are having a quiet Christmas day – last one in this house doing what we want to do. Bugga the family we have pleased them for the last umteen years – now it is us time.
Cherry Gregory: Both of you sound as if you’ll have a grand Christmas. Good luck at the casino, Woofie!
Woofie Wotsit: Good onya Anne!!!!!!!!
Victoria Twead:Woofie Wotsit, thanks SO much for being our Monday Member. I knew you’d be a fascinating person to get to know, and you didn’t disappoint!
Woofie Wotsit: Yer welcome Victoria – thanks for asking me cuz it was fun And now.. I am just waiting for the Spouse to come home from taking Destructo Dawg for a walk and I will get him to draw a name out of a hat. I stuck all your names on post it notes and folded em up.
Woofie Wotsit: And the winner is………. and excuse state of Spouse. He badly needs shearing. I will attack him with the clippers as soon as I can catch him and tie him down…
Woofie Wotsit: And the winner is…. ta dum………
Anne Wine O’clock Durrant: tease lol
Woofie Wotsit: And the winner is…..
Anne Wine O’clock Durrant: Well done Bambi xx
Cherry Gregory: Hey, Bambi! Congratulations! It’s a wonderful prize!
Cherry Gregory: Many thanks for your entertaining tales.
Anne Wine O’clock Durrant: Thanks for a very interesting 24 hours xx
Jacky Rolls: And what a finale!!!! Well done Bambi x
Micki Stokoe: Well done Bambi! And thank you, Woofie!
Bambi Flanner: OMG! I just saw this! That is the best picture ever! I love that he is holding a stickie with my name on it all the way around the world from me! Awe!!! Woofie, you’re awesome.
Woofie Wotsit: Well Bambi, you are now forced to pick a pic and get a prize whether you like it or not *grin*
Bambi Flanner: I think I have to go with Avatar. I love them all but that one will go perfectly in my zen room. Where I attempt to meditate while simultaneously yelling “TURN OFF THE DAMN WATER AND STOP HITTING YOUR BROTHER!”. So this may be the secret ingredient. Lol
Victoria Twead: Woofie Wotsit, you TOTALLY ROCK!!!!!! Congrats, Bambi Flanner!
Bambi Flanner: Or, you could frame the pic of your hubster holding my name on the sticky, because that’s pretty awesome. lol
Woofie Wotsit: OK.. you get the Spouse as well, but only cuz I bought these mat mounts and they are supposed to be A4 size and they ain’t,, I think they are that weird US size! I will go to art supply shop near me work tomorrow and get right size for the two prizes.. so you can have Spouse in weird mat mount size *grin*
Woofie Wotsit: Oh yeah.. btw… the Avatar place.. I can never spell or pronounce the bloody name, but it is where the producer dude for Avatar got his inspiration for the floating island thingies in the movie. With clouds and mist swirling around those horst or wotever mountains, it looks like they are floating. It is a really magical place, only spoilt by the hordes of idjit tourists taking selfies every foot of the way! And to make things doubly worse I didn’t carry me good camera that day due to weight and all the steep climbs… only had a little point and shoot.. am still kicking meself!
Bambi Flanner: Well, if I have to take the spouse I’m sending you mine. He won’t be mounted or framed. But he cooks. Can yours cook? I’ll have to pry him out of that frame for dinner time so I don’t starve to death. Lol It’s a beautiful pic no matter what camera you took it with!
Woofie Wotsit: LOL Bambi, it’s a deal! I’ll tidy mine up before I ship him over to you. Mine can cook too.. he allus cooks bubbaq on Sundays (and for the rest of youse BubbaQ is slow cooked and smoked meat, Southern USA style )
Anne Wine O’clock Durrant: Whoooo – get it in the recipe book Woofie xx
Woofie Wotsit: Yeah Anne Wine O’clock Durrant I will see what I can do. You need a Weber BBQ or similar so you can slow cook.. Orstralians have trouble with slow cooking, cuz they are used to burning everything fast on a hot plate over a fire. Meanwhile we had our annual Secret Santa at work today, which involves a morning tea where we all bring food and Carol, one of the leddies at work brought her famous, to die for, dip. I took a photo of it and will include the recipe. It is really easy but soooo goood!
Bambi Flanner: I love bubbaQ! Mine makes a mean steak, so it should be a good, even swap. Mine only ever wears flip flops and shorts and tank tops, and he paints, so he’s pretty much always covered in paint. You’ll have a hard time getting him cleaned up if you want to take him anywhere. lol. Woofie, I must away. Work calls. I had a brutal day yesterday and was dreading going back in today, but you’ve put a smile on my face and started my day off great. Thanks Woofie.
Woofie Wotsit: Bambi, if you want me to sort out some idjits at work, just holler
Susan Jackson: How did you become the person you are today?
Karen Knight: Thank you Woofie, it’s been a blast. Excuse the pun! Congratulations Bambi xxx
Dodie Shea: Loved reading all your responses Woofie!
Alan Parks: Woofie Wotsit, awesome MM!!! Sorry I wasn’t about yesterday, important airport business. A grandmother needed to head back to visit new born Grandson! And I know a shearer if you want one for hubby!!
December 18, 2013
Susan Joyce: Woofie, just read through your interview. What fun, getting to know you.
Woofie Wotsit: Ahh… you have reminded me, Susan Joyce, I forgot to mention me one claim to fame… me meeting with Rolf Harris….
Sue Clamp: He’s in a bit of trouble at the moment
Woofie Wotsit: Yeah.. and I suspect I know why he might be, if previous meet was an indicator
Sue Clamp: Oh dear!
Susan Joyce: Hopefully he didn’t punch you.
Woofie Wotsit: Nah… he was quite nice, but very hyper, He came to visit the School of the Air where I worked in 1974 or thereabouts. Our School of the Air was the only one in Australia which had its own radio station. All the others had/have to share with the Flying Doctor radio stations. Our School of the Air not only serviced the top end of Australia but also kids in remote places outside of Australia such as ones travelling the world on yachts etc. Anyways, having Rolf for a visit was a big occasion.. bigger than when Princess Anne came to visit but didn’t show up. Our boss had bought a carton of beer for him for the occasion. Warning bells sounded when he came accompanied by a minder and when the minder wouldn’t let him have a beer. Nevertheless he entertained our students on the radio and it was a great session:). Afterwards we were all sitting around in what was our staff room despite the cramping presence of the minder dude, who kept “Now Now Rolf!”ing, every time Rolf got a bit excitable. Anyhows at one stage Rolf turns to me and asks me if I would spend the night with him camping down at Mataranka Hot Springs. I thought he was joking, until the minder dude intervened with his “Now Now, Rolf!” and put an end to any chance of that excursion!
Susan Joyce: Fun story. A minder? Our son needs one of those. He’s 25 and still learning.
