concise writing

100-Word Challenge and More on Friday–The Humble Aussie Dunny

/ lmkling / Leave a comment

Toilets, bathrooms, latrines, bog or “dunnies” as they’re called in Australia, have surfaced as topics of conversation in the last week. How they have changed over the centuries. How they vary from place to place, country to country. But one thing remains constant to being human. When you gotta go, you gotta go.

100-Word Challenge: When You Gotta Go

He stood up and wandered to the door.

‘Get back to your seat!’ I snapped.

‘Gotta go to the toilet, Miss.’

‘No, you don’t.’ I pointed at his desk. ‘Sit down!’

This version of Denis the Menace crossed his legs and grinned. ‘Yes, I do.’

‘You can wait.’

‘Please, Miss,’ his voice mocking, ‘I have to go.’

Sniggers rippled throughout the classroom.

I stood, pointing like a fool at his chair. Afternoon sun streamed through the dusty windows, ripening adolescent body odour.

He walked past me.

I growled, ‘Get back here!’

‘When you gotta go, you gotta go,’ he replied.

© Lee-Anne Marie Kling 2019

Feature Photo: Memories recreated for my Mum when she lived in Hermannsburg. Waiting for the toilet. © L.M. Kling 2013

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Here are some more “dunnies” upon which to contemplate:

Dun Photo 1: Bordertown Dunny © L.M. Kling 2023
Dun Photo 2: Ocean Beach Dunny (note the position of the washbasin) © L.M. Kling 2016
Dun Photo 3: Backyard Repurposed Dunnies © L.M. Kling 2018

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Longing for more travel adventures?

Dreaming of exploring Australia?

Read the T-Team’s Aussie adventures, click on the link below:

The T-Team with Mr. B: Central Australian Safari 1977

Trekking the T-Team: Central Australian Safari 1981

100-Word Challenge–Worked

/ lmkling / Leave a comment

…Into a Corner

All afternoon, our backyard echoed with the hum of the cement-mixer, and intermittent scraping. Dad, armed with a trowel, smoothed the cement over an area pegged to become the back patio.

Metre by metre, he pasted his way back.

Mum stood on the porch, and with hands on her hips, remarked, ‘And how are you going to get out of this one?’

In an ocean of soft cement, Dad looked around him, lost. ‘Er…um…I’ll work it out.’

Tracks back to the lawn-edge smoothed, Dad stood and admired his DIY job.

Next morning, paw-prints made their way to the rainwater tank.

© L.M. Kling 2019

Feature Photo: Dad Concreting back Patio © M.E. Trudinger circa 1978

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It’s Holiday time.

Time to read more on the adventures of the war against the fiend you love to hate, an overgrown alien cockroach, Boris.

Click on the links below:

The Lost World of the Wends

The Hitch-hiker

Mission of the Unwilling

 Or

Longing for more travel adventures? Dreaming of exploring Australia?

Read the T-Team’s Aussie adventures, click on the link below:

Trekking the T-Team: Central Australian Safari 1981

100-Word Challenge–Midlife Dad-Crisis Cars

/ lmkling / Leave a comment

[Another relic from my childhood…and Dad’s catchcry, “for the time being” dogged the choice of cars he brought home.]

The Wolsley 6/99 Saloon

Dad’s midlife crisis began in earnest in the early 1970’s. His penchant for early model, British-made cars was disguised as “this’ll do for the time being”.

The blue and cream saloon took up residence in the backyard behind the Hills Hoist washing line while presiding over Dad’s vegetable garden. On weekdays, it attempted to ferry us to school, but more often than not, failed in its endeavours.

So began my education into mechanics (and my older brother’s), alternators, batteries, starter motors and lemons.

One positive, the Wolsley made a great hideaway because it never went anywhere — for the time being.

© Lee-Anne Marie Kling 2019; updated 2022

Feature Photo: Not a Wolsley, but similar condition by now…© L.M. Kling 1978

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Catch up on the exploits of Boris the over-grown alien cockroach, and the mischief and mayhem he generates.

Click on the links below…

The Lost World of the Wends

The Hitch-hiker

Mission of the Unwilling