WE watched the Mardi Gras on ABC because a dear friend from my childhood, a person we regard and embrace as family, was on one of the floats.
I remember as kids in a country town all the boys in the street would be playing footy or cricket in my grandparents yard, but our friend would play shops with my sister and her friends. The wood shed was the shop; my pop had an old register from his shoe shop set up so as it worked out those playing cricket would have to buy drinks and lollies from the wood shed shop. Pop would umpire the cricket game with the assistance of Uncle Phil and Dr Flag ale.
