She hasn't made it to Mooseheads yet, but still-new United States ambassador Caroline Kennedy has revealed she loves walking around the lake and swimming in Canberra's pools as she rang in to MIX 106.3 on Friday morning to help Caroline Chisholm School celebrate its new school song, which was set to the Neil Diamond classic, Sweet Caroline.
Ms Kennedy also gave her own take on the claim that Diamond had written his 1969 hit about her.
The event was to celebrate the new school song, which the MIX 106.3 breakfast team had written especially for the students and staff.
Some of the lyrics were:
It all began... back in '85,
Since then, we've all been growing strong.
Learning's our thing,
We'll dream and grow together.
Down here, in sunny Tugg'ra'nong.
One...community....
P-10....teaching me...teaching you.
"Every time I get in the car this week, I heard Sweet Caroline on the radio, and I thought, 'What is going on?' and then I found out that you were all going to be at Caroline Chisholm School and I wanted to congratulate everyone on the song," Ms Kennedy said, to cheers from the students.
The ambassador also suggested Neil Diamond might have fudged the truth a bit in his inspiration for Sweet Caroline, him saying it had been written about her when "he saw a picture of me on my pony but when I listen to that song, that's not what I hear".
"When I turned 50, Neil Diamond said that he had written the song about me, that was already a long time ago. But, you know what? I don't believe it," Ms Kennedy said.
"So, I think your song and this school and the story of Caroline Chisholm is much better than that."
The school in the suburb of Chisholm is named after Caroline Chisholm, an Englishwoman who came to Australia in 1838 and was known for her care for, and advocacy of, women and migrants.
"I think that the example she set of caring for others, of advocating for those who were suffering, was really important, and I think it has really inspired me to know that there was another Caroline out there, a long time ago, who was trying to make the world better and I'm sure that spirit is present today in the school," Ms Kennedy said.
The MIX 106.3 breakfast team of Kristen Davidson and Nigel Johnson were broadcasting from the school's basketball court after the radio breaky team wrote the song for the school.
Ms Kennedy then called in as their special guest.
The pair quizzed her about what she had been doing in Canberra since she started her role.
"Have you been able to get out and about? Have you gone for a walk around the lake? Have you been to Mooseheads? What is it you love about Canberra," Davidson asked.
"I love walking around the lake, I've been swimming, I've been in the pools, I've been going to some of the museums, I've been to ANU," Ms Kennedy replied, dodging the query about Mooseheads.
"So, I'm trying to see as much as I can and meet as many people as I can here in Canberra and everybody has been so nice.
"Maybe I can even come to the school one day?"
The response from the students was a thunderous cheer.
"It was really great to join you this morning," the ambassador told everyone.
