Need a few good yarns

Trying to find the bloke in Mullumbimby who operates a backhoe. He has no arms and does it all with his feet. Can even light his cigarette.

lang

This says he "drives a tractor" in fact he has a commercial backhoe. Everything done with his feet.

Brett Nielsen is believed to be the first of about 35 thalidomide babies born in Australia, but he has shaped his story into a happy one. He is 46, a successful Mullumbimby musician with two children and two step-children. He hasn't let the fact that he was born with no arms stop him from driving a tractor or - his great love - playing the piano. He has made nine albums and sold 120,000 of them.

His outlook is a far cry from the "pessimistic emotional state" his parents talked about in 1972, when he was only 12. Nielsen the adult is far from bitter about the "complete cock-up" that has forced him to use his feet to perform most tasks. "They brought it out and didn't test it very well, but at the end of the day shit happens and it really doesn't matter what happens to you in your life, it matters how you deal with it," he says.

Bruce- George Pyers, and his AS 180 - yes, thats the man. Good story he has..
Some of these fellows listed above must be pretty incredible too. I wonder if being so called "handicapped" brings out the best in some people?
How about the Spanner man, up at Boort? If you haven't been there, go, it's worth the trip. An incredibly talented fella.
One of my favorite books was "I can jump puddles" by Alan Marshall. Inspirational, and a terrific Australian read.
Amazing what humans can do, when we need to isn't it.... ?
Cheers
Rich

What about the bloke who ran the Windorah service station. Only one there most days. Totally blind.

He sat out the front and people filled up and came in and paid. Some low lifes thought they could scam him and understated what they had put in but he could tell to the millilitre how much went in. He had a wide range of spares and could go to the shelf and pick them out for you. In younger days he did tyre repairs and mechanical work - all alone without an assistant. Cash was no problem as he could give change as fast as a sighted person just by the size of the notes and coins.

Bub, his wife, had the aircraft refueling contract at the airstrip. A big girl but she could spring up a ladder to stick fuel in the wing. She always had her huge overweight black Labrador with her.

I refueled once and got a lift back to town with Bub to get a sandwich. Jumped in the Landcruiser wagon and the dog staggered into the back seat and immediately started slobbering over my neck and whacking me in the back of the head with his nose. Next thing this bloody 80 kilogram monster throws himself over into the front and climbs up to sit on my knee.

Bub just muttered "You have his seat". Seems passengers were required to sit in the back to allow the dog his rightful position in the car. Worked fine on the way back to the airport.

lang

That's one interesting thing about Australia's notes and coins.

The notes are a different size so blind people can tell what they have in their hand.

Same for the coins. Different sizes and some have Reeding in various forms to, again, help the blind or sight challenged.

The United States has all the same sized notes so you need to look at what you have when paying or getting change. They're even the same colour.

There used to be a joke about your favourite book Prodive.
Appologies in advance.

"Everyone was jumping Puddles, so Puddles got up and left!

I met Alan Marshall when I was a primary school age kid probably about 9 or so and spoke to him for about 1/2 an hour or so (don't ask me about what my memory is not that good!). He gave me a signed copy of my book.
I was about to be in trouble with my parents for taking it when I opened it up and the inscription read "To my good friend Bruce" with his signature. I still have it.

When I read some books and some of the real battlers that built this country I figure my problems aren't really problems at all

I do think we are far to precious as whole these days and get offended by the slightest thing

I have never read the book Rich but am now on the look out for it

My brother Jack was a book I had to read as a kid Tech school

There were so many really good Australian books once but with the interweb that is slowly passing

My Inland Island was another interesting read
A Fortunate Life, I read for umpteenth time when hauling cane one year, was all over shop getting back under the harvester for a few days

The Crop Dusters was a good read

I could go on and on

Paul

Paul l don't read books often but the picture There are a wierd mob was a classic

There was a second book "Gone Fishing"
Based on the same characters, also a good laugh

Paul

There were several books in the series:- " No Kava for Johnny" is another one I remember. I think the same author, I forget his name at the moment but I have all his books called himself "Nino Culotta" in the stories.