Willy, Willy, Whip behind.
OLIVE’S SIXTEENTH POST.
Mike
Ollie, I’ve moved this Willy Whip Behind story from the last post, O.K?
I did it because I think post fifteen on the steam tram is so long that probably nobody got to the end of it, and I like this Willy bit especially.
I love the old kids rhymes, and the things you used to sing out way back then in Broken Hill.
You know, maybe people will send us old rhymes they know from their part of the world
Olive
Well, that’s alright.
Mike
Now, did Barnie ever do that Willie Whip Behind??
Olive
No, that was me when I was a kid, a trick we used to play, and dangerous too!
We’d be going to school and a dray, a cart, would come past and we’d run behind it to steal a ride.
We’d grab hold of the back tray and swing our legs over a bar which was under the back, and that way we’d steal a ride to school.
But if the other kids saw us, they’d be jealous and they’d sing out to the driver to tell him he had passengers, because he wouldn’t know, yer see.
They’d sing out; “Willy, Willy Whip behind, Willy, Willy Whip behind.” And he’d whip behind with his long horse whip and flick us off. But Barnie never did that.
He and Evelyn did have a trick they did, though. They found an old water tank, a hoop of corrugated iron, and they’d get in it and roll down the hill in the back yard, tumbling over and over in the tank, right down to the dunny. (toilet) Crashing down!
Mike
Where was the dunny?
Olive
The dunny was always at the back fence in those days. That was so the night soil man could come and take the can away, the honey pot, when it was full.
(That’s Barnie on the right, by the way, in front of a water tank. It would have been one like that, with the ends cut off, that they would have rolled down to the dunny)
Olive
Another thing they did, those rascals used go get behind the Dunny when someone was using it, open the back flap, and tickle bums with leaves on a twig. Oh, you’d get such a shock!
But Barnie was a lovely boy. He never gave me a moment’s trouble. Not one. Not until he went and enlisted to go to the war against my wishes, The Second World War, that is.
Mike
Well, that’s a story for another day. I reckon, Ollie
Here, I’ll end with this photo of you and Barnie at your 105th. “Ah, me darlin boy.” you exclaimed. “Barnie Google with the googly googly eyes.”
Olive
That’s another rhyme.
Barnie Google with the googly, googly eyes,
had a wife ten times his size.
So, he stuck her in the ribs
and cut her down to size
Did Barnie Google with the googly, googly, eyes.
Mike
And here, for the very, very end of today’s story….
When Barnie was still your lovely boy,
before you left that cheatin’ Bernard,
before the war,
before almost everthing, in fact……
Thursday, April 19th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
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24 Responses to “Willy, Willy, Whip behind.”
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April 19th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Mike,
I read all of every post, long or short!
And I never did hear back from Mr. Keillor, speaking of rascals.
-Scott
Woodbridge, VA, USA
Thanks, Scott. But in moving the Willy post, we did add to it, so dont miss the new ending. Mike and Ollie
April 19th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
great blog
great person
Stefano, Milan, Italy
April 20th, 2007 at 4:16 am
I want to thank you for all the effort that has been invested into your “blobs”. It is beautifully done, as well as interesting and educational. Maybe Nancy Sinatra’s “Boots were made for walkin’”, but for you, “Blobs were made for talkin’”!!
And because of this, you and Mike have made a tremendous impact on people all around the world. Olive, you are famous!!! And you haven’t jeopardized your integrity, honor, or reputation to accomplish such a feat, as so many other empty-headed lunatics have done.
I also appreciate your devoted efforts to rectify an injustice that is being done to a hard working individual in your community. As you surely know, there is “strength in unity”. Keep on keeping on! Respectively, Gloria from IN (USA)
Thanks, Gloria, I don’t know if we are achieving all of that but it is certainly nice to wake up in the monring to comments like yours. Blobs are made for talking, you say, and maybe bypassing the MSM which can seem more and more irrelevant as people talk directly to each other across the world as we do.
I have a feeling too that good sense might prvail in the lettuce man situation, and that will certainly encourage Ollie and I, if it does.
Did you write to Gosford Council? I’m sure it’s making a dfference. The address is embedded a few posts back somewhere. Mike for Ollie
April 20th, 2007 at 7:50 am
I read and enjoy every word, Olive!! The photos are great too.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Hi there Olive and Mike,
Lyle here from Peninsula News and Central Coast Live.
Just wanted to let you know how much I love reading your blob, it is so fascinating for someone like me who has only been around since the mid 80’s.
I have taken the liberty of putting a link to your blob on my Central Coast Live blog, to let more people know about this wonderful site.
Also, as a journalist, I think it is great what you are doing, bringing peoples attention to issues such as the lettuce man and the ferry run.
If there is anything I can do, such as publishing information about the issues on my site, let me know.
May this blob go on for a long time to come!
Thanks so much, Lyle. Any way you can get more Central Coast folks to take a look would be great. Maybe they are just shy, but it seems from the comments, it’s mainly people overseas who are visiting.
As you say, Olive has so much to offer, her stories of course, but also issues like the lettuce man where her voice, and that of fans, can make a difference. So, do whatever you like to get the word out. Mike the helper.
April 21st, 2007 at 12:57 am
Sei grande!!!
Vorrei avere una nonna come te.
Con Ammirazione.
Alex
April 21st, 2007 at 2:59 am
“Central Coast Live” blog:
http://www.techphoenix.org/coastlive/
April 21st, 2007 at 8:18 am
Lovely, as always.
This BLOB just fascinates me. Ollie is a lovely person who deserves all the best. There’s so much to be learned from her… And, as I told you, you helping her is a very nice thing to do , Mike. Lots of kisses for both of you!
April 21st, 2007 at 11:12 am
Hi Ollie and Mike. I just love this blog. History is one of my passions and the history in all these posts is just wonderful.
Hope you both (and Katya) have a lovely weekend
April 21st, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Hi Ollie & Mike,
I recently watched your DVD with my friend Elena in Victoria, British Columbia - it was beautiful and made both of us a bit weepy… I love your blob and find your stories so interesting!
thanks, Katy
I’m glad the DVD arrived, katy, and that it played. Did you have trouble getting it to work? It might be a good idea if Elena can see if she can get the CBC interested. Mike the Helper.
April 21st, 2007 at 8:48 pm
When I look back at the last blog entry I can see that it was long, but it did not seem long when I was reading it. You get so engrossed in it that you do not realise. I’m actually happy if they are long because then I get to read more! Hello to all of you. Lynne from Bulli.
Hi, Lynne, I’ve been away for a week and so have not been able to post Olllie’s new stories. Mike the helper
April 21st, 2007 at 11:00 pm
I am Sylwia (Silvia) and i am 11,5. I from Poland and I learn english in Empik. I live in small town - Chełm, near Lublin. I read about your blog in monthly - „DD reporter”. I wish you health and long life.
It will be nice you can practice English with Ollie and I, Silvia. Send us a photo of Chelm. Mike the helper
April 22nd, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Hi! I’m silvia, from Milan (italy)
Great blog! you remember me my grandma, she is like you, younger than you (86) but so full of life!
Wish you a nice day and great blogging ^_^
bye!
orka
Hi Silvia, I am sure your grandma is/was fantastic. Is she still alive? Mike the helper
April 22nd, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Great stories! I love the “willy whip behind” thing - sounds like something i would have done as a child. I can’t believe that woman on the tram, couldn’t handle sitting next to a woman in labor. What a wimp! (is that the same as “sook”?)
By the way, I always read every post no matter how long. Even if I can’t read it all in one sitting, i always come back and finish. Plus I always check even if it is not a new post because, Mike, i know you sometimes add pictures and such later as you get them.
And Olive, yes nowadays if you have a natural childbirth, they send you home the next day. When my (2 year old) son was born, i had to have Cesarean section and they let me stay in hospital for 3 days!
Yes, Christina, a sook is like a wimp. You were very lucky to get three days, I guess. Mike the helper.
April 23rd, 2007 at 7:05 am
THANK YOU OLIVE FOR SHARING YOUR 107 YEARS OF LIFE WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD! I NEVER KNEW WHAT LIFE IN AUSTRALIA WAS REALLY LIKE SO LONG AGO OR TODAY FOR THAT MATTER. YOU ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE A FRIEND LIKE MIKE WHO CAN RECORD YOUR STORIES ALONG WITH PICTURES. PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING AS LONG AS YOU CAN. I LOVE NON-FICTION, THAT IS, REAL LIFE STORIES. WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?YOU CERTAINLY MUST BELIEVE IN GOD! BYE FOR NOW. LOVE. DARLENE SHUSTER FROM OHIO,USA
Darlene, Olive’s faith is Anglican I think. She had a favorite pastor, Lisbeth, who had to return Sweden a year ago. She has just heard from Lisbeth and very happy about that. Mike the helper.
April 23rd, 2007 at 11:37 am
Love you—love your blob!
Shirley Buxton
http://www.shirleybuxton.wordpress.com
April 23rd, 2007 at 8:38 pm
Hi,do you want to be my grand grand mother?
You are the best….
Bye,davide from Ita
Hi, Davide, thanks for you comment. Ollie is pretty busy, being a great great grand mother already. So she can’t volunteer. But she’s pleased you visited. Mike the helper.
April 23rd, 2007 at 10:12 pm
I want to grow up to be just like Olive!:) Big hugs to you from a “middle aged” Ohio mom.
Yeah, she’s pretty special. Thanks for your comment, Chrissy. Mike the helper.
April 24th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
I would suggest to the government of Australia to appoint you as the official Australian Grandmother.
I feel confident that if they do that you will have lot of rain soon and overcome the drought.
Stefano from Ferrara (Italy)
Stefano, that is a brilliant idea. But I fear the authorities wont listen. This country has little interest in grandmothers I conclude since they ignore this very interesting one. Silly!
s for the rain, it has been raining constantly on both Olive and I for about four days now. But we are told the rain is falling in the wrong places and running into the sea, again very silly.
None the less, we are in good spirits. OIive just phoned me and asked me to contact her favorite radio station Radio 50 Plus, she does not have the number, and congratulate them on the lovely music they are playing this afternoon. I told them they had a happy 107 year old listenener, and they were amazed. News travels very slowly here.
Mike the helper.
April 24th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Such an old lady who still maintain important to communicate to a radio that she appreciate the music they play is extraordinary. It means that in spite of her age Ollie still shows a deep interest for the life around her. What a model for all those aged people who spend most of the day complaining about their several pains and disease! I’ll try to remember her lessons when and if I’ll get over 70.
Stefano-Ferrara (Italy)
You are right, Stefano. When Olive called this afternoon to ask me to phone the radio station, it was special. I mean, she always seems engaged in life, but to be so active, to think it was important to phone a station and thank them for the music she had just enjoyed, that impressed both myself and my wife, Katya, a lot.
Another strange thing about Olive, is that she has no need of fame. She was not at all concerned that I tell the station who she was, that a very old lady was a listener.
Of course I did tell them that a 107 year old waman was a fan, and of course they were impressed. But she did not care about that. She continues to surprise me, does Ollie. Mike the helper.
April 26th, 2007 at 3:21 am
Ran across your blog website on Kim Komando’s site of the day list. Very fascinating reading. My great grandmother lived to the age of 104 and had written (with helpers) many of her memories from her youth. Only family members ever got to read it, as there was no internet at the time. This was about 20 yrs ago.
I am now 44, and check here regularly to see the new posts and the comments.
Even though my great grandmother grew up in Virginia (U.S.), the stories still sound similar in many ways.
Eric Stamper
Jacksonville, Florida
It’s interesting that many people say the same, Eric. Maybe grappling with new techology as people did all over the industrializing world, produces similar stories. Have a look below at the comment from Texas, for excample about Grandma and the run away car. Steam trams too, shcih as the one Ollie rode on, were probably common.
Mike the helper.
April 26th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Good evening, Olive. I adore you and your beautiful well-written blog.
I am crowning you with the Thinking Blogger Award. Please go to my site and pick it up
Fondly,
Shirley, what does Olive have to do? mike the helper.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
I love your blog. Keep up the great work.
Thanks, John. Mike the helper
April 28th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
I sent an e-mail to Colleen Worthy-Jennings. If you would like a copy of it, please provide me with either an e-mail address or a mailing address. It is rather lenghtly! (It’s a girl thing) I’ll see that you receive a copy. Thank you. “Keep on keepin’ on”!! Olive and you are a winning combination. Respectively, Gloria
Thanks for writing, Cloria . I do hope more people will do so. I am sure it’s having an impact. Mike the helper