The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 49 No 2 July 2010

Events
Gulgong Gossip
The inside story from the chronicles of Flash Harry
The Queen, mounted high in the bowling club hall, parted lips and cupped hands as if viewing the
ongoing proceedings below. The evening unfolded with a plethora of activity as conversations became
intense.
New to Australian customs, Flora sucked on a silky plump prawn between sips of a crisp white
Chardonnay. Meanwhile Sharon grasped the opportunity to stroke Neville's abundant ego. Unfortunately
her large protruding program slipped and rammed up his right nostril causing him to retire early on that
first night.
undeterred by Neville's mishap, Raquel leaned enthusiastically across Bruno's thigh, with her
complimentary Gulgong pen, to make herself known to the trio from Finland with a gushing request for
previously undisclosed techniques, yah!
Gloria, who arrived late wearing a crimplene frock and a cheap pair of slingbacks, watched as Thelma
shimmied across the dance floor to Neil Diamond's Hot August Night. As she bent to stub out her
cigarette, she slipped on Sergio's silk tie as he spun on his broad back in a wild hip-hop move. This
simple action created a brief moment of chaos, as she fell into Sergio's face causing him to inhale a
small amount of loose crimplene fibre, which was delicately retrieved by Thelma in an apologetic and
nurturing manner.
As day oozed into night, the congregation filtered back through the quiet retiring streets to
contemplate the excitement of that first evening ...
On their return to the dorm, the girls from the West damaged the serenity of the sleeping mass when
a Huntsman ran up the arm of a fragile young lass and onto the end of her Oral B. It was considered
a tad harsh, initially, when Cath appeared to be annoyed at the uncontrollable screams of the fragile
young lass. However, Cath's irritation rose more from the fact that she had a sponge ear plug stuck
in her left ear. The problem was exacerbated further when Irene, while trying to help, was pushing it
further in. Later that evening Cath, waking for an early toilet stop, had another go at the sponge ear
plug when she announced to the entire dorm, "I've got it, but the bloody thing's infected."
As the days rolled by with the opening of a matrix of exhibitions, workshops and engaging talks, the
delegates immersed themselves in cross-cultural knowledge, the cafe strip and, most importantly, the
temporary office known as The Prince of Wales Hotel. Local girl Monique, frantically pulling schooners
behind the bar, clearly identified the bountiful opportunities invested by the influx of "you crazy
potters" .
"Ah yes, this is where it all happens," claimed the boys from Queensland, "and you can quote me on
that. "
As the sun sank low Bob plucked and fiddled, while Lesley from Goomalling slipped in and felt right
at home in the welcoming embrace of Morning View, where upon she showed the locals how to bare
handedly chew and rip through a lamb shank in 37 seconds at Kia Ora Kai. "I'm impressed," declared
Phil.
THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS JULY 2010 93