Column 8

In relation to place names (C8), Jeff McNamara of Ulverstone, TAS points out that "at least down here in Tassie we do it right: there actually ARE penguins in Penguin!"

Watching the combatants in the grand finals over the weekend, one thing puzzled George Manojlovic of Mangerton. "When it came to awarding Coach of the Year, Murray's didn't even get a mention."

Although Jeeves (C8) now serves as the archetypical butler in modern consciousness, Joel Alexander of Kensington writes that "Wodehouse's Jeeves was not a butler (responsible for serving a household) but rather a valet (responsible for serving a single man)." This was seconded by Patrick Jordan of Campbelltown who adds "Jeeves was a Gentleman’s gentleman (or valet if you prefer). (James) Stevens in The Remains of the Day was a butler."

Another addition to the ranks of mother and daughter centenarians (C8) from David Thorn of Corlette. "My mother-in law died in July 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa aged 106 (and some). Her mother died in 1992 aged 102. My dear wife Rita says that she has no intention, nor the hope, of making it a threesome."

Reading and watching Australian and European reports on the devastation in Sulawesi and Lombok, Warren Menteith of Nyatnyatan, Bali wonders why "it seems obligatory to include 'Pacific Ring of Fire' at least once in every piece, even in follow-ups, which seems to denigrate the events and effects."

Judy Howarth of Neutral Bay shared a memory from 1960 when, having passed her driving test, she proceeded to practice her newfound talent on her mother’s FJ Holden, which had a manual column gearstick and no traffic indicators. "To execute a right hand turn, it was necessary to wind down the window and extend your right arm fully – risking hand amputation by oncoming traffic. On slowing for the turn, you would change to second gear with your left hand – whoops, who’s steering the car? Add heavy rain and you would be saturated on one side." Judy notes: "I still enjoy driving, but the challenge is just not there any more."

Column8@smh.com.au