I’ve been asked a few times recently to describe my ideal reporter. It’s easy: he is Rambo; she is Rambette. Why? It is obvious isn’t it?
Both Rambette and Rambo are clearly multi-platform types able to use a variety of tools to maximum effect. But there is also something else that appeals: they know how to catch and kill their own. They can go out in the forest or desert and come back a bit soiled but successful, having done all the work themselves. They can in other words go out, take risks and tell their own stories – in their own unique ways.
In question time, Fray said the Rambettes will know how to “fillet” and “trim the fat” off their own kill.
There were six of us, Sandra, Louise, James, David, Craig and me at the ABBA fest at my place on Sat arvo.
Sandra and Louise arrived early to discuss costume-making, and were decked out in 70s gear, ABBA badges and T-shirts, flared embroidered jeans, denim and faux fur trim jackets. Sandra had a special gold custom-made ABBA bracelet Louise had given her as a present for being her bridesmaid. I was wearing an ABBA T-shirt and ABBA bracelet.
after one of our regular jaunts to see ABBA – The Movie with about 150 other cinemagoers at the Valhalla, Glebe, we went back to Sandra and Louise’s place for what ended up as a 12-hour ABBA viewing marathon.
Aussie ABBA fans
We watched endless videos of ABBA in Japan, ABBA in Poland, ABBA in Germany, ABBA in Switzerland, ABBA in the UK … we finally ran out of videos to watch and had to beg Sandra and Louise to let us stay and watch old Countdown specials which featured two seconds of ABBA at the end of each one for 14 weeks when Fernando was Number 1 in the Top Ten.
We couldn’t get enough and none of us were leaving until the last music roll had been played on their antique pianola. Michele, Sandra and Louise were excellent at pianolaing and Money, Money, Money was given new life in a rousing interpretation.
We admired their rare Bjorn and Agnetha dolls, pillows, hat, scrapbooks, magazines and Pekingnese dog named Toby-Bjorn, due to its uncanny resemblance to an ABBA member’s pugnacious squashed-up face.
Louise had whipped up homemade Rocky Road, thus ensuring she’ll be invited to every ABBA fest in the future. The spread included gummi snakes, lollies, dips, fizzy drinks, with frankfurts and sausage rolls for the main course – essential foods for sustaining the marathon effort for viewing endless versions of Thank You For The Music. TC made a special guest star appearance but left early to go to his covetable job of DJing at a remote westie hotel in Pendle Hill.
Cotton Ward 