The new upper house replacement for Damian Drum, Luke O’Sullivan, is unable to sit because the premier will not allow him a joint sitting to enable his swearing in.

Simply not good enough.

On Saturday, we could not leave the dazzling display of Aussie Rules footy, which was tied with only three minutes to the final siren.

We thought the game was going to be tied but in the end the Western Bulldogs beat the GWS Giants by one goal in the preliminary final.

We finally reached our dazzling performance of In the Mood at the Ullumbarra Theatre, Bendigo.

The game and show kept revolving around my mind: the high marks and high notes; intricate footwork; choreographed placings.

There we were, packed out in two theatres of entertainment, we who were without those abilities, were there to be dazzled.

The distinguished American, tall and lean with impeccable manners and a white carnation, was waiting near the CDs.

He told us that he had designed the show when we were enthusiastic. There was such a sparkling flow of numbers (as we observed in the footy, too) with elements of humour and pathos, never played to the hilt.

Historically the music was placed in the pre-World War II era and “then there was Pearl Harbour”.

The war numbers were accompanied by precise marching and saluting.

Delightful to see the iconic image of the sailor kissing the girl, which we remembered from the Victory Parade in New York 1945.

I guess the coaches of the two footy teams could be equally proud of their performers.

In October 1853 James Ralph and his new bride Hannah arrived in the Victorian colony aboard the ship Goldfinder.

James was born in Tennessee, USA in 1821 and had married Hannah Brown in Staffordshire, England.

They first settled in the then thriving gold mining town of Amherst near Maryborough, before moving to Fosterville.

Later they moved to the Wild Duck Creek area near Heathcote.

James and Hannah had nine children. Both James and Hannah are buried in the Axedale Cemetery.

A reunion of the Ralph family is to take place this weekend at Axedale on Sunday, October 2.

For more information, contact Alan Campbell on 5432 6673.

Those in favour of same-sex marriage must be getting desperate.

They are now trotting out data from a questionable ABC poll completed three years ago.

It’s about time they and members of the Labor party realised that if they want same sex marriage any time soon they had better change their tack.

Instead of denigrating a proposal to allow all voters to have a say, they bring out meaningless old numbers from their number one media supporter, the ABC.

Surely they don't expect us to believe that that represents the view of all the people?  

Some radio ads are boring. Others, such as Sue Walton's ''It's Her Gym'' are quite witty.

It always makes me smile. I might enroll there ...Oh wait!