This year the Coota Boys annual fishing trip went off with a BANG! 

Mallacoota, (just over the border into Victoria from the fishing town of Eden) was chosen spot and the men stayed at a one hundred year old guest house and delighted in excellent spring weather.

Fishing and boating in the lakes around Mallacoota was an absolute blast - Trev Pether commented and yet another beautiful part of Australia. 

And guess what only one fish was caught over four days of fishing the lakes (next year a decision was made to go to a river system!)

The group visited Green Cape and Eden and returned to their respective home towns vowing to meet again next year for fishing fun and catch up time.

Over the years these men have circumnavigated Australia in an effort to find the best fishing spots, for example on a houseboat off Dampier in Western Australia, off the coast of Adelaide, Northern Queensland, many other coastal spots around Australia and a number of large inland rivers.

A PROUD DAY

It was a proud day when Blen and Jenny Leahy attended the Graduation Ceremony at the Goulburn Police Academy for their grandson Stephen Doust.

Stephen is the son of Jim Leahy and Mary Doust and the grandson of Canberra lady Betty Hay and the late Ian Hay.

Stephen has been posted to Liverpool and he is pictured here with (from left) Jim Leahy, Jenny Leahy and (front) Stephens daughter Abbie Doust.

GARDEN VIEWING

How nice spring is here and the spring gardens have never looked so good.

A perfect time for the Sacred Heart School to be telling all of their upcoming Garden Viewing Day set to take place on Sunday, November 4.

The four gardens open for all of us to enjoy are Col & Sue Adams, Sue Rudd, Michael & Fiona Levett, Chris & Petrece Maxwell.

The organising committee is busy with preparations and will give us photos shortly of some of the gardens to ‘wet our appetite’.

Light refreshments will be served in the gardens, and plants and stalls at the gardens.

AND, the Cootamundra District Garden Club will be hosting their 18th Annual Rose Show, taking place in Dickson Hall, Cooper Street on Saturday, November 3.

Be sure to put this date in your diary and again given the perfect spring weather we can expect to see some superb roses on display.

EUROPEAN VACATION

Welcome home to lovely girl Emily Fairley from Pazzaz Hair Studio who recently returned from the most fabulous European vacation.

Emily flew out for Europe with friends Sarah Hearne and Andrew Jones, of Harden, and in the six weeks away they drove through England and Scotland and spent 3 days in beautiful, beautiful Dublin.

After the UK leg they joined a Contiki tour which took them to France (Emily just fell in love with Paris), Spain (another favourite Barcelona), Monaco, Italy (Florence, Rome Venice), Greece (a highlight of their stay in Greece was a two day stay on the Greek Island of Corfu.

The trio finished their stay with a visit to Holland and Germany, arriving in Germany in time for all the beer festivals.

Welcome home Emily, certainly the girls at Pazzaz are pleased to have you ‘back where you belong.’

THE BEST MOVIE

Next week just THE BEST movie is coming to town “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”.

With Dame Judy Dench featuring and other well known actors it is a not to be missed film with all the comedy/drama set to appeal to all.

This first class movie is taking place in the theatre of the Arts Centre on Wednesday next October 24 at 10.30am and 7pm, then Sunday October 28 at 5pm.

I’LL MISS YOU

Heaps of good wishes to my former work colleague (and good friend of 14 years) Helen Johnson as she moves on from the Herald Office after 32 years of dedicated service.

Most certainly all that was written in last Friday’s Cootamundra Herald summed Helen up superbly. She has always ‘been there’ for me over the years of working together. My head would pop around from the journalist room with such questions as ‘is this the correct spelling Helen, or what do you think of this sentence Helen.’

AND on some Friday afternoons I do enjoy having the girls from the Herald up at our home for drinks (and heaps of laughs I might add - rest assured Helen as my good friend 

the 5pm drinks will still be on your 

‘agenda!’)

Thursday of last week was fun (and sad) with flowers given to Helen all over the office, we did morning tea and our managing editor Maxine put on a yummy lunch at the office for Helen’s last day.

But as Helen leaves we feel lucky to now have lovely girls Rachel Fitzgerald and Melinda Chambers ‘at the helm’ of ‘front of house’ in lieu of Helen.