Keystone Cop and a Little Vale to Mrs Riley

Unless something really vital comes up this week, I'm going to focus on World Youth Week. Evident even in the suburbs by troops of Canadian Christians shouting "Oh Ca-na-daaaa" and flanked with the maple leaf. What a cheery bunch of younglings parading through Castle Hill with their WYD bandannas and funny accents "How aboot it?". True . . I had lunch with the Benchwarmer and there are busloads of kids disembarking with wheelie cases and happy clap WYD T shirts. I assume they're being billeted perhaps at some nearby high school. Ryan has even opted to work from home rather than be pestered by new traffic arrangements in the city and someone asking questions about his "So What Would Jesus Say . . " T Shirt (I made that up, I'm not sure if he has one!). But one particular news item caught my eye this morning whilst driving to work . . .

An elite New South Wales policeman is believed to have injured himself with a stun-related device outside the Catholic Church complex where the Pope is staying in north-west Sydney. (Maybe there is a God! hahaha!)

He was taken to Westmead Hospital, where he has been treated for a laceration and a fractured finger. (I love it, the guy must have tasered himself, fallen over and broken his fingin! . . .)

It is unclear how close the officer was to the Pope at the time of the incident but organisers say there was no threat to the pontiff at any time. (Apart from an increase in static in the pontiff's robes which gave everyone a view of his visible panty line and imbued him with a fantastic static induced troll like like hairdo! I made that up too . . .anything for effect)

Police say an investigation is underway.

This incident occurred at the perimeter to the property in Kenthurst where the Pope is enjoying a Catholic Retreat but at this stage, this is being handled by the police. (Does this smack of Keystone Cops or am I just being cruel?)

Kenthurst, is the bastion of the nuveau riche landowners and age-old, mainly Italian market gardeners. It's the safest place in the WORLD for a pontiff. Quiet, wooded, acreage . . . apart from the helicopters and high police presence today who'd have thunk the old Cardinal was loving his home among the gum trees, with lots of plum trees, a sheep or two and a kangaroo . . .

As for the policeman . . .silly duffer!



Edit: And on a slightly sadder note - although also a celebration of a wonderful and immensely long life. A lady I discovered only a couple of months ago, Olive Riley, the world's oldest blogger. Olive passed away this weekend at the ripe old age of 108. Although attempts to visit her site tonight have not been successful, there are some glitches with her site but it is well worth a visit. I hope they keep it running as a testament to this lovely lady. Until a fortnight ago, she remained blogging through her regular nursing home visitors, friends and family. . .I just wish I'd found her blog earlier because it is charming. Bless Mrs Riley . . and thank you Eric for your emails and for passing on my comments to Olive while she was ailing. She will be missed.

Mrs Olive Riley 20/10/1899 to 12/7/2008
Bless her soul!