Tuesday 24 July 2012

FIGGY BOWLO






Driving to my youngest’s house, just south of Wollongong, pronounced ‘woollen-gong’, handicapped by a scribbled map and desperate for a landmark, I stopped at traffic lights, scanned my surroundings, and there it was, right at the intersection. Big, bold and backlit: FIGGY BOWLO! I stared and muttered WTF while I wondered until the driver behind lost patience and tooted.

I drove on, now totally absorbed with the question and it took a while. But it shouldn’t have. When Mum died, I inherited the title of Family Cryptic Crossword and Scrabble Champ so, after trawling through all that experience, it finally came. Here it is. Figtree is a southern suburb of Wollongong and a Bowlo is a bowling club.

 I once worked in a band with Warren Daly. Warren was called Wozza. My mate Greg’s sister is Caroline, called Cazza. Gary the gardener is Gazza. People who live in public housing are called Housos and I once played football and called it Footy.

 So, translated for all but those who live within the five kilometre radius, within which, by law, all visitors must be members, FIGGY BOWLO directs one to the Figtree Bowling Club. But you knew that!

I'm off now, to kick back at the Figgy Bowlo and knock back a few with Gazza, Cazza and Wozza.
Cheers!

40 comments:

  1. Its years since I visited Oz but I well remember Aussie slang - arvo (afternoon) rego (car registration number) but I didn't hear anyone call a bowling club bowlo.

    Welcome back

    ReplyDelete
  2. Replies
    1. Gabriel Bryden calls me Staffo, but most family members call me Fordie.

      Delete
  3. Good to see you online again. Have missed your wit and wisdom. You're still on the road, I see. Heading north again eventually?

    ReplyDelete
  4. You might encounter a few 'Words With Friends' challenges as a result of this scrabble champ boast! Safe journey :}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let's say, very few want to play me. (I have Mum's old set and I think she blessed them).

      Delete
  5. haha...makes sense to me...its all pig latin to me...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pig Latin? Mmm.. I say accents and jargon are designed to; first, identify a stranger and two, to hide meaning from strangers who share your language. Ever been to Scotland?

      Delete
  6. Hey Staffo the sailor man ... I have missed you, you great larrikin :) Have heard of bottlo but not Bowlo (but Aussies are great for just inventing new words as we go). When I lived in England for a few months at the age of 9, my fellow students would say to me 'can you speak some Australian for us Gabrielle?' and I'd say 'sure, seeyouthisarvo'!

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Staffo" sounds vaguely clinical ;-)
    Love a local 'Bowlo'. Incidentally I tried lawn bowls for the first time at a christmas party last year ... I found myself enjoying it immensely! What other sport provides brollies and holders for your chilled schooner of beer?
    I see lawn bowls in my future ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gary is Gazza where I live too. A friends daughter Karin is Kazza and football is often footy - but maybe, just maybe the latter is due to the influence of 'Neighbours' and others soaps? Not quite sure...

    Glad you're back!

    Anna :o]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. More likely started in 'The Old Dart' and carried here by convicts!

      Delete
  9. did you see my eyes cross?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't worry Suz, if you ever came here you would not have a language problem. We all understand and some even speak most US accents.

      Delete
  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ace, Cobber!

    O.K. I cheated. And I had to delete my first comment because I mistakenly looked up New Zealand slang.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bruce, we share a lot with NZ and despite the rivalry, we are first in to help when they need it and vice versa. I am happy to be mistaken for one and can be so long as I keep my mouth shut!

      Delete
  12. love it!
    i was a little surprised when Rockdale businessmens club was renamed "the bizzos" but then it had been known that way for a long time :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am surprised too. While the unwashed classes like to splash endearments and less welcome fluids on their favourite watering holes, I would have thought the Bizzos was just a bit infra dig!

      Delete
  13. I love Scrabble! Nearly choked one game, hiding the X for a triple score.

    We have similar language logic in Scotland. PrettyBoy gets Kezza (from his surname) a lot and I've heard of a Jezza, too!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Two of my best friends are called Shazza and Bazza. They are absolute legends. LOVE this post!

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