Last Sunday I was sitting in my car opposite the Marcoola Surf Club when a lady with a white poodle stopped on the footpath right outside the entrance gate to the pool area of the apartments there.

The pooch arched its back, pursed its lips and pinched off a loaf.

What amazed me was that as soon as the dog was finished crapping on the walkway, his owner simply continued her journey, making no attempt to clean up the mess.

I couldn’t work out whether it was shame on her for being so inconsiderate or shame on me for not saying anything to her.

I can, however, do it through the column. You know who you are, you’re a local and I’ll be there with my camera this weekend.

Oh for the good old days

You know that chemical you have in your system when you’re younger, the one that seems to throw your caution to the wind?

“You can do anything,” seems to be its effect.

It seems to me the older you get, the less of that carefree chemical you have left.

You start to “think” too much about things and “prepare” for the future.

Well this week I came across a site on YouTube that is not only completely refreshing but living proof that the chemical I’m talking about is raging within the young.

Check out this You Tube video of two students in their dorm room, somewhere in China, miming to the song “That Way”.

You can’t help but feel good as you remember when you were topped up with life and laughter.

Diners join in the party

It was Poppy’s eighth birthday last Sunday and for regular readers of my column, yes, I gave in. She has a new puppy.

Her name is Maggie, and thank God she’s taken to relieving herself regularly in Jackson’s room, which now smells like something between a dump and a tannery.

The whole family went to Little Mexico on the Esplanade at Coolum to celebrate. Kym had taken care of the cake, which came out straight after our main meal, with a sparkler and a No.8 candle on it.

We started to sing “Happy Birthday” to our little girl and before we knew it the next table and then the next and then the next had joined in.

Eventually the whole restaurant was singing Happy Birthday to Poppy. It was wonderful for her.

Come on, council

We’re all concerned about the level of violence on our streets, but correct me if I’m wrong, councillors, didn’t we have in place a ranger who gave us a presence on the streets of Mooloolaba at night?

Someone who knew the locals and actively patrolled the nightclubs, calming the troublemakers and liaising with police, the youth and the nightclub owners.

I believe his name was Ranger Pat, and you did away with his services nearly two years ago because of the cost.

I know one man can’t fix the problem, but didn’t your penny-pinching take us in the wrong direction.

A little feedback

Mt on-air partner, Courtney, let me in on a local secret: Olivers at Maroochydore.

It’s in Ocean Street and is a hole-in-the-wall sandwich and salad bar. I have to say the food was really fresh and inexpensive.

What impressed me about the place was Carol, behind the counter, who confessed to reading my column each week.

A story I had told about my 16-year-old, Stella, losing her phone and the pandemonium and panic that created had inspired her to hide her daughter’s phone for a while, just to watch the reaction.

“Thank you, Jamie, as a mum that story gave me hours of pleasure,” she said.