And on the Third Day................

I apologise for not updating this. Well, sort of. I have just been having too much fun and also dealing with the flu on Thursday. Thank goodness, for those pills that you have to show your license for at the chemist. It is just as well we did not get tickets to the crowning of Miss Priscilla as I spent 18 hours in bed on Thursday.

This left poor Chad to wander around Peak Hill. Excitingly, the other club was open and offered, yet again, the stunning combination of Chinese/Australian cuisine. We are blessednwith an incredible culinary heritage in our country.

Which reminds me, on Thursday I had a lamb roast at the Broadway Hotel (this is my favourite Parkes Pub). The simple addition of two pieces of butter white bread transported me back to my childhood with Nan at Balgownie where this was a standard addition to a meal. It was nice place to return to.

So to Friday, if you attend the Festival, do not bother coming until Friday. It might start Wednesday but there is nothing much on and the town does not come alive until then. By Friday, it was on. It is strange how your sense of normality can be skewed so quickly. By Saturday, there seems nothing odd in discussing the cricket in a pub over a super dry with a female aboriginal Elvis.

In any event, we spent Friday exploring Parkes and it very fine quality and remarkably priced beverages. Newcastle could learn a lot from this place, $3.20 for a schooner of super dry and $6.00 for a schooner of draught rum. The people are tremendously friendly and there is a sense of camaraderie that is infectious.

Of course, this brings me to joy which is that most intangible and fleeting of human emotions. Parkes has it in spades. For me, the past two years have been a bit of struggle yet here in a small town in the middle of NSW with no movie theatre and not a great deal to do, I have wrestled it to the ground and pinned it down greco roman style. If wrestling joy was an Olympic Sport this weekend, I would have the gold.

Which is kind of strange? What is it about Elvis that connects with me and so many others? He never travelled outside of the United States (apart from two years when he was a GI in Germany and in Canada), barely wrote a song and had the most rudimentary guitar skills. Yet he connects with such a diverse range of people and continues to do so long after his death.

Anyway, who know what it is but it makes full grown men want to put on a jumpsuit in the heat and say thank you very much. I say who cares. There is something there and I will be practising my karate kicks when I get home and putting on my 68 Comeback Special when I get home.

We saw Mark Andrew on Friday Night who is Australia's premier Elvis Tribute Artist (note not impersonator). He was very good but he lacks the panache of my favourite, Max Pellicano. On Friday, he did Elvis from the 1950's and from the movies. Obviously, this was of concern but he picked some of the best songs and the delightful dancers reminded me that I might well be capable of sustained interest in a woman. Stand outs were girl trouble and follow that dream. Ok, girls, girls, girls was good too but that was mainly due to the bikinis.

Saturday, was magic weather. Pulled out the big camera for the Parade. The parade is awesome. Starts on time and went for an hour and half. It seems that you can basically just go in it if you want to. Obviously, this means it goes for a while but it also helps with the joy wrestling.

One stand out was a local down syndrome girl who dressed as Priscilla was having the time of her life skipping the entire length of Clarinda Street in Parkes. I suspect I might have only got silver in joy wrestling that morning.

The Parade is worth seeing and clearly embraced by the community. The weather was kind so the Elvi were blessed as it was 24 degrees and the rain held off till after the parade.

After the parade, wandered and watched the look a like competitions in the Park in Parkes and the Elvis Idol competitions. I don't mean to be rude but I think I can take them and preparations will ensue. I have always wanted that Aloha from Hawaii jumpsuit and dang it, I have an excuse now. I can just see me turning and saying.....Trilogy. Oh, I wish I was........


Saturday night was the Keno concert again with Mark Andrew. He redid the 1968 comeback special. Obviously, this is a very significant show. Elvis had not performed since 1961 live and he had be trapped in those god awful movies. Go buy it from Big W and also "Thats the way it was". 68 got Elvis back into live performing and thankfully gave us the karate kicks I love so much.

Second half of the show was 70's concert elvis. He is the elvis we all love to see and the concert was quite good. Lack the excellent Max Pellicano strobe light work but really well done. Mark was even kind to Naomi, who appears to be a stalker, and I would have been applying for an AVO.

Back home to Peak Hill, will not make the Gospel Service as you have to get there at 7 for a seat and there is no way I will get up.

John Lennon was not always right but one quote in terms of rock and roll was correct. "Before Elvis, there was nothing." Don't forget.

Elvis is alive and he lives in Parkes.

Elvis Facts:

Elvis Presleys Born: January 8, 1935 - Tupelo, Missisipi
Elvis Presleys Dead: August 16, 1977 - Memphis, Tennessee
Elvis Presleys Height: 6'1
Elvis Presleys Hair: Light blondish brown (he dyed his hair black.)
Elvis Presleys Eyes: Blue
Elvis Presleys Chest: 39-40
Elvis Presleys Waist: 32"
Elvis Presleys Hips: 41
Elvis Presleys Shoe size: 11D'
Elvis Presleys Social security number: 409-52-2002
Elvis Presleys Selective service number: 40-86-35-16
Elvis Presleys Army serial number: 53310761 (draft number)
Elvis Presleys Registration number for his Convair 880 Jet: N880EP
Elvis Presleys National Bank of Commerce checking account number: 011-143875 (he signed all checks "E.A. Presley")
Elvis Presleys Favorite flower: Jasmine
Elvis Presleys Favourite Sports: Karate, Racquet ball, Football
Elvis Presleys Favourite drink: Pepsi
Elvis Presleys Favourite actors: James Dean, Marlon Brando, Dean Martin, Rudolph Valentino
Elvis Presleys Favourite wild animal: Tigers
Elvis Presleys Favourite make of car: Cadillac
Elvis Presleys Favourite gemstone: Diamond
Elvis Presleys Favourite home: Graceland
Elvis Presleys Favourite colors: Blue, black, white, gold
Elvis Presleys Favourite toothpaste: Colgate
Elvis Presleys Favourite Aftershaves: Brut, and Aqua Velva
Elvis Presleys Blood type: 0 positive
Elvis Presleys Weight: 168 to 250 ( his weight increased after 1975 )
Elvis Presleys Waist: 30 - 42
Elvis Presleys Eyes: Blue
Elvis Presleys Hair: dishwater Blond ( Dyed Black )
Elvis Presleys last words: Ok, I won't ( To Ginger Alden, meaning that he won't fall asleep in the
bathroom)

---

---