Stirring the Possum

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My grandfather penned letters of complaint and praise to many businesses, newspapers and politicians. He called this activity ”Stirring the possum”. When he died, his letters were passed on to me. There are some absolute beauties. In this podcast, I read

Nick Oliver


    • Apr 4, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 2m AVG DURATION
    • 33 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Stirring the Possum

    On Patience and Good Grace - 11 Nov 1987

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2023 5:21


    Bruce does not complain about his recent travel experience in Thailand and Hong Kong; he does, however, have some suggestions. 

    hong kong thailand
    On Shoddy Veneer and Aquadhere - 7 Oct 1986

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2023 3:29


    Bruce attempts to repair some peeling veneer from his 12-month-old bedroom suite.

    veneer shoddy
    On The Government's Progress - 18 Mar 1998

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2023 2:31


    Bruce helpfully provides his local member of parliament with a thumbs up / thumbs down-style progress report.

    government progress
    On White Pages - 16 Aug 1999

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2022 2:58


    Bruce misses out on an invitation to a barbeque because of a misprint in the telephone directory. 

    whitepages
    On Misguided South Australian Listeners - 31 Aug 1995

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2022 6:42


    Bruce has a suggestion for ABC Classic FM.

    misguided south australian abc classic fm
    On Thirty-Nine Weeks of Light - 8 Jun 1996

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2022 3:08


    Bruce's night light fails to impress.

    thirty
    On the Health Benefits of Alcohol - 23 Jun 1991

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2022 1:23


    Bruce finds a number of good reasons to get on the booze. 

    alcohol health benefits
    On Whether to Fly Buy - 24 June 1999

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2022 2:39


    Bruce questions the value of signing up for a Fly Buys card.

    On The Great Secession - 20 Oct 1993

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2022 3:51


    Bruce finds a price discrepancy between an item in a Victorian Mitre 10 and the same (recently purchased) item in a NSW Mitre 10. 

    secession
    On Peaches and Swimming Convicts - 23 Oct 1995

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2022 2:53


    Bruce disputes a claim about who is "the first white man to swim the Murray River". 

    swimming peaches convicts murray river
    On the Demolition of the Rural Bank in Martin Place - 17 Mar 1982

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2022 4:48


    Bruce does his duty as a Trust member and protests the demolition of a State Bank building. 

    trust bank rural demolition state bank martin place
    On Patreon Appreciation - 5 Apr 2022

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2022 1:27


    Nick says thank you to supporters of the podcast, especially the ones whose names start with SA. 

    appreciation
    On Pink Envelopes or Envelopes of Any Other Colour - 22 Nov 1988

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2022 3:05


    Bruce cancels his subscription to Reader's Digest.

    pink reader colour digest envelopes
    On Myer Beware - 10 Mar 1982

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2022 2:56


    Bruce purchases two identically defective copies of a book... but all is not as it seems.

    myer
    On Green Being Khaki - 12 Jan 1984

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 3:08


    Bruce uncovers some issues with the Reader's Digest Motoring Guide to Australia. 

    australia green reader khaki
    A Message from Nick - 28 Feb 2022

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 4:12


    Bruce's grandson pops in for a quick hello.

    On The Delightful Miss Rigg Herself - 3 May 1983

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2022 2:19


    Bruce writes to ABC TV with a programming suggestion.

    delightful abc tv rigg
    On Footbrawl - 27 Sep 2001

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 2:09


    Bruce is upset when a close tennis match is interrupted by an AFL game.

    afl
    On Any Old Eleven - 28 Jun 2002

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2022 4:18


    Bruce thoroughly enjoys a book, but has a few suggestions for future editions.

    eleven
    On Settling the Bill - 11 Apr 1968

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2022 1:14


    Bruce is lucky to avoid a heart attack after receiving a bill from a doctor.

    settling
    On the Federal Election - 4 Oct 1998

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021 0:44


    Bruce observes the pros and cons of the latest federal election result.

    federal elections
    On Carpet and Hand Rails - 14 Apr 2002

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021 2:34


    Bruce notices some safety issues at his local club.

    rails carpet
    On Playing the Cigarette Machines - 18 May 1970

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2021 2:04


    Bruce and Roma have their money eaten by a cigarette machine.

    playing roma machines cigarettes 1970s
    On Savouring the Blend - 14 Mar 1993

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2021 2:18


    Bruce buys some Earl Grey that is too strong for his palate.

    blend earl grey savouring
    On Shoddy Merchandise - 24 Jan 1987

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2021 3:20


    Bruce is disappointed with his new hose.

    merchandise shoddy
    On Spectacular Service - 4 Jul 1995

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2021 1:26


    Roma experiences outstanding customer service at an optometrist.

    service roma
    On Petroleum Discount Cards - 4 Oct 1998

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2021 2:19


    Bruce is unable to use a discount card at his local petrol station.

    cards discounts petroleum
    On Missing Newspapers - 22 Oct 1995

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2021 2:12


    Bruce investigates the previous Friday's mysterious absence of The Sydney Morning Herald from Holbrook.

    missing newspapers sydney morning herald holbrook
    On the Pros and Cons of Inanimate Pets - 4 Oct 2001

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2021 5:35


    Bruce considers getting a pet.

    pets pros and cons inanimate
    On Inconsistent Toilet Rolls - 4 Feb 2002

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2021 2:15


    Bruce has a problem with a toilet roll.

    toilet rolls inconsistent
    On Excellent Little Biscuits - 14 Jan 2003

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2021 2:01


    Bruce happens across a delicious snack on a road trip, but will it be readily available back in Wagga Wagga?

    biscuits wagga wagga
    On Flying Newspapers - 15 Apr 2001

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2021 3:11


    Bruce has an issue with the local newspaper delivery boy or girl.

    flying newspapers
    An Introduction - 20 Feb 1987

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2021 1:46


    This letter was found in an enveloped reading: OPEN ONLY AFTER THE DEATH OF BRUCE.

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