Sideswipe: August 27: Biceps or bivalves?

Photo / Supplied

Norman Holtzhausen writes: "We spotted this sign at Aotea [near Kawhia on the West Coast]. It would be great if I could buy my muscles grown on a farm? We were a bit disappointed when we got there to find just a whole lot of floats and ropes floating in the water covered in mussels."

Twentieth century slang that should be brought back

8. Tickety-boo

7. Kerfuffle

6. Cruisin' for a bruisin'

5. Knuckle sandwich

4. Cool beans

3. Donkey's years

2. Gallivanting

1. On it like a car bonnet

(Via @AdamCSharp)

Small world stories

"Just after moving into a retirement village, I went to Britain for Christmas with family," writes Jeanette Cole. "On my return, I happened to sit next to a resident at Happy Hour and he asked what I'd done for Christmas? I explained that I'd been to the UK but hadn't done the usual touristy things. I'd rewritten some letters my son had that had been written in pencil on tissue-like paper 100 years ago from a New Zealand chap on the Front Line.

"My listener showed interest. I said the chap had come to New Zealand from England, gone onto a farm in the backblocks near Stratford at a little place called Toko. Then war broke out and he joined the New Zealand Army. He was killed in 1917.

"My listener said: 'I know Toko, my wife came from there'!

"I was amazed and asked her maiden name and said I recognise that name from the letters. It turned out her grandmother was mentioned in one of the letters as the kind neighbour who'd made bread. Her aunt and uncle were mentioned as well!"

Nice job?

A reader writes: "So with 4 per cent unemployment nationally, Otago graduates are less employable? Well done the Uni marketing department!"