Walking around the newsroom on Friday, plenty of people were discussing their memories of the Queen.
Oddie overheard a conversation with a reader who had phoned in to tell about her memories of the Queen’s visit to Tatura.
However, instead of telling the News about the festivities and parades, she recalled one colourful character in town who rode around Tatura on a trike with a cockatoo for company.
The reader said the cocky sat on a stick that was permanently affixed to the trike, and while he also had a goat, the goat didn’t travel around town with him.
Apparently, he was told in no uncertain terms not to ride around town when the Queen arrived, he, of course, he did exactly that and was noticed by none other than Prince Phillip.
“Stop, who is that man?” the reader described him as saying with a smile on his face.
Funny the things you remember.
How much will change
Oddie also popped up to Queen’s gardens in Shepparton and realised, of course, that they were named after her.
Thinking about it, it’s remarkable how much we don’t even consider will change.
Our money will go from having Queen Elizabeth II on it to being newly minted in the likeness of King Charles III.
QCs will change to KCs, and everyone who has a photo of the Queen hanging formally somewhere will need an upgrade to King Charles III.
Public holiday changes?
The other question on many people’s lips was whether or not we’re in for a public holiday on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
It may have been a bit early to ask on Friday, but we now know we’ll be given a day off for the death of a monarch on September 22.
For Victorians, that means a four-day weekend due to the AFL grand final eve public holiday on September 23.
And, Oddie supposes that means the Queen’s birthday public holiday becomes the King’s birthday.
Do we keep the same date?
Do we take the time to move all the Queen’s birthdays — which somehow vary by state — in line with one date?
Or do we just get another holiday when Charles’ birthday is and keep the Queen’s for good measure?