My friends always know what's my next article is going to be about, because that particular topic becomes the centre of all my conversations for at least a week. Very dull for them I know. They all think they're home and dry now I've done my piece on manners but I think it's been a pivotal one for me that will have a (hopefully) long lasting effect.
As part of the research for the story, some colleagues and I went to lunch with Jodie Bache-Mclean and Lainey Loneragan, etiquette teachers from June Dally Watkins at the lovely and slightly posh United Services Club in Edward St last week.
During it, I was struck by how over the years the good manners I was bought up with have all but eroded away. Oh, there was no knife licking or tucking my napkin into my shirt (eh Khan?!) but definitely the finer points of the things I was bought up doing as a matter of course have gone by the by.
I wasn't the only one who came away with a new resolution. I think there were a few of my colleagues whose children, like mine are probably sorry we ever went 'to that stupid manners course!'.
In our house, we've gone back to proper dinners at a properly set table with table cloth and lots of reminders about the correct way to use a knife and fork, keeping elbows off the table and closing mouths while eating. (I'd love to hear what other's manners peeves are?)
Bache-McLean and Loneragan were fabulous and the lunch was instructive but lots of fun. If you'd like to read the story, or see a little of the video of Loneragan, showing us the right way to do things, go to http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/, To see the video,on the right under 'video' click on the one that says 'manners'.
If you don't mind. Thanks terribly.
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