The Dish

In the days before the July 19, 1969 space mission that marked
humankind's first steps on the moon, NASA was working with a group of
Australian technicians who had agreed to rig up a satellite interface.
That the Aussies placed the satellite dish smack dab in the middle of an
Australian sheep farm in the boondocks town of Parkes was just one of
the reasons that NASA was concerned. Based on a true story, The Dish
takes a smart, witty, comical look at the differing cultural attitudes
between Australia and the U.S. while revisiting one of the greatest
events in history.



Try to get hold of a copy of this fantastic Australian movie and enjoy:-)

Enlistment in the Royal Australian Airforce

     On the Third day of June 2014, my first born Jasper pledged allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, Her Heirs and successors! What a mouthful! 
He will loyally and faithfully serve Her Majesty as a member or the Royal Australian Air Force from that date on. I have never been a royalist by any means but to be honest this gives me goosebumps as a father. My little boy, my first born, born and raised in a foreign small country on the other side of the globe is now serving his new country. I get teary eyes thinking of it, for me this goes beyond being proud. I can't even start to describe the feeling ! I can still picture him lively 18 years ago, hanging onto a little tree, wiggling on his legs, trying to stand up, stand tall! I had big hopes for him since his birth. I knew he was going to make it, to me he was like water, water always finds its way, no matter what you put in the way. Water will find a way around it.
So here it is, D-Day. The day you know will come but never think its that close until the day. After months of traveling to Brisbane and Maroochydore for interviews and tests he finally got admitted.
So on the big day the wolf pack took him to the big city. 2am we all woke up, 2:30 we left for Brisbane, barely traffic at that time so we had a good run. Three men and a half in the car, I must say it was cozy and we had a good time. Tom was driving, the rest of us were sleeping on and off. There was moments of absolute silence and moments of chatter and laughter. It was a time of mixed emotions for me, knowing that it will be a long time before we will be all together again. On the positive side I'm extremely happy I made it to the end with my boys, I didn't miss any of the important stages in their lives and I don't intend to in the future either.
We drop Jasper of at 410 Ann Street in Brisbane CBD. We find a free parking spot at the local Woolworths right behind the building Jasper is in. We use the time before the ceremony to have some breakfast. 9am we go up to level 11. At 9:30 is the official ceremony where Jasper will be sworn in as an Airman for the Royal Australian Air Force.
After the emotional ceremony for me we go into the city to have a last drink together. We all realize this is life changing for each and one of us. This is the moment of goodbye, for a while at least. I know in years to come we, the boys and me, will all be together again in some way, but for now this is it. Jasper, from the bottom of my heart I wish you all the very best in your new life. I'm very proud of what you have become and achieved so far, so I have no doubts about your future:-)))

 The Bro's, true brothers...love them to bits:-)))

 The boys saying goodbye to each other in their own way...

 

Bran Nue Dae, the movie

In the Summer of 1969 a young man is filled with the life of the idyllic old pearling port Broome - fishing, hanging out with his mates and his girl. However his mother returns him to the religious mission for further schooling. After being punished for an act of youthful rebellion, he runs away from the mission on a journey that ultimately leads him back home.

Quirky and cheerful, watch it!

 

The Mighty Pie

     Pies would probably have to count as Australia's national dish. I'm not sure if we even have a national dish here down-under, but the mighty pie has to be it I reckon. They are so good and tasty and smell like an old-fashioned home cooked meal. They are a meal in itself. I love the chunky steak one, topped with mashed peas. Awesome! Chicken and mushroom is another favourite. Seppe grabs a plain pie, with mince. Jazzie a curry and a beef one. Tom a Ned Kelly and beef and bacon pie.  There is many, many more flavours. Each shop has their own special pie.  In pubs often served with mash and gravy. The mighty pie is as good as it gets. When pies are eaten silence triumphs.

Pie

The taste of a pie,
So deliciously tasty!
The taste of a pie,
So light and crumbly the pastry.

So come have a pie,
I guarantee you'll enjoy it.
So come have a pie.
You'll become addicted.

The look of a pie,
So tender and juicy.
The look of a pie,
Just makes me go loopy!

So come have a pie,
I guarantee you'll enjoy it.
So come have a pie.
You'll become addicted.

The smell of a pie,
So delectably nice.
The smell of a pie,
Much better than rice.

By: Joshua Allen

The Pursuit of Happyness

          This part of my life is called hope.  Hope to love again. Hope to trust again. Hope to be loved again. Hope to find the values I had in life still exist and are real. Hope that not everything is a lie.
Happiness is not a constant state of being. It's a moment in time. Trying to achieve constant happiness is an utopia. We all have the right to pursue happiness. Pursue! That's the word.  Finding it is even harder. Once found keeping it would be the key issue. Happiness is not there all the time, not constantly from when you open your eyes in the morning till you go to sleep at night, not twenty four hours a day, not seven days a week.
          Happiness are all those little and big magnificent awesome moments in life. Moments in time. All in between real and often boring daily life. Happiness can't be a goal, it has to be a result. Life is a chain, full of happy links, mixed with boring links, sad links, freighting, troubling and many, many more negative and positive links. All connected. That's life, weather you like it or not. This why I have no trouble being happy, because I accept the not so happy links in my life. So far I had a very happy and exiting life. Part two will have to be no less.
         Sure I am in a bit of a dip right now but from here on the only way is up. I will be taking life as it comes, deal with it. I will not run from it. More dips are to be expected but I'm sure they will become far and few between.
         The things I plan to do make me realise I will not have enough time.  In between working, household and looking after the kids I want to write, read, publish, take photo's, blog, travel, meet new people, do stuff I've never done before. When in a relationship, say marriage or full-time relationship there is hardly any time to do much of this or you think so. Being single it suddenly becomes a whole different ball game. The world suddenly becomes my oyster.
         My first priority will be to get to know myself.  Learn who I am and explore myself. Find new things to do, new hobbies, things that I always wanted to do but couldn't or put off because of other commitments. Meet new people, make new friends, strengthen the bonds with family, revive  and maintain current and old friendships. If then, in time, someone special comes along - she will have to be very special - I will open my hart again. I will not be afraid to get hurt again. It is still better to have loved and get hurt than never to have loved.

Stephen