Happy Australia Day to those who inhabit her shores and to those expatriates wishing they were on her shores.
In 1788 the First Fleet trotted into Sydney Cove, raised a flag in the name of King George and decided this looked like a fine place for a penal colony.
221 years on and ‘Foundation Day’ is now celebrated throughout all Australian States and Territories as Australia Day on 26th January. How do we celebrate this auspicious day?
We have a barbie with the family and play cricket. Okay, so there is a bit more to it than that but a lot of people do that too.
As is to be expected there are awards for the Order of Australia and Australian of the year as well as an address by our Prime Minister. Each city puts on various events and people flock there to take part and hope for a glimpse of the fireworks once night has fallen.
I will be celebrating with a day in the sun, snags on the barbie and a couple of glasses of champagne but, alas, no cricket.
However you choose to celebrate today, be safe, have fun and enjoy your day.
Now that sounds like a fine holiday! I hope it was a wonderful day for you. If we ever venture you way I will keep this holiday in mind.
Hugs,
PK
I should have baked some Anzac biscuits! I had a number of Aussie friends when I lived elsewhere, and I miss them a lot. I hope you had a great Australia Day…
Hugs,
Kallisto
Mina, I can think of worse things then a Barbie and a game of cricket.
Love and warm hugs,
Paul.
O GOD! O GOD! O GOD! I forgot Australia Day, with it also being Chinese New Year and just after Burns night.
I can’t help but think that there must somewhere be an Australian who has a Scottish parent and a Chinese parent, who is going to need a good lie down on the 27th.
Hope you had a good day.
*Slinks off to add ” Happy Australia Day” to the next post.*
Prefectdt
Mina,
Happy Australia Day! This is indeed the festal season. We will have some shrimps (minus the barbie; it’s minus 25 Celsius here) in honour of Oz tonight.
Hugs,
Hermione
(Comment moved to this post by Mina)
PK, thanks and yes it is an enjoyable day as well as, usually, very warm.
Kallisto, thanks I did have a good day and Anzac biscuits are delicious. Crikey, you are almost an honorary Aussie if you can bake them!
Paul, my thoughts exactly…smiles.
Prefectdt, well now guess what happens to those who forget Australia Day. *taps palm with riding crop* I hope you can count to 26! *evil grin*
Hermione, thanks and shrimps are yum, though to be fair we generally eat prawns that are as big as your finger so I wouldn’t really call them shrimps. Minus 25C? And tomorrow we reach 40C. I’ll take the 40 plus over the 25 minus I’m afraid.
Hugs for all
Mina
Hi Mina—I love Anzac biscuits and have a really good recipe for them. I can never remember if the short term is spelled “bikkies” or “biccies”.
Hugs,
Kallisto
Kiaora Billy, and you’se mob others,
Since 25th is Catie (CMH) Day, 26th Aussie Day, 6/2 Waitangi Day it’s a rough fortnight for KLSE. I went down to Marseilles for the weekend, there’s something not quite right about Burns Night on the Riviera: haggis and Kronenbourg 1664? Hmmm…
Sorry this is late for Invasion Day for you Billy Girl, so allow me to be first to wish you all the blest (or all the breast if you’re heading for KFC) for Waitangi Day.
Well done Kallisto, I indeed took Anzac Bickies (or “Enzek bus-cuts” as I pronounce it: I’m too damn Kiwi right now) to school on Monday, and my friend Jasmine (who is a Stralian) bought in some pavlovas (which are from NEW ZEALAND) so it was a lovely lunch. Sadly we couldn’t have beers, or even a bottle of Jacob’s Creek, but it was still nice.
As Waitangi Day is a Friday this year there’s a pissup barbie at Chateaux Kirsten, a combined Aussie and Kiwi festival. (Trens Tesmen!) Kangaroo steak and lamb chops, VB and Speights, Violet Crumble and Chit Chats provided: ladies bring a plate, gentlemen a bottle. You are corially invited Wilhelmina, bring the riding crop if you desire, and PLEASE SIND CHOCOLATE FUSH.
(*Cod* difind our free land!)
Oh, well done for linking 26/1 with Arthur Phillip: my ruler and I have had to sort out quite a few people who think it’s a celebration of James Cook. Of course I expect no less of you, clever girl, but sometimes you have to wonder about the attention our contemporaries paid in school.
BTW: Melbourne and Harpenden had the same temperature yesterday; except of course yours was Celcius. I hope your 28/01 was a good day…boy-favoured said he’d asked you about it and that you’re good: so good!
Ciao bella mia,
Kiwi Lass: Selebrating Enzek
Kallisto, I would go with bickies like KLSE but I doubt it really matters and would accept any name so long as I got a bite as well…grins.
KLSE, you forgot Auckland Anniversary day (also 26th Jan) but I think that is a conspiracy and means there are so many Australians over there that they secretly get Aussie Day couched in Kiwi guise. Ha, I see the pavlova debate has not subsided ’cause ya know what the Aussies say.
And chocolate fish!! I have found a place 7 mins walk from work that sells them. I bought one for all my work colleagues so they could participate in a piece of my childhood. You know the saying when someone is being a smart arse, “What do you want, a medal?”, we used to say, “What do you want, a chocolate fish?” Brilliant!
As to the cold I will stay in the warmth thanks. The only thing that disturbs me about the heat is the greater possibility of bush fires and the lives that are affected by it. 25% are still lit by arsonist wankers!
No, though Capn Cook has much to recommend him for both Aus and New Zealand he was not part of the First Fleet on account of being too dead. I wonder what he would have made of it all and where we are now.
Hugs
Mina
Kiaora Hine,
Happy Waitangi Day. I know it’s late for you but it is still Friday here: so God Defend Our Free Land even if only for the next fifty-three minutes.
Hope it was choice bro!
Kiwirsten.
What about some kind of boomerang type spanking? Come on you antipodean types
KLSE, happy Waitangi Day to you too. It was an extremely bussy Waitangi Day but good all the same. I hope it was good for you as well.
Darren, boomerang spanking you say…hold that thought…wink.
Hugs
Mina
Dazza,
Have you not read my blog? There is a boomerang spanking in my story “Always the Bride’s Mates: Never St Bride.”
It’s not the best of my stories, but it has what you ask for.
Have you really not read my blog?
KLSE
Haha, Dazza is in trouble now.
Hugs
Mina