Aussie Readers discussion

I am off on holiday’s tomorrow morning. I won't be back until Monday night. I'll have limited access to goodreads during my absence, I expect everyone to be on their best behaviour while I'm away.

Have a wonderful holiday Gail! We'll behave.....;D

Oh Carmel that chocolate mill is delectable!!!! We might have to see if we can incorporate that place into our next trip to SA!! Thanks for the link...I have bookmarked it!
Definitely positive thoughts for her, Carmel....:)

MMMMMM!!! Yum!! :D

I remember when we visited my wifes sister in Tassie, and when we left Davenport the 1st place we stopped & had 'breakfast' was the chocolate factory just out of town, yes! one of the many places we 'waddled' out of, the other really memorable one was the pancakes at Elephant pass, we had to sit at the table for about 1/2 an hour cause we could not/dared not move. (-:

I can see the third pic Carmel. Your Dad looks very handsome!

Carmel wrote: "Mandy the first two are taking a long time to download, I might have to remove them, resize or something. not quite sure how to do that?"

I always upload my pics to flickr. The when you grab the HTML you have the option of changing the size.

Carmel wrote: "I've recieved some lovely very old family pics of my Dad's from WW11 and wanted to share them - 2 I'm going to have to resize so I've removed them for now until I sort it them out. But one that I'v..."

Nice pic, Carmel...it's lovely to have these old pictures, isn't it...I've got some of my Mum and Dad, too...:)

I'm pretty hopeless with technology but when my Mum, now departed, turned 60 - a milestone we never thought she would make I actually made a powerpoint presentation of photos for her, kind of 'this is your life'. Going through and finding all those wonderful old photos was amazing. I have a pic, that I adore of my mum age 2 in a cart with my uncle, then 3ish, riding a tricycle pulling the cart. I loved it so much it's now in a frame on my desk.

Carmel wrote: "I've recieved some lovely very old family pics of my Dad's from WW11 and wanted to share them - 2 I'm going to have to resize so I've removed them for now until I sort it them out. But one that I'v..."

Lovely Carmel. I love the sports jackets and baggy trousers. Not a pair of jeans in sight. Men dressed the same. I notice that in a lot of old photos. Women wore such fussy outfits too. Laurel

Do we have a section for films/TV?? sorry couldn't find it.

Just wanted to let people know about the SBS series starting this Sunday night at 8.30. Immigration Nation - The secret life of us.
The promo ads were good.

http://www.sbs.com.au/immigrationnati...

Velvetink wrote: "Do we have a section for films/TV?? sorry couldn't find it. Just wanted to let people know about the SBS series starting this Sunday night at 8.30. Immigration Nation - The secret life of us. The..."

Thanks VI! I will definitely be watching it. Looks brilliant and very relevant to this time of the year when we reflect on what it means to be an Aussie.

Carmel wrote: "Thanks Velvetink, I'll be watching that to, sounds interesting:)
Cheers"

:) Not a problem!, & hoping I don't bore you all, there's another good doco on SBS this coming Tuesday night 8.30PM 11th January
- Australian Tent Boxing documentary...OUTBACK FIGHT CLUB (two part series)
http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/pro...

A lot of people these days are against boxing (& it's violence) but it has kept a good many otherwise troubled guys off the streets. I mention the doco because there's a fair number of males in my family who have been boxers and kickboxers...a few becoming champs. I recently found out that my grandfather
http://www.goodreads.com/photo/user/4...
started Tent boxing in the late 1920's for money & later went on to do some professional boxing around the NSW/stadiums to put food on the table during the Depression & later during WW11 in the Army. He started off as a superflyweight and I was surprised to find records of his stadium fights at the archives and online going back so far.

Anyhow I've been researching it and have come up with a list of books covering Australian boxing and tent boxing (below) if anyone is interested (the books are in my sports shelf and society & culture shelf - feel free to browse and/or say hello too).


1.Tent Boxing by Wayne McLennan

2.Sideshow Alley by Richard Broome (this has a good historical section on Tent Boxing and the Jim Sharman Boxing Troupe that toured the Easter Shows throughout Australia in the past)

3.The Showies. Revelations of Australia's Outdoor Side-Showmen by Bob Morgan

4.Fighters: 25 Australian Lives In and Out of the Ring by Jack Finlay

5.Fighters by Trade Highlights of Australian Boxing by Robert Drane

6.Australian boxing: The illustrated history by Grantlee Kieza

7.Fighting History of the Sands Brothers -Australia's Greatest Ever Sporting Family by Michael J Clarke

8.The Fighting Sands by Ray MItchell

9.Lords of the Ring: A History of Prize-fighting in Australia by Peter Corris

10.Heroes of the Fancy A History of Australian Boxing by Arnold Thomas

11. Sex, the Ring and the Eucharist: Reflections on Life, Ministry & Fighting in the Inner-City by David B Smith

plus a few others on the shelves that are not Australian.

cheers
V

Has anyone ever had to attended a job interview and were made to play GAMES with strangers? I..uh..did....never want to do that again :/

Tomrrow I go to my cousins wedding in the evening time. Apparently it's also going to be a hot day..uggh.

Carmel wrote: "Wow Velvetink, what an amazing family history you have and such a passion for it, well done. I'm sure my nephew will probably watch that program. As I've mentioned previously in this group, my neph..."

Softie...! ;-D Hey I saw that photo of him when I was stalking you! Great shot. I had 15 years of Karate, Nambu Do and Tae kwan do, these days I can barely spell them!...

Velvetink wrote: "Carmel wrote: "Thanks Velvetink, I'll be watching that to, sounds interesting:)
Cheers"

:) Not a problem!, & hoping I don't bore you all, there's another good doco on SBS this coming Tuesday night..."

Very interesting stuff mate and I will watch it too.. My Father used to fight in street markets for money in the UK before he took up a boxing. Then he voulenteered for the submarine service in WW11... Got depth charged by the Japs on the way back from droping Jonny Wingate in Burma... So the story goes. He and 7 others escaped the watery deep to tell the story. He never fought again, except with the demons in his head and the delirious fits and blackouts as he ranted occasionly on the kitchen floor reliving the terror of escaping a flooding sub. Frightened the crap outta me as a kid to watch that huddled in the corner! Whenever he did the "We will remember them" he always added something... For those on the land, those in the air, those on the sea and "Those UNDER the sea" we will rememeber them!
As I always will remember him...Sorry I got a bit ...well...Yes he got me into boxing...

Oh wow... Tony, that is absolutely fascinating!

To throw in my two cents on family history, my Nonno survived one of the Nazi's concentration camps. He was the only man from his...block/dorm that didnt get sent to the gas chambers.

No, Nonno is the Italian word for grandfather.
Yes, he was Italian-a Christian-and a Concentration camp, because he refused to kill, so he ran away from battle, and Nazi's found him hiding in a forest. They threw him into one of the concentration camps because of it...

What is Dark Mirror about, in more detail?
I went to Amsterdam with my family in September/October, and we planned on visiting the house, but the lines was impossibly long, so we decided not to waste half the day cueing up, since we only had 3 days in Holland.

Tony wrote: "Sorry Jessica I should of read more carefully you do say man, I jumped to Nanna very sorry!"

No, thats fine. Its 2AM-im bound to make ridiculous typos as well :)

Id love to read a bit-just nothing to inappropriate...
Send me an inbox message.

Anyway, I recently reviewed 'The Running Man", which was much better then "Reckless", so im in a happier mood reading-wise now :)

:O!

Time to go slumber in the bed...Home from wedding makes a sleepy laura!

I am still really, really confused?

Okay. Hopefully that clears things up.
thanks in advance.

If anyone is interested I posted in the 'Sunburnt Country' page, my 1st attempt (so far) at a song, it's an early piece & just have not got around to putting it to music yet.

My Sunday activity!!!!


Some of our home grown tomatoes

Bubbling away half an hour in...

3.5hrs in..all pureed, still bubbling

5hrs in - THE END RESULT
(Now I just have to do the dishes!!)

Yummy! Lots of work but it's really worth it :) Made homemade pasata last year. So much nicer than store bought as well.

GL with those dishes ;)

Yeah..thanks Laura..just finished the dishes!! My whole family loves my sauce, so it was nice to be able to make it with homegrown tomatoes! :)
Home made pasta would be sooo yummy!!! :)

Yes, I'm jealous too. I haven't been organised enough to put tomato plants in for several years and I always regret it. I just love home made tomato sauce. LOVE IT!! Really worth the effort in my opinion. Well done Brenda!

Thanks Carmel and Dot! Yes, we have had a fantastic crop this year...I've been picking over 20 most days, one day (the day I decided time to make sauce) I got 40! We also have lebanese cucumbers, and carrots, which are also doing fantastically!!!

wow fantastic crop Brenda!

You should have your own cooking show Brenda!That looks delicious.:)

Thanks Velvetink and Mandy...it's a long process, but oh so worth it....:) I think it's probably the only recipe I actually follow exactly! LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm6ktY...

Check out this clip of Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye...it's amazing. It's so worth a look, and you'll sit there with a goofy grin on your faces while you watch. LOL!!
Thanks Mandy for your help..:)

I love Danny Kaye. One of my favourite old movies is The Court Jester.

I love the progressive tomato puree photo's Brenda!!!

One of my all time favorites, Danny Kaye in 'Five pennies' here he is again with Louis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2qETe...

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "I love the progressive tomato puree photo's Brenda!!!"

Thanks Gail!!! It's now, tomato sauce with EVERYTHING...lol

Can never have to much tomato sauce! I rather like it on strawberries and carrots much to peoples horrid faces..lol

Really Laura????? Carrots..maybe, but strawberries...?:)

Brenda, I am sooo jealous - my tomatoes are still very very green its been so cold down here in Vic this summer. Tom sauce looks yummy. Not sure about Laura's strawberry and tomato sauce dessert :-?

Deb wrote: "Brenda, I am sooo jealous - my tomatoes are still very very green its been so cold down here in Vic this summer. Tom sauce looks yummy. Not sure about Laura's strawberry and tomato sauce dessert..."


Just remember Deb, when you are enjoying your tomatoes (not with strawberries..lol), ours will be all finished..:D

This is worth a read...I think it applies to a lot of us...:D

Twas The Month After Christmas

Twas the month after Christmas and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.

The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste.
All the holiday parties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).

I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,

The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."

As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt---

I said to myself, as I only can
"You can't spend a winter disguised as a man!"

So--away with the last of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip

Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie--not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.

I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore---
But isn't that what January is for?

Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!


Author Unknown

That is amazing Carmel. I would never have noticed. So similar yet so different.

Brenda wrote: "Deb wrote: "Brenda, I am sooo jealous - my tomatoes are still very very green its been so cold down here in Vic this summer. Tom sauce looks yummy. Not sure about Laura's strawberry and tomato s..."

Pfffff! :P

Yea, Deb and Brenda, I know it is strange but I <3 it! I really like mixing strange foods together.

Hahaha,month after christmas XD That was a good read.


Weehooooo, book finally arrived that I pre-ordered last year. But annoyingly something else I had break in the mail hasn't been replaced yet even though I was told it would be..hmm.

Definitely some similarities there Carmel!! :)

Love the poem Brenda. Soooooo appropriate.

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Love the poem Brenda. Soooooo appropriate."

Yes, I think we can all relate..LOL

Just for you lovely Gail (-:


It's a long straight road and the engine is deep
I can't help thinkin' of a good night's sleep
And the long long roads of my life were a callin' me
These rough old hands are a glued to the wheel
My eyes full of sand from the way they feel
And the lights comin' over the hill are a blindin' me
It's a long tough haul from a way down south
A man's gotta find a little bread for his mouth
And a home for a girl as sweet as my honey can be
So it's down through the gears, she's a startin' to pull
The gauge on the tank is a showin' they're full
And the lights comin' over the hill are a blindin' me
There's rain on the road and I can feel the load start a shiftin' In a dance
Too late, I see the post and I haven't got a ghost of a chance
Ah-hah-hah-no
The windscreen wipers are a beatin' in time
The song they sing is a part of my mind
And I can't believe it's a really happenin' to me
Oh, but I'm over the edge and down the mountain side
I know they'll tell about the night I died
In the rain when the lights on the hill were a blindin' me
Hey!
There's rain on the road and I can feel the load start a shiftin'
In a dance
Too late, I see the post and I haven't got a ghost of a chance
Ah-hah-hah-no
The windscreen wipers are a beatin' in time
The song they sing is a part of my mind
And I can't believe it's a really happenin' to me
Oh, but I'm over the edge and down the mountain side
I know they'll tell about the night I died
In the rain when the lights on the hill were a blindin' me.


slim Dusty

LOL. Ooooooh you are so funny David. You know I was reading this poem thinking 'this dosen't sound like a David poem'. :D