Tuesday 11 November 2008

11th hour,11th day 11th month. Lest We Forget.

G'Day,
Today is remembrance day. This morning I happened to be in the supermarket just near our house getting a few things we had run out of. They had over the speaker system that it was 11 o'clock and that anybody who wished to participate should please stop what they were doing and have the one minute silence that is held each year to commemorate remembrance day each year.I was proud to see most if not all of the shoppers stand still for the one minute allotted. The young males working in the shop distributing goods did not bother.Ah well.
It seems to me though that just one minute a year on this special day is just a small thing and hardly enough to recognize that sacrifice of the world war one servicemen who lost their lives during that terrible time.
Because it is spring time here there are Flanders Poppies in flower. I have seen quite a few around and it is lovely that they are in flower here at the right time of year for remembrance day.I have some planted in the garden in my back yard but they have not been in for long enough to flower even though they are doing well. Maybe next year they will be and then they can drop their seed to come up again each year after...for remembrance day.
Last Sunday Pete, Mum and I went out to the Gundaroo Bush Festival. Gundaroo is a small town just out of Canberra that is within commuting distance, so the real estate reflects that but it is still a nice little bush town. There are a few good potters living and working out there too but I didn't get to visit them.
There were heaps of people out there and they had the main street blocked off for the event so we had to walk quite a way from the car park to the events which was a bit too far for Mum and she had a bit of trouble with her poor old legs swelling up, but she is O.k. again now. Anyway there were lots of stalls to sticky beak at and a pie fight, shearing, dog trials and obstacle courses, art exhibitions, but funniest of them all was a terrier race.The race was held in 2 heats crossing over he ,main street on a course set out of about 50 metres. Most of the doggies in it were either Jack Russells or mixtures of fox terrier breeds. One little doggie looked like he was a cross between a Jack Russel and a Chihuahua. Anyway he was the clear winner, it was so funny. One girl that had him took him up to the finish line. He wasn't impressed by being taken away from what was obviously his beloved mistress. She stood up at the end of the race and called him and he took off like a bullet straight back to her.All of the other dogs in the race were more interested in the crowd of the other participants in the race but eventually got to the finish line. One little scruffy, fat, old dog was a veteran race r and knew exactly what was expected of him though, it was so funny, he waddled down the course to much applause and laughter , he just took a bit of time to get there. He wasn't last because he knew just what was expected of him but he was the very happy and pleased with himself third place winner. I was so pleased that we did not take our Jack Russell doggie, Rufus, with us as he would not have been able to contain himself with all the other doggies around and would have caused havoc wanting to fight the other dogs. He is much too naughty and has not been socialized to be in close range of strange doggies.
Yesterday we had such a topsy turvy day. Michael and I went to Duntroon again to clean a house that was being refurbished. And O'Boy what a house.It is the fourth one we have done there. I saw a little pramed pic of the house with info that said the house was built in 1911. It had the most gorgeous garden. It was shaded by very old big trees and had a beautiful understory of garden beds full of flowers. I want a garden like that, please, for christmas.
We left there and went to our other regular jobs at about 1.30 which gave us time to sit at the nearby shops and have a cup of tea in the sun. Then went on to our third job of the day were we got a phone call from my hubby Pete who had gone for a ride to visit someone on his bike for the afternoon and broken down. It was about 4.30. Doug, the boss where we were said I had better go and get him. He was out past Murrumbateman, a small village on the Yass side of Canberra and about 3/4 of an hour drive from where I was. I got out there and the bike stared again to go about 1km down the road and stopped dead . So I went back into Murrumbateman and the mechanic in town had gone home for the day, I rang him and he said that he didn't have a trailer to bring the bike back into town or any bike knowledge anyway. So went back to tell Pete to maybe hide the bike in some bushes that were not to far away and pick it up later. A young bloke pulled over to see what was going on and then went in to his friends house back in Murrumbateman and borrowed his trailer and took the bike back to town for us. Good on ya mate.We were so grateful for his kindness. His reply was "My dad always told me to stop if someone needed help" . The bike is now in his friends back yard and Pete will take the trailer out there to pick it up on Thursday. Kind of restores your confidence in human nature, that someone would be so generous doesn't it. I myself have stopped many times to help people that have had car trouble but only on quiet back roads where I thought that they would need help and not on a busy road where there was lots of traffic ane i thought they would get help easily like the Barton highway where Pete was. We didn't get home until nearly 10.00 that night. I left Michael to finish off the job we were doing and then we had to grab something quick to eat and go to finish the office we clean as well.
Right Gotta Go and get some lunch then get to work again.
Bye
Love Linda.

3 comments:

Everydaythings said...

a Quick Hi Linda - we get our poppies every year..they are a lovely way to remember this very important event.

Shadow said...

oh, lest i forget, i made your carrot slice and it was DEEEEVINE. thank you!

Bimbimbie said...

Linda that helping hand made up for the delivery lads not stopping for the one minute silence*!*