That Happy Feeling

A Fresh Start

Well, I've had two weeks off work, and back tomorrow. Looking forward to the hustle and bustle, so we'll see how long I can stay enthused. I'm really refreshed as the two weeks off I've just puttered around, not doing much, apart from my short trip up to Mudgee.

A beautiful warm, very late spring day today, temp probably in the high 20's (C). A bit humid which knocks one around.

Australia went to the polls yesterday (federally its been 3 years since the last national election). A change of Government saw the Liberal Party (conservatives) toppled by the Australian Labor Party (social democrats). These days both parties have a lot of similar ideas and policies, but Australia was looking for a change. Its a generational change of leadership as well. John Howard, Prime Minister, born 1939, was beaten by Kevin Rudd, Oppostion Leader, born 1957. For the first time since 1901 (Federation) we've got a female Deputy Prime Minister (Julia Gillard), who is intelligent, hardworking, and has great potential as a possible future Prime Minister.

It is also fairly probable that Mr Howard, may be only the 2nd Prime Minister since 1901 to actually lose his seat, whilst in Government. His oponent in the Federal Seat of Benelong, is Maxine McKew, former television (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) presenter.

One decent thing to happen though is that Liberal parliamentarian, Malcolm Turnbull, won his seat. Malcolm had to fight a hard, bitter, fairly vindictive campaign, and was all but written off by the pundits, but he's got a lot of class, and went against the trend which was a 6% swing against the Government. He was a Liberal who retained his seat and a man who has a lot more class than a lot of his peers in the Parliament, of all parties.

Hopefully this government will be more caring, more open, more inclusive and more tolerant than the Liberals have been, particularly in the last 3 years.

A breath of fresh air? I think so!

Batteries Recharged

I'm just starting the 2nd week of a 2 week break from work. Last Wednesday, when I grew a day and a year older I rose before the kookaburras and took the bus into the city, caught the Central West Express to Lithgow, about 3 hours by rail from Sydney, and then jumped on a rail bus for another hour and a half trip to Mudgee. Mudgee is a small country town of about 8,000 people, the surrounding area and other small towns give the region a total population of 21,000 but its small, its relaxed and to a visitor there's not much that seems to be going on. That's an unfair statement because Mudgee is a winegrowing area with about 30 small boutique wineries, most with cellar doors where you can drive, walk or cycle up, taste, learn and buy fine wine. Shiraz seems to be the regions speciality, but they also make most of the other wines such as chardonnay, merlot, rose etc.

It was very hot weather wise, and so I enjoyed the chance for an afternoon siesta each day. In the mornings i'd go out and tour the wineries, and then come back for a snooze, before a decent meal and a relatively early night.

I stayed at the Lawson Park Hotel, which is a small country pub, with 6 rooms on the 1st (2nd) floor, above the bar and Red Heifer Restaurant. You can cook your own steak at the restaurant or get the chef to cook schnitzel, roast etc. I tried a bit of everything over the few nights, as well as having a great Thai meal in one of the local restaurants.

Brought back 2 bottles of shardy (chardonnay) and 2 shiraz from The Farmer's Daughter winery, which is a neat winery just to the north of town.

Usually when I'm on a holiday I want to see everything, do everything, and rush around like a headless chook, but this was a great chance just to slow down, chat with the locals, and learn a bit about life out West.

This week I've got a couple of things to do, but I think the pace will remain steady.

Have a great week folks, and sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones.

Standby, Sip

OK, so I'm now on two weeks leave (holiday/recreation, what you will). On Wednesday morning the plan is to rise fairly early, catch a bus into the city, then a train/bus combination from Central Railway to Mudgee in the Central West of New South Wales. The rail trip is about two hours, and then there's a "rail coach" - a fancy name for a tourbus operated by the State Railways, which goes from Lithgow, just west of the Blue Mountains, up to Mudgee. Mudgee is aboriginal for "Nest In The Hills", and its prime agriculatural and grazing country. There's a very healthy winegrowing region just out of the town of Mudgee (population about 8,000, and I'm planning on visiting a few of the "cellar doors". I'm staying in a country pub, the Lawson Park Hotel, named after one of Australia's major poets, Henry Lawson, whose origins were in the Mudgee region.

Its going to be three nights, Wed-Saturday morning, and then get an early bus back to Lithgow, change to a train and be back in Sydney just after lunch.

No plans for what I'll do in the 2nd week, but I'm sure i'll find something to keep the little grey cells active.

To friends are off the Thailand for a more exotic holiday tomorrow. I wish them a safe and happy holiday.

Finally, we're two weeks out of a Federal election. More about that later in the week. Maybe I'll give you a country New South Wales perspective.

Have a great week folks. Khob Khun Mak Krab.

Where Poppies Grow

r Remembrance Day, 11/11/1918 - the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month when an Armistice was declared in the War To End All Wars, commonly known as World War 1. But I'm sure that's all the soldiers, nurses, sailors and airmen who got through it wanted to do.

Today was a day to "pause, to pay homage to the fallen. "They Grow Not Old,as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, or the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them. Lest we forget."

I went into the city today, and it was only when I saw Police barrier tape across a city mall that I remembered today was Remembrance Day. I bought a poppy badge on Friday, which raises money for veterans and their families, but then it slipped my mind until I saw the blue and white checked tape. That was about 10.15am, so I killed some time until just before 11am then walked down to the Cenotaph in Martin Place, in the centre of the city. Already a crowd had formed, but I managed to be there for the wreath laying, and the "silence" and Reveille. There were two sets of twins in my Dad's mum's family. She had twin brothers, and twin cousins. All four of them volunteered but only two came back, one of each set of twins. One of the set of twins was on the same piece of heavy artillery when a shell exploded on their gun as it was about to be fired. A brother saw his brother killed instantly.

Some of the others I remember today were one who died in Etaples, one who died in Polygon Wood, another who died when a shell burst through the barracks building where refuge was sought, but not given for very long.

I'm not a hawk, or a flag waving fanatic, but today I remember 7 people who didn't come back from World War 1 (from New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, part of a country which was only 18 years old. I give thanks that a young Welshman, who'd only emigrated 5 years earlier, but returned to Europe for the "great adventure" came back, and got to be my maternal grandfather, I give thanks for Dad's two brothers, who came back from WW2.

They were all ordinary guys, asked to do extradordinary things, but they're all incredible in my eyes.

LEST WE FORGET!

What Season Is It?

OK, so its supposed to be the last month of spring, but at the moment it feels like the last month of autumn. Autumn this year was fairly mild, as indeed was winter but the last couple of days have been cold, low 20s Centigrade when they should be mid to high 20s. Just had a great weekend. Genies on Saturday, then drinks, which was great, and then a relaxing day yesterday. I've got a week to go and then two weeks holiday, so I'm looking forward to that. Travel plans, but not too far away. More about that later in the week, or maybe at the weekend.