Thursday, February 12, 2009

Bushfires in Victoria


I've had lots of queries about the bushfires from overseas....here on the blog, constant emails and bookclub site. I haven't got the heart to express myself here at the moment. I feel sick and teary looking at the media stories and knowing how lucky I am. That a fire can travel 32km in 16 minutes is so scary. It was our day in hell and that people can commit arson on such a horrendous day of heat makes them a mass murderer in my eyes.

Thank you to everyone who contacted me with your thoughts and prayers.

I did not want to publish any photos of devastated towns with respect to those that have lost. The photo of the koala and the cartoon artists' rendition gives us a little hope and a smile.


Sunday, February 1, 2009

You Know You're Australian If:

You know you’re Australian if….

You know the meaning of ‘girt’.

You believe that stubbies can either be worn or drunk.

You think it is normal to have a Prime Minister called Kevin.

You waddle when you walk due to the 53 expired petrol discount vouchers stuffed in your wallet or purse.

You’ve made a bong out of your garden hose rather than use it for something illegal such as watering the garden.

When you hear that an American ‘roots for his team’ you wonder how often and with whom.

You understand that the phrase ‘a group of women wearing black thongs’ refers to footwear and may be less alluring than it sounds.

You pronounce Melbourne as ‘Mel-bin’.

You believe the ‘L’ in the word ‘Australia’ is optional.

You can translate: ‘Dazza and Shazza played Acca Dacca on the way to Maccas’.

You believe it makes perfect sense for a nation to decorate its highways with large fibreglass bananas, prawns, cows and sheep.

You call your best friend ‘a total bastard’ but someone you really, truly despise is just ‘a bit of a bastard’.

You think ‘Woolloomooloo’ is a perfectly reasonable name for a place.

You believe it makes sense for a country to have a $1 coin that’s twice as big as its $2 coin.

You understand that ‘Wagga Wagga’ can be abbreviated to ‘Wagga’ but ‘Woy Woy’ can’t be called ‘Woy’.

You believe that cooked-down axle grease such as vegemite makes a good breakfast spread.

You believe all famous Kiwis are actually Australian, until they stuff up, at which point they become Kiwis again.

You know, whatever the tourist books say, that no one says ‘cobber’.

You know that certain words must, by law, be shouted out during any rendition of the Angels’ song ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’.

You believe, as an article of faith, that the confectionary known as the Wagon Wheel has become smaller with every passing year.

You still don’t get why the ‘Labor’ in ‘Australian Labor Party’ is not spelt Labour.

You wear ugg boots outside the house.

You believe that the more you shorten someone’s name the more you like them.

Whatever your linguistic skills, you find yourself able to order takeaway fluently in every Asian language.

You understand that ‘excuse me’ can sound rude, while ’scuse me’ is always polite.

You know what it’s like to swallow a fly.

You understand that ‘you’ has a plural and that it’s ‘youse’.

You know it’s not summer until the steering wheel is too hot to handle.

Your biggest family argument over the summer concerned the rules of beach cricket.

You shake your head in horror when companies try to market what they call ‘Anzac Biscuits’.

You still think of Kylie as ‘that girl off Neighbours’.

You get choked up with emotion by the first verse of the national anthem and then have trouble remembering the second.

You find yourself ignorant of nearly all the facts deemed essential in the government’s new test for migrants.

You will immediately forward this list to other Australians, here and overseas, realising that only they will understand!!

Can't Live Without My Books!!!

What Kind of Reader Are You?
Your Result: Dedicated Reader
 

You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.

Book Snob
 
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
 
Literate Good Citizen
 
Fad Reader
 
Non-Reader
 
What Kind of Reader Are You?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Best Virtual Puppy Ever - Cute or Creepy?

Your Spiritual Number is Seven
You bring knowledge and wisdom into people's lives.
You are an expert in many fields, and you give excellent advice.

Right now, your life is about perfecting your skill set.
You are almost a virtuoso at the thing you love best. With some practice, you'll get there.

You are highly intelligent and intellectual. You have profound analytical skills.
But you also have the soul of an artist. You long to create.

Ah Memories