Remembrance

Today was Anzac Day. Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, and is commemorated by both countries on April 25th every year to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during WWI and also to commemorate the soldiers who fought in France and Belgium. It's basically the Aussie version of Veterans Day.

Anzac Day is pretty impressive. Aussies are fairly patriotic, in their own way, but on Anzac Day, they really pull out all the stops. It's so wonderful to see the way they honor those who have served in the armed forces. Makes you realise how little thanking is done on a daily basis.

Still totally entrenched in the office move, I had to work for a few hours this morning, so we missed the parade. But we went last year and I loved it. People came by the tens of thousands to stand and applaud the hundreds of veterans and active duty military personnel who walked the parade route. It was amazing. We took lots of photos, but the one above is my favourite. (Never mind that I was given a dirty look for photographing some strangers kid.) It was a small boy sitting on his dad's shoulders, holding a rosemary sprig and a flag, watching the soldiers walk by. I don't think I'll ever forget that day.

Just wanted to take a moment to thank all our veterans and active duty personnel today. We should be thanking you far more often.

Rain and Ragu

Having a quiet weekend at home this week. Too much going on at work lately, and it's nice to just have a nice quiet day on the couch. It's raining on and off and Jon is making a lamb ragu tonight with polenta. He is also experimenting with some cabbage, trying to replicate the purple cabbage stuff that you get on the mix plate from the kebeb place. So far, so good. Looks like we'll be having turkish mixed plate this week. Yum.

We booked our tickets home for our summer visit this week. Going to be in Toronto from 30th July through 8th August. Not a ton of time, but hopefully we can have a big TO family bash on the Civic Holiday weekend. Keep that weekend free!

My company is moving office (again) this week. Thankfully, this move should be our last and we will be moving into some brand new digs in the village center. That should be good. Expecting some growing pains in the transition, but it will be nice to finally unpack and settle in. And there is a cafe downstairs, so that should be a nice perk.

It's definitely autumn here. Cool nights and days that go from sunny to rainy in an instant. The colours are predominantly yellow around here. We'll take a drive out into the Southern Highlands in 2 weeks to capture a few more reds and oranges.

Easter in Autumn

Strangest thing about the seasons being backwards... you can never really wrap your head around the holidays being in the wrong season. I mean, Easter in Autumn? Weird. Back home, Easter is a spring holiday, associated with new growth and green grass and baby bunnies and chicks (the animal kind) and pink and blue.

Here, Easter is in the Autumn. When the leaves are falling and the air is crisp and it gets dark earlier and earlier. I want to get a new throw for the sofa and make soup and buy a pumpkin. These are definitely not Easter activities. It's odd. I can't explain how odd it is.

I am loving the fall weather though. I made chicken soup with dumplings yesterday. And today we are going to explore an outdoor market. Nice to throw on a sweater for a change, instead of boiling in a tank top.

We are starting to plan some trips for the coming months. A trip home to Canada, and a trip somewhere we haven't been before. If you look at the bottom of this page, you will see that leaves a lot of options. Apparently we have only been to 22% of the world's countries. Hmm. We have a lot of planning to do.

Any suggestions?

Quote of the Day

"If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress."
~Barack Obama

I have hope. Someday things will be good again.

Ole!

I have to quote one of my favourite bloggers today. Her post absolutely cracked me up. Gotta love this woman. (www.dooce.com) She always finds a way to say exactly what everyone is thinking but wouldn't dare to say.

I was just reading a news story on a celebrity gossip website about Angelina Jolie's rumored plans to adopt her next baby from India, and when I glanced down at the comments I was expecting to see the usual griping about how her family resembles a traveling circus or SHILOH IS SO CUTE! But the very first comment was left by a more profoundly concerned citizen of the world who asked, "WHY IS IT NEVER A MEXICAN??!!" That comment totally made my day.

Tulips

Five years ago today Jon and I were married at city hall in Buffalo, NY. It was a rainy day and I wore new shoes that hurt my feet. I carried pink and yellow tulips and it was the happiest day ever. We celebrated after with cake and pizza.

Every year on this day I think about the few friends and family that shared that day with us... most we rarely see these days. I think of them all and smile. It was the most wonderful day.

Today my lovely husband surprised me at work with a huge bouquet of pink and yellow tulips. And it was raining today too. A perfect anniversary. (Almost. It would be better if Jon was in town. But he comes home tomorrow, so that is ok.)

Happy Anniversary to us! The second one we've celebrated in Australia. Time sure does fly.