ANZAC DAY

Well, I think it's wonderful that the Australians set aside one day every year on Anzac Day to honour and commemorate the fallen and thank those servicemen who are currently deployed to various nations around the world. It is the day when the country commemorates the ANZACs (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey in World War I. This day of remembrance (ANZAC Day) then evolved to include all those who've been involved in other wars and military operations Australia has engaged in since the Great War.

So...apart from chewing on their iconic Anzac biscuits,

Aussies have memorial services in designated places.. Shops, offices, schools and major shopping centres are closed in honor of the day. When K-mart tried to apply for permit to stay open for the day this year, it was lambasted for not being tasteful and insensitive to Australian culture.

None of the wars that Aussies have fought in history have been caused by Australia. But they have always sent troops in aid for the fight of freedom in other countries and sacrificed many in the process.

The Australian Defence Force's commitment to the security of Malaysia is longstanding and we owe them a debt for peace-keeping. It began with Malayan Campaign in World War II, followed shortly after by the Malayan Emergency and Confrontation. Alongside with the British who fought for Malaysia when the Japanese invaded, the Aussies were allies to Malaysia during this time and many perished during the war. Australia's defence relationship with Malaysia dates back to well before Malaysia's independence in 1957, and reflects a common commitment to the security and stability of the region. The relationship is based on practical cooperation including the Malaysia-Australia Joint Defence Program plus an ongoing Australian presence at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base at Butterworth. Today, Australia is the only country with forces permanently based in Malaysia and also its major source of external military training.

For a country of small population, I think oz's guard their heritage rather fiercely and proudly. What they have given out and continued to give is wonderful. In fact, I think it is a blessed nation not just in terms of resources but also holding up well in economy not merely because of physical advantages but by the fact that they have also been good custodians of certain values and systems, the environment, senior citizens, wildlife and animals..and reaping what is sown. Of course, I am speaking rhetorically and in general and it does not by any means represent the entire population and culture here, but still..overall, it is a country that does take care of its own people + land pretty well.

Okay, I know taxes are high here, but they do give back in other ways unlike certain places.... I have an 82-year old friend who thinks her peers complain way too much about the government for not doing its job well, because she has been overseas and seen the poverty and lack that people suffer because of an unjust and corrupted government. "You people have it good here and don't even know it.." she often scolds them in her stern motherly way.

But back to Anzac Day, we had a time of tribute and prayer for the soldiers deployed to other nations at church today. It may not be fireworks or huge parades going on, but at the end of the day, it goes back to the basics of appreciation for the value of human life, sacrifices and comradeship. So yes, this is a nation which is far from perfect, but definitely with its heart in the right place.

RISSOLES

Beef risolles are one of the occasional dishes I make for dinner. It's really just a meat patty but with healthier stuff like vege, garlic and onions kneaded into it. Rissoles comes from a Latin word which means 'to make redden' and its version varies from country to country. The Australian rissole is generally made from minced meat without a pastry covering, but sometimes with breadcrumbs.

For my own version, all you need is some ground beef (500g) and some cornflour, salt, meat seasoning, pepper, minced garlic, onions and chopped up chives or celery, carrots, capsicum or any vege you like and mix it in with a little bit of oil. Sometimes, I crack an egg to make it stick better, then I shape it into little patties for frying or baking. If cholesterol is a problem,.. skip the egg. I like to microwave it for 1 minute first before pan-frying it so it takes less time and the meat is less dry this way..or you can bake it for about 15 minutes in the oven. Makes a nice dinner meal with salad + soup and it's quite easy to make too.

THERE'S A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING

Yesterday was a day of many firsts for me.. Went to a friend's birthday party last nite and found that:-

1. Sparklers (yes, those that kids play with for chinese new year) make spectacular candles on a cake!

2. Rose petals can actually be eaten especially if they are on top of a cake & taste pretty good too.

3. Fried springrolls can turn out disastrous if your cooking oil isn't hot enough.

4. You can cook a meal of 4 entrees for 12 people in less than an hour

5. Australians love Laksa-(even the spicier types)

6. There is such a thing as canned beansprouts (taugehs) although it is not my fave.

7. Peacocks can and will eat chinese food, even leftover springrolls...

8. If your son gets to play 'fetch' with his favourite dog during the party, he really doesn't care about anything else in the room, even if they are exotic sparklers on the cake.....

AFTER THE DANCE

At the risk of being labelled crazy and emo, I shall venture to share a strange dream I had sometime last week.

I dreamt I was on this street in open space with some stalls and peddlars, a common + familiar sight in M'sia. It was night time, pretty dark, but a stranger suddenly approached me and asked me to dance with him. Strange huh, I am not inclined to dance at all and felt awkward and shy, but he taught me the steps and pretty soon, we were coordinating our steps and doing the dance very well together. It suddenly felt like the most natural thing to dance this way - easy and smooth. Then when it was finished, everyone clapped and cheered. Next, he turned to me and asked me to follow him into a dark alley, very narrow lane, stretching onwards, like forever. I was nervous, should I, should I not? He led me by the hand and we went down the alley, but as I was entering the alley, another man called out to me, telling me don't go, to follow him instead. He said he had something better for me and enticed me with this gift, a box. I was tempted to turn back and follow him back into the familiar open space. But I said I wanted to see what he had offered first. I opened it and then found it was nothing I wanted and I threw it back at him. The other stranger aka my dance partner signalled to me that there was a door right ahead and I was to follow him. I saw a faint light ahead and so, I went on. I had to trust in someone I didn't fully know...

Weird dream huh, but I forgot about it till on Sunday at church, this song was sung. "Won't you dance with me Lord, Lover of my soul, to the song of all songs." It reminded me about this dancing dream and I knew God was speaking to my heart about His longing to romance and get closer and wanting me to follow him through that long dark narrow way into the open door ahead. He had a way out for me but here was I being tempted to get back into the open space of the familiar that I had left behind again. The other thing that struck me was: if this dancer was my God, how come I didn't know him, how come I didn't recognise his face? It was as if God was telling me ' you think you know me all this time, but you don't really know me." If this was true, then what has my relationship with Him really been all about these years? Who is my God and do I really know Him and trust Him all the way? Thought-provoking but also comforting to know He is leading me all the way down this path to that open door.

This video captures the very essence of what God intends in our relationship with Him...as in the Song of Solomons, nothing short of a romance. As christians, we forget this sometimes and plough through this life either living bravely as a warrior or busily going through the motions of what others expect of a 'good' christian. Ironically, God gets left out of the picture and we too often 'lose the plot' totally and what this whole walk is all about. Having danced and getting used to the familiar steps, when He takes you to a place of the narrow and says will you follow me and trust me, are you willing to do just that or is that tangible box being offered to you a better deal? Which will you choose? The alley that leads into the unknown with the one you trust or the stranger who gives you 'something better and immediate' and brings you back into your comfort zone again?

Ultimately, this isn't just about getting to that door, it is a journey of trust all the way thru and getting to know the One who will bring me to that place.

NATURAL AIRCOND

AND FINALLY... some cooler weather this week. Tonight is registering 17C coldest, now at 19C in GC. Free air-conditioning...Nice, not too extreme, We are officially on Fall season now. I love it like this... with gentle breeze blowing all night. Hope it stays this way for some time....

SUPERYACHT TERMINAL

THE State Government is expected to tick off on a $2.5 billion superyacht terminal and marine precinct for The Spit after years of delays on plans for the area.. much to the dismay of environmentalists and greenies rooting for preservation of its natural surroundings. Some feel that the project would be a huge boost for the tourism and marine industries on the Gold Coast and will include facilities for up to 30 superyachts and 400 recreational and fishing vessels, plus hotels and commercial developments.

The origins of The Spit (and no, the area is not a phlegmatic haven for the chinese...) date back to the years 1897 – 1898 when a series of gales and high seas finally broke through a narrow stretch of land called Jumpinpin on Stradbroke Island. The breakthrough created a new sea passage into Moreton Bay. Stradbroke Island was divided in two (North & South), changing the ebb and flow of tides through the southern reaches of Moreton Bay. The impact on Southport’s environment was remarkable. Southport’s rocky foreshore had previously been exposed to open seas. After the breakthrough, tidal action eroded sand from the southern tip of South Stradbroke resulting eventually in the surveyed township site of Moondarewa disappearing entirely by the 1940s.

There is only one tender each for the northern and southern sections of The Spit and each consortium of companies has been put through a rigorous process in the leadup to a May announcement. Originally there were six bids for the two projects. Last year, the Deep Blue consortium, which includes Gold Coast City Marina and Leighton, tendered for the northern development area and Broadwater International consortium, including Watpac, tendered for the southern development area. The development is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs and about 200 full-time jobs when it is operational, with members of the marine industry saying the area would be transformed to look similar to Monaco and other luxury boating locations around the world. So..it looks like another good reason for the super-rich to head over the coast and park their super yachts here. This brings back memories of my first experience on a super-yacht.

Yes, I had the privilege of treading on one before and it was a very nice one with a rather cute name called "The White Rabbit" belonging to one of the richer folks in Singapore. It had lifts serving all 3 levels, a bar, kitchen, lounge,

captain's room, lots of bedrooms, dining room for about 12, a kitchen with its own crew of chefs and waiters, an entertainment room, probably a pool somewhere ..the works. 5-star on the waters, quite an eye-opener for bumpkins like me... nice... hmmm, I wonder if any possibility to set foot on one again right here on the Gold Coast?

Circus skills fun

They had a circus skills workshop during Easter break @ Central Park, Varsity Lakes, and Jordie had a blast with a schoolmate, Leo and other kids this morning. ..parachute cat-and-mouse games, walking on pails, juggling and plate balancing + sack racing...

 

 

Colourful Pom poms from the previous cheerleading class...

"I LOVE MAH JAZZ, YEAH!"

Jordie gets some jazz pieces now and then and he loves this one...

BADGE PRESENTATION

Went to school yesterday to attend Jordie's badge presentation ceremony for student council members. Jordie told me this is a special assembly where everyone from junior school campus gathers physically as they usually attend virtual assembly via smartboard projection screen, and just watch from their respective classrooms what needs to be communicated by the teachers or principal. (soo.. high tech!) His school is so preppy... they have prefects and the school captains wear such formal blazers for "dressdown" Gold Coast,,, I found it cute that the two boys standing next to cake were actually the appointed human fly swatters standing guard against those pesky creatures. I think it was hard not to drool over the cake while on duty... but they were very well-controlled...

NEW SLANGS I JUST LEARNT

Today, over a morning tea conversation with some aussie friends, I learnt some interesting oz slangs which totally bowled me over. The oz's have a cute way of putting things that is both straightforward and visual.. My friend kept saying 'spit the dummy' and I was wondering what on earth was that. It means:

To indulge in a sudden display of anger or frustration; to lose one’s temper. The phrase is usually used of an adult, and the implication is that the outburst is childish, like a baby spitting out its dummy (pacifier) in a tantrum and refusing to be pacified.

The other term was 'batching' which apparently means:

To live alone and keep house as a bachelor.

It can also mean accumulation of things, collect heaps of stuff, which usually happens in bachelor pads too, hihi...