I gave thanks, watched Mumbai Burn and ate much mush

Last night I decided to head over to Lone Star Saloon with the family for my first ever Thanksgiving Dinner. I actually had to google first to find out what TG was all about. I had it in the back of my mind that it was a celebration of American land stealing and Indian slaughtering and being an Australian from English settler stock, I could not have supported this. However, as it turns out, it is a day of ..er.....thanks giving when those dudes with the funny hats ( the Pilgrims) actually sat down with the Indians and thanked them for showing them how to grow crops etc. That's what Wikipiedia says anyway ! I am sure there might have been the odd Pilgrim scalping or Indian bashing going on out the back behind the shed later that night but basically it was all about a good drink and a nosh so who can argue with that ?.

I had a couple of cold tinnies at home and waited for Leakhana to arrive home and when she did there were two surprises in stall for me - First, she was using the Baby Bjorn carrier and loved it and second she says "Sweetheart....I am starving, let's hit LS for TG and no....I don't need shower or make-up". Well...... roll me over and dip me in pig sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit. 10 minutes later we were in the Pilgrim Mobile combating Phnom Penh peak hour and we were soon pulling up at Lone Star. On arrival, we found Jeff ( almost asleep from overeating), Vattey, Darren and Stuart all knocking back beers along with a host of yanks and assorted partners. I ordered up two plates of Turkey Dinner and Grace settled onto her mothers lap for a good 'ol dose of TG boozie milk.

Whilst Leakhana,Vattey and Grace enjoyed the front terrace, the lads sat transfixed to the big screen and CNN's coverage of the Mumbai fiasco. As the beers flowed, we got so bored with the crap CNN coverage that the conversation got very silly indeed;

Stu; "What's that big round dome on top of the hotel ?"
Me; "That's a moozie bubble Stu"
Darren;" There are only 5 hostages inside..they should just nuke the whole fucking hotel and every moozie inside"
Jeff;" Geez I am sleepy..but I can't wait until Mossad arrives to deal with the moozies in the Jewish Centre""
All; "Fucking moozies !! Where are TEAM AMERICA, JACK BAUER,ANDERSON COOPER and BRUCE WILLIS when you need them"

"Our timing on this is lousy....we are missing thanksgiving dinner you know....."

"Jack,Anderson..I am already inside. I am hiding behind a photocopier on the 5th floor and there are moozies everywhere. Can you come get me....?

"Can do John...but let's get on thing straight - there is the right way, the wrong way, and the Jack Bauer way. My way is basically the right way but faster and with more deaths"

"I'm coming with you Jack. I have never killed a moozie but I have thought about it alot.Have you got a gun I can borrow ?......"

"I am sending my team over.There is one condition..after we have nuked these moozie bastards Anderson has to S**K MY D**k"

Stu; " Does this really mean the cricket isn't on ?"
Jeff:" I think Sean Penn and Angelina Jolie are flying in to sort the cricket out as we speak .."
Me; " I don't know who is worse - the fucking moozies or all those tooled up Indian commandos who can't sort the problem out"
Jeff; " ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ".

Stay the fuck where you are you idiot.

Due to the gravy and the turkey settling in the stomach like Khmer cement, we were soon all on our way home at 7.30pm ! for a few episodes of Monk and an early sack time.

Would I do it again ? you bet.

GRACE; A new dress and bath time with Vichea

Pink Burberry ? Don't tell the lads here.....She ain't no chav !

Grace is now out of onesies for daytime apparel and into this little number. I was chuffed to see her in a dress because now she looks like a little girl instead of a sprog in a jumpsuit !

And here are the two little mites before their bath.

Funny how it all works - here we have Aunty Phalla bathing her niece while Aunty Leakhana tends to her nephew !

Those crazy Novacastrians

From today's Sydney Morning Herald...this is bloody priceless............and made even more so because it happened at Nobby's Beach.

Man caught with penis in pasta jar ... near Nobbys Beach

A man caught near Nobbys Beach with his penis in a pasta sauce jar led police on a 20 kmh car chase, Newcastle Local Court heard yesterday.

Police drew their weapons when they suspected Keith Roy Weatherley, 46, was armed.

Instead, they found him partially clothed with his genitals in a jar, a police statement said.

Weatherley, of Promontory Way, North Arm Cove, attracted attention parked in a no-stopping zone before noon on October 26.

Police believed Weatherley was doing something with his hands in his lap and thought that he might have a weapon.

Weatherley saw the police and drove away, despite them flashing their lights.

The chase lasted five to 10 minutes, with a top speed of just 20 kmh, before Weatherley was stopped at Centenary Drive, Newcastle. He refused to leave the car.

Four officers used batons and capsicum spray to remove him.

They found a 750-millilitre jar around his penis and noted that Weatherley attempted to continue "pleasuring himself in between bouts of wrestling".

A search of his car uncovered pornography, a home-made sex aid, women's stockings and a Jack Russell terrier.

Weatherley pleaded guilty to offensive behaviour, resisting police and disobeying a police direction.

Magistrate Elaine Truscott asked Weatherley, who represented himself, why he behaved the way he did.

He said he resisted police because he was trying to make himself "decent".

He was fined $600 for offensive behaviour and convicted of the other two offences without further action taken.

UPDATED ; GRACE ;Australian Citizenship – 33 steps that drove me to drink.

A proud mum and her little sheila

Hands up in celebration.

Those of you who have babies that are born in Australia should count yourselves damn lucky. The process of getting Grace’s citizenship began 2 months ago and has tested my patience. Read on…

STEP 1 - Australian Embassy

Being the organised guy that I am, I decided an initial visit to the Australian Embassy to go over the mile long check list of things I need for Grace's Citizenship by Descent application would be a good idea. I emailed the embassy's dedicated appointment email address and was promptly given a 4.30p.m timeslot a few days later with instructions to be 10 minutes early.

On the allotted day I turn up 30 mins early with my A4 folder containing a myriad of information and forms and on arrival I am told by the security guard to "take a ticket" from the ticket machine. I tell him I don't think I need a ticket as I have been given a 4.30pm appointment time and he looks at me like a rabbit in the headlights. As it turns out EVERYONE gets given the same time from that email address and then it is the quick and the dead to get a ticket as fast as you can.

I wait for my number to come up and then I proceed to the window. I am told I need all the documents on the form. I tell them my own birth certificate is in storage at my parent's house in Australia and ask if I really need it seeing as I have a passport and I had to use the birth certificate to get the passport. Some conferring with a nice young embassy guy ( NYEG ) and I am told, no...I don't need it.

STEP 2- Pack Grace and Leakhana into the Jeep and go to digital photo shop to get Grace some passport size photos. Fail; Grace is doped to the eyeballs on mummy milk.

STEP 3- Pack Grace and Leakhana into the Jeep and go to digital photo shop to get Grace some passport size photos. Fail; Grace is doped to the eyeballs on mummy milk.

STEP 4- Pack Grace and Leakhana into the Jeep and go to digital photo shop to get Grace some passport size photos. Fail; Grace is doped to the eyeballs on mummy milk.

STEP 5- Pack Grace and Leakhana into the Jeep and go to digital photo shop to get Grace some passport size photos. SUCCESS! Grace is not doped to the eyeballs on mummy milk and we get some great shots.

STEP 6 - Australian Embassy

After 4 trips to the photo shop to get some shots of Grace where she is alert and doesn't look like she has been doped to the eyeballs with mummy milk and a trip to see Sandra ( our mid-wife) to get copies of her passport and credentials, I am ready. I email the Australian Embassy again and I am given a meeting time of 3.10pm on a Thursday a few days later. I arrive 30 mins early on Thursday and when I get to the counter, the embassy official looks at me and says " can you come back next Monday as we do not process these applications today". I tell her I have an email where I have specifically stated I wanted to come for a Citizenship by Descent application and that I was told to come today- Thursday. She asks to see the email. I said I didn't think I would need to bring it. She asks me to wait a few minutes and soon returns with NYEG who says 'Sorry mate, looks like we have dudded you, we only do these applications on Mondays and today we are not equipped to take the cash from you as we do not have a float". I tell him there is a section on the form where you can fill out PAY BY VISA so surely we can get this thing rolling and he says " um........that option is not available for the embassy here in Phnom Penh". DEEP BREATHS. He asks me to come back the following Monday and we organise for a meeting in my lunch hour.

STEP 7 -Australian Embassy

I turn up 30 mins early with all my paperwork and $110 CASH and I am ready as I will ever be. A nice young lass calls me over and I start handing over the original application form, the passport photos, the baby photos of Grace showing her over the weeks, the copies of Sandra's passport and qualifications, my passport copies, our original wedding papers and a copy and Grace's Birth certificate as provided by the clinic. All of a sudden the flow of paperwork hits a wall. The lass tells me “we need the original birth certificate". I point out she has one from the clinic and I am told...no..they need the Khmer one from the Sangkat. REALLY DEEP BREATHS. I tell her the Doctor told me this one would suffice for my embassy and can we please proceed. I tell her this is my third visit and I was less than happy and I ask to see NYEG who appears on cue. "Sorry mate....can't budge on this one". I tell him I am sick of dealing with corrupt Khmer Sangkat officers that extort money from me at every turn and explain that I am going to have to get a letter from my landlord to prove our address and then go to the Sangkat and he said
"I know what it's like, I am sorry for you...". I ask him if he is married to a Khmer or has any khmer family " er....no" so tell him I doubt he knows what it is like. I tell him about the 5 month delay in retrieving our wedding papers from the Sangkat at Kandal market and how they blamed Hun Sen and the election and now I have to deal with Toul Tom Pong Sangkat. The embassy takes my money and all the other papers and tell me if I can just get the original birth certificate, all will be done.

STEP 8- Kampoul Pich Clinic

I go to the Clinic where we had Grace and I ask one od the old nurses to ask the Doctor to please prepare a birth certificate in Khmer for me to take to the Sangkat and she tells me "ok but can you come back tomorrow at 5pm ?". Sure can.

STEP 9 - Kampoul Pich Clinic

I pick up the Khmer birth certificate from the clinic.

STEP 10 - Sangkat Kandal (the local council) 12p.m Thursday

Sorry…the guy you need will be back at 1p.m

STEP 11 - Sangkat Kandal 1p.m Thursday

Sorry…the guy you need will be back at 2p.m

STEP 12 - Sangkat Kandal 2p.m Thursday

Sorry…the guy you need will be back at 4p.m

STEP 12 - Sangkat Kandal 4p.m Thursday

“The Guy” is back.

Him;”You need to go to Kampot with this”
Me;”My daughter was born here in Phnom Penh”
Him; “Yes, but your wife was born in Kampot”
Me; “That’s crazy”
Him; “I know”

STEP 13 – One week later Leakhana goes to Sangkat Toul Tom Pong (our local Sangkat where we are renting) and asks them if we can do it at their office.

Him; “We can do it if you get a letter from your landlord stating that you rent from him”.

Leakhana thinks Panha is unlikely to agree as there have been many cases of Khmer people getting these leases and then claiming the houses are actually theirs. I tell her that is ludicrous; it is just a bit if paper that says your rent from someone and live at such and such address. Apparently not.

STEP 14 – Ring our friend Srey Pov and ask her if her and her husband can give us a bogus lease letter. She wants to have a further meeting to discuss. Jesus Christ.

STEP 15- Send mother-in-law to Sangkat Psar Thomei where she is told “no worries, we can do it for you here for $50. We just need a copy of the Aussie bloke’s passport, an original birth certificate fro the clinic and the Khmer wife’s ID card”.

STEP 16 – Send mother-in-law to Sangkat Psar Thomei with copy of my passport, an original KHMER birth certificate for Grace from the clinic and the Khmer wife’s ID card along with $50.

Mum returns empty handed and tells me they need Grace’s full name ( ITS ON HER BIRTH CERTIFICATE YOU DIPSHITS ) my full name in English (er…it’s on my BLOODY PASSPORT), my DOB (ON MY PASSPORT) and my occupation. ..(I AM A MONKEY WRANGLER - WHAT THE HELL DOES IT MATTER YOU ? ) Turns out they cannot read English so have no idea what my name is or what to put on certificate. Fair enough I guess.

STEP 17 – Tra comes over and I give him all my paperwork which he takes to work the next day translates to Khmer for and emails to me. I then print this out and give it to Srey Neung to give back to Mum for round #2 ( or step # 18 ) with Sangkat Psar Thomei.

STEP 18 – Seek Suicide Counselling for self

Yo Dad....chill out.............

STEP 19a,b,c,d,e,f – Mum visits the Sangkat office repeatedly over a month after being told it would take 2 days.

STEP 20 – Having finally got the Khmer Birth Certificate I head to the Embassy and lodge the final document needed for Grace’s Australian Citizenship by Descent. I am told that this will take about 3 weeks to process.

So….there may be a chapter 2 to this story but for now I am feeling relieved and happy that our little girl is 95% on the way to being a fully fledged Aussie.

WRONG>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Step 21
------------------------------------
3.5 hours after posting this on my blog originally I get a phone call from the embassy.

HER ; Sorry sir but the birth certificate you gave us from the Sangkat is wrong. They have listed your daughter's surname as GARNETT SOKHAN
ME; Well, sorry...that is not my problem. ( as per STEP 17 )I gave the Sangkat a very clear document outlining everything in perfect Khmer and English. I have been to the Embassy 4 times and the Sangkat over a dozen times and this is getting beyond a joke. PLEASE HELP ME !

HER; Wait.........I will talk to my boss.

I wait ........about ready to explode....

HER; OK.....just send us an email with the right names and we will do our best at this end.

So I have sent the email and am now going to drink heavily at Lone Star Saloon.

Step 22
------------------------------------
11 days later I get an email from embassy boss (EB) saying they cannot accept the certificate and I have to do it again.

BLOOD STARTS TO BOIL

Step 23
------------------------------------

I ring EB and talk to him and he will not budge but he does say if i get it redone I can call him personally and he will meet with me and do the final Australian Citizenship on the Spot.

Step 24
------------------------------------

I give Mum the original Sangkat Birth Certificate and ask her to please take it back and get it done again. I am so god-damned mad I actually end up being inadvertently rude to my mum-in-law. I try to explain I am not mad with her, just the process. Lost in translation. *sigh*

Step 25
------------------------------------

Mum picks up the new certificate

Step 26
------------------------------------

Leakhana tells me I can go to mums and pick it up. I go to mum's apartment and she says she has given it to Srey Neung

Step 27
------------------------------------

I go across town to Srey Neung's place of work and pick up certificate which looks the goods.

Step 28
------------------------------------

I take certificate to translation company and tell them I need new one TODAY. They tell me to come back at 4.00pm. Only charged $1.

Step 29
------------------------------------

I call EB and ask organise to meet 4.30p.m same day as STEP 28


Step 30
------------------------------------

Go back to Translation service and pick up Translated certificate.

Step 31
------------------------------------

Go to Australian Embassy for meeting with EB

Step 32
------------------------------------

GRACE HAS CITIZENSHIP !!!!

Licensed to bogan

Step 33
----------------

I'll Drink to that !


Next up ; “Applying for Leakhana’s Spousal Visa and How it turned me into a mass murderer.”

Oh and as another footnote, I just went out and bought Mum a brand new outfit ; Slinky top, pin-striped suit pants and lovely shoes to say thanks and SORRY ! She loved them...

The FBI ( Honolulu Branch )contacts The Phnom Penh

Just received this in my hotmail inbox;

TITLE ; Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI Honolulu)‏

From:

Fbioffice Office (officefbioffice@yahoo.in)

Attn:Honorable Beneficiary. ( what...you don't even know my name ? You are the FBI - what about your super computer ?)
We the Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI Honolulu) United States Of America have discovered through our intelligent monitoring network that you have a transaction going on as either inheritance payment,Lottery or contract payment in a tone of Millions of United States Dollars which have been approved but have not been settled. This is to officially inform you that we have verified your contract / inheritance file after close monitoring and found out why you have not received your payment both on your part and on the part of your debtors. Secondly, we have been informed that you are still dealing with the non officials in the bank who are attempting to secure the release of your fund to you ( OH really ? Naughty me !). We wish to advise you that this is illegal and you should stop further communication with them forthwith because such an illegal act like this can lead to confiscation of your fund ( bugger....ok..will stop forthwith). we have been having so many complains from people who have been scammed arround ( just one r in around bonehead ) the world, after concluding in a meeting with members of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), we came to a conclusion with PRESIDENT BARAK OBAMA OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA that every payment will be made through the OCEANIC BANK OF NIGERIA (O.B.N) ( is that because Obama is part Nigerian ? I mean...is he ? ) . We also concluded on the use of ELECTRONIC ATM PAYMENT SYSTEM as the only direct means to pay all beneficiaries. By this method, your funds will be loaded in an ATM card, and sent to you, from this CARD you can withdraw a maximum of U.S $1,500 Dollars per day, from any ATM machine worldwide. So if you would like to receive your funds in this way please send your following information to the paying bank. (1)Your Full Name. (2)Your Complete Address where you want to receive the ATM card. (3)Name of City of Residence. (4)Country. (5)Mobile Number/Direct Telephone Number/ Fax Number. (6)Age / Sex / Occupation. (7)Working Identity Card / Int'l Passport. Below are the contact details of the PAYING BANK (OCEANIC BANK OF NIGERIA PLC, in the Federal Republic Of Nigeria ( So...the FBI Honolulu Office does it's banking in Nigeria ?) to whom you will send your information for the processing of the ATM card as soon as possible. Dr James Morgan HEAD OF OPERATIONS, ATM CARD PAYMENT SYSTEM DEBT SETTLEMENT COMMISSION,OCEANIC BANK OF NIGERIA. (PLC) EMAIL:drjamesmorgan103@gmail.com PHONE: +234-703-665-0277 The DEBT SETTLEMENT COMMISSION has been mandated to issue out your payments for this fiscal year 2008. Also for your information, you have to stop any further communication with any other person(s) or office(s) who claim to be established agents using it to defraud innocent people worldwide.This is to avoid any hitches in receiving your payment. THANKS FOR LISTENING TO OUR ADVICE. CONGRATULATION TO YOU. Yours Faithfully, DR. SMITH MULLER FOR COROPORATE (spellcheck dip shit )AFFAIRS FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI Honolulu) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
E-mail: fbiofficedepartmen2008@gmail.com ( yes that does look like an FBI email address..............)

Water Festival 2008

Vichea- Phnom Penh's coolest cat.

In comparison to last year’s Water Festival Holiday which was an absolute ripper, this year was a mixed time for us. Cash strapped and unenthused, we could not even make it down to Kampot for our uncle’s 100th day anniversary wake. With a week off work and Phnom Penh absolutely jam packed with just about the entire provincial population in town (papers were tipping 4 million visitors but that is ludicrous – see Jeff’s blog here for why), we hunkered down at home and watched DVD after DVD;

Step Brothers; Will Ferrell doing what he does best. Being an idiot. Some hilarious moments

Semi-Pro; Will Ferrell doing more of what he does best. Really REALLY lame.

The Quantum of Solace; After seeing the latest James Bond film flogged to death on TV, I really did not need to watch it as the shorts on AXN were so lengthy you basically got to watch all the action sequences. We had to return the movie 3 times before we got one that actually played without stopping and even then our copy would switch to Mandarin every so often. The film is absolute SHITE.

City of ghosts; Matt Dillon in a classic film loved by all of us who live here. I have already seen this film several times but I always pick something new up when I watch it again. This time I was more aware of Bernard from The Bike Shop playing the French guy who gets murdered and also was far more aware of the locations in Kampot and Kep. Great Stuff.

My uncle's ashes !

Dinner at Phalla's house with Srey May,Srey Pek,Srey Nut and Srey Nek

We went over to Phalla and Tra’s for a million beers and some bbq chicken and crabs one night and another night Tra, Phalla and Srey Nek and Srey Pek came over to our house for a nosh. We drank some nice red wine (Phalla drank a little too much and ended up driving the white porcelain bus – I did tell her not to scull it like beer ! ) and it was as always lovely to have family around. A hilarious overtone to the night was added by Tra who bought his newest DVD to watch while we ate - Air Supply Karaoke !

On Wednesday it was Srey Pek’s 13^th birthday and I also found out that it had been Srey Neks 11th birthday on our wedding day ( which of course every body totally overlooked due to the wedding ) so Leakhana and I headed off to Russian Market to buy Birkenstocks ($5 a pair ) and swimsuits ( $4 each ) for the girls. They absolutely loved their gifts.

Birthday Birks for the girls

Happy 25th Birthday Maduranga !

Then over to Ang and Paul’s for a Water Festival BBQ and pool party and also Maduranga's 25th birthday. The girls hit the pool with Srey Nek in floaties and Srey Pek on a small boogie board. I watched over the girls as neither of them can swim and they were having a ball splashing from one side of the pool to the other. Paul’s pool is a very treacherous one. It is a basic brick and tile construction and has a ledge running along one wall that is about one meter deep. If you step off that ledge, you are into 2.5m of water with no shallow. I was soon to find out just how treacherous that pool is.After a while, and with many others in the pool, I got out to check on the progress of the bbq which Paul had prepared with enough coals to conduct a funeral pyre. Something in my head went off like an alarm and I suddenly thought about the girls in the pool and thought “shit…I better have a look and see if they are ok”. Well…..the all I can say is fate and god have a funny way of operating because at the very moment I looked over I noticed Srey Pek with a horrible, panicked look on her face. She had lost the boogie board and was splashing violently as she tried to stay afloat. I saw her wave to her sister with the “come here” wave and then she went under. As I broke into a full sprint across the yard I saw Srey Nek jump in without her floaties on and she too went straight under. I knocked about three people out of the way and hurdled the pool edge in full flight and luckily Rupert realised what was happening and went in with me. We both scooped the girls up and swam them to the edge and both girls were spewing water and gasping for air. It was a truly mortifying moment and one I will never forget. Poor Srey Nek was in tears for an hour, I think from the shock of it all. She realised the seriousness of what had just happened and her heart must have been racing. I felt positively sick to the stomach at what almost might have been and I know Rupert was shaken as well because he had been right there in the pool and hadn’t noticed the girl’s predicament. It really rammed home just how quick a child can drown and I couldn’t help but think of poor Junta’s little 2 year old daughter who drowned in a provincial pond a few months ago.

After getting their composure back, I took the girls inside and plonked them down in front of some cartoons and got them huge plates of food. Both of them ate like horses and later in the night their spirits were back and they were playing boisterous games of hide and seek with all the adults and their new best friend, little 3 year old Davuth ( Dan’s daughter ).

So all’s well that ends well with Water Festival 2008 but next time it is floaties all around for the kids…...

It all left little Grace exhausted.......

Urban Aquaculture and the shocking truth

OOOOOOOOh Lovely !

Look at this picture. A charming glimpse of Cambodian Rural aquaculture being carried out on the wide expanses of the famous Mekong River right ?

Wrong !

That shot was taken in Boeng Tompoung (a lake on the outskirts of Phnom Penh ) about 200m to the left of this outfall /wier ;

Jesus - are those fish traps in the picture ? And what IS that foam ?

And that wier was fed from this "creek" that was running directly out of Central Phnom Penh ;

Is that creek glowing or is it just my eyes ?

My work colleague Narin tells me these aquatic herbs ( Morning Glory ) are ending up in a Khmer dish called Trokurn so I will not be eating that any time soon and it was a stark reminder that all that glitters in Cambodia is not gold.....

Oh ....and here is a lovely example of how property development laws work here ;

Want to build a "waterfront" apartment block ? No worries - just do it.

All in all a very interesting afternoon cruising around taking photos !

Melbourne Cup 2008 - Raffles Le Royale Hotel

Melbourne Cup has come and gone for yet another year in Cambodia and the venue was, again, the sumptuous and famous Raffles le Royale Hotel. The day was intermittently drizzly and then steaming hot (my favourite combination – especially when dolled up in full race regalia) and the punters turned up in droves. As newly appointed Treasurer of the Australian Business Association of Cambodia ( ABAC ), I was expecting 50 heads but we ended up with 70.

Leakhana looking stunning and enjoying her first race day.

The sweeps were extremely popular and with a nice assortment or raffles and fashion prizes, the morning was a busy and colorful affair. With staff donning the now famous ABAC silks and the champagne flowing, and with myself MCing, the Elephant Bar took on all the traits of the Members stand at Rosehill.Leakhana came along to her very first Cup and looked absolutely stunning. Considering she had little idea as to what it was all about, my wife absolutely nailed her ensemble with tight black pants, a silk top and perfect hair and makeup. God damned she is stunning and I was very proud to have her on my arm.

Fashion Fillies

Best Hat ( in red )

The horses bolted, the cheers went up, something-or-rather won and the Australian Ambassador was soon judging the Best Fashion on the Field and Best Hat. Once the sweeps winnings were disbursed, we al headed out to the garden for a fantastic bbq and a bottle or two of red wine and then it was over to Angela and Paul’s house for an afternoon swim before retiring home.

Even the Paddle Pop Lion was there !

The day was a great success for ABAC and I believe next year will be even better.

Full report on Melbourne Cup 2007 is here.

How we roll...........

Gotta love a good scoot'. This is the current family line up.

2007 Honda Airblade 110cc Auto
2007 Yamaha Fino 110cc Auto.

Happy 50th Adam

My brother Adam turns 50 today. I still remember him taking my down to Curl Curl for early morning surfs and pinning me down and farting on my head while I watched cartoons. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ODDMAN !

Adam and Family

Shrdlu - Built with his own hands. A beautiful house on 5 acres.

Adam and Banjo together celebrating a birthday many moons ago.

Happy 21st Banjo

My nephew Banjo turns 21 today. I still remember babysitting him when he was a toddler.*sigh* HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATE !

Banjo looking every bit the beatnik photographer

He surfs OK too

Is it any wonder I miss Australia ?