Welcome. Come on in for a cup of tea or coffee. You are very welcome and I have most beverages. This week has been a weird week. Anzac Day fell on Wednesday and it has totally thrown my body clock out, not knowing what day it is or what I am supposed to be doing. That is because Wednesday is golf day. I know that because Roger isn’t here and I do what I like which might be clean the house, spend hours on the computer or go out and have coffee with friends. This Wednesday we were collected at 0445 by friends to attend the dawn service in Verrierdale, a small town in the Noosa hinterland.
We arrived in the dark.
© irene waters 2018
to the sound of a solitary piper.
© irene waters 2018
People milled about. Old soldiers catching up with mates.
© irene waters 2018
The Noosa Chorale sang Amazing Grace to start the commemorations off. For those of you that don’t know ANZAC day is the day we remember our returned servicemen from all the numerous battles we have fought in and peace keeping efforts. Our sense of the ANZACs is on the first landing of the ANZACS at Gallipoli which was a bit of strategic disaster. After a campaign of 8 months 56,000 allied soldiers had been killed but the heroism of those there has been stamped into our psyche and is part of what we consider our nationhood to encompass.
© irene waters 2018
Wreaths were laid, the air commodore spoke (though I’m not 100% certain that I got his meaning ) the choir sang again, the last post sounded , a minutes silence, wreathes were laid and the ceremony finished with the Australian followed by the New Zealand National Anthems.
© irene waters 2018
© irene waters 2018
In Gallipoli the ridges had been covered in Aleppo pines but the Turks had removed them to provide cover for their trenches. All that was left was one solitary pine when on the 6th August 1915 the Australians launched a major offensive on what is now known as Lone Pine Ridge. One of the soldiers Benjamin Smith collected three of the pine cones from this solitary tree and sent it home to him Mum Jane McMullin as a memory of his brother and her son Mark who had died on the ridge. She was successful in raising two seedlings from these cones. She planted one and sent the other to the Australian War Memorial. From this seedling more pines, such as the one above, has been raised. This one was given to the Verrierdale community in recognition of the work they had done and completed for the 100th commemoration.
© irene waters 2018
After the ceremony a hearty breakfast was provided in the Verrierdale Hall.
This was the first time Muffin had been left alone at home. She had previously always had Bundy for company when we left. Our neighbours told us she howled. Not a great way to wake up before 5am. I don’t know whether it was the time of day, we’ll have to do a bit of sneaking home when we go out to see just what she is doing.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you that the weather here is just perfect. Warm during the day and cool of a night. A little wind but more like a breeze. Everybody is having a lot of fun down on the river. Now that we can again walk, we are doing long walks of a morning (around 10kms) to reach our coffee shop. This takes a huge slice out of the day but it is most enjoyable.
© irene waters 2018
If we were having coffee I’d tell you that the other thing I have done this week is buy a pushbike. I rode it home on the bike paths from the bike shop probably 7 kms away without any problem. Well that is not strictly true. I wobbled my way home. I haven’t mastered the straight line yet and I panic easily but it is just confidence I need. I have no intention of ever riding on the road so I should be fine. It is just finding the time to ride it.
So that is about it for my week. Have you read any good books or seen any films that should be seen? Looking forward to seeing how your week has been. Thank you for dropping in for coffee, it is lovely to see you. Thanks to eclecticali who is our host of the weekend coffee share.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Thanks for sharing your ANZAC Day. I haven’t been to Dawn Service for a couple of years as it would involve a 2km walk in the dark to the town centre but I’ve attended it in the past both here in Tassie and back in Adelaide. I have fond memories of the moving service and the hearty breakfast afterwards often followed by attending either a local march or heading to the city to see the “big” march.
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To my shame this was the first I had attended in years and it was very moving. Many people went on to the bigger centres to either join in the march or watch it. I went home.
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Wednesday is also my “free day” because my husband is another golfer. A couple of books I’ve enjoyed this month have been, “The Truth According to Us” by Annie Burrows. A good fun book about a small American town and some quirky family characters. Twin sisters who couldn’t bear to be apart so they lived with their husbands only on weekends, a bootlegging brother and a sister way ahead of her time. Another I enjoyed was “Force of Nature” by Jane Harper. Five women are on a team building exercise in a Victorian forest when things all go wrong. There are obvious links to the Ivan Milat murders in Balanglo Forest.
Thanks for the invitation to coffee.
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It is nice having Wednesdays. Thanks for the books. The first one sounds good – will add it to my list and the second I have on my bookshelf waiting to be read. I enjoyed her first one,The Dry, enough to read the second. Thanks for dropping by and have a good week.
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I wish I’d read the two books closer together because I’d forgotten exactly how the friendships all fitted together in The Dry. We’re having the week away at Quorn so it should be a nice one.
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I better start reading it soon then because it is awhile since I read the Dry also. Enjoy the flinders Ranges. Should be nice at this time of year.
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Hi.
I have started in on that Louis Erdrich book you recommended, LaRose. I have read her before and liked.
Glad you are sticking with the bike. If you worry about the straight line you will have trouble with the straight line. Be sure to keep your eyes up, look where you want to go, not down at the wheel.
I got a great bike at the dump a couple of weeks ago, all it needed was air in the tires and a seat post and seat, which I had in my parts bin. Finally put it together and cleaned it up. I’ll be off for a spin on it soon.
I also got a unicycle at a yard sale, new in the box, I have yet to assemble it. I’ll let you know how the one wheeled endeavor goes. I’ve never tried it but it seems like a good idea. ?
Have a great week.
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I must try some of her others. You have more courage than me D. I’d love to see a photo of you riding the unicycle when you get it together. Your tip sounds great or you just have a good nose for bargains.
Have a great week.
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Sounds like a very moving ceremony that is well attended. It is strange that our Remembrance Day here in Canada is in November.
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We also have Remembrance Day in Australia on the 11th November which was armistice Day for WWI. We don’t have a public holiday on this day and it is more low key but we stop where ever we are at 11am for a minutes silence. Although ANZAC day remembers our serviceman I think it is also Australia’s coming of age as a nation.
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I did not realize that you had two days – one for the past and another for the present.
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They are both for the past but one impinges on the present that is for sure.
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