H2O Fed To Aussie bear-

"How much can a koala bear??" This fireman lends a loving hand...he said she/he drank 3 bottles of water!

It's not your average photo, and not an average koala bear. This gorgeous picture was shown right across all TV News channels here in Australia today, and thanks to my Victorian BBDiva,Kathie M Thomas;Author and Founder of Virtual Assistance here in OZ, I was able to share here with the rest of the world.
As we still keep a close eye on the fires, and continue to watch in horror the images generated from all various media outlets, all we can do is pray. Australians have been pulling together, doing whatever they can to help those who have fallen victim to this disaster. I was about to say 'natural disaster', but as each hour passes, we are hearing adamant word now that these fires were helped along by the hands of arsonists!
There will be charges laid when they are found, our Prime Minister speaking openly, declaring this an act of MASS MURDER, and am sure like me, many would agree!
As the search continues for people still missing, it's a very anxious and nerve-wrecking wait. Tents are lined up in various townships, making use of Football grounds as their make-shift home, to hundreds!!Donations have been pouring in from all over the Nation, and around the globe, every little bit helps. We still have fires burning, some caused from lightening strikes, and they are moving about, in and out of the bushland in Victoria's , 19 blazes still out near Yea area being fuelled by 70km winds, but firefighters are joining hands from NSW and other states to get these under control. Keep up the prayers!

Kathie M Thomas-Worth More Than Rubies

Special offer (24 hours only): From midnight 27th June 2008 AEST (10am 26th June - 9.59am 27th June US EDT)

By Invitation Only!
Introducing...
"Worth More Than Rubies":

The Value of a Work At Home Mom-

This book is all about women, just like you, who want to be home for their families, while still contributing to the household income.

Listen to what the author had to say:
Hi, I'm Kathie M. Thomas and I've been working at home for over 14 years. In that time I have been able to watch my five daughters grow into young women whilst also running a full time business at home. It is a decision I've never regretted and I know it will be the same for you too!
This book will inspire you and give you ideas to return home to work and the gifts below should help you on your way with various aspects of your business.
What you will learn in Worth More Than Rubies: The Value of a Work At Home Mom:
The value of women working at home and being present for their families.
The benefits both children and spouses receive from a mother home fulltime.
Cost savings from being at home.
Examples of connections you can make outside of the home so you don't feel all alone.
A list of 64 different types of businesses that you can operate from home, ... and much much more!

See this link for more details

Anniversary of an Anzac-memory of a mother

APRIL 25th is an important date-it symbolizes many things to me, but across Australia, it is the one day of the year we commemorate the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli back in 1915. The date, 25 April, was officially named ANZAC Day in 1916.
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. In 1917, the word ANZAC meant someone who fought at Gallipoli and later it came to mean any Australian or New Zealander who fought or served in the First World War. During the Second World War, ANZAC Day became a day on which the lives of all Australians lost in war time were remembered. The spirit of ANZAC recognises the qualities of courage, mateship and sacrifice which were demonstrated at the Gallipoli landing.
Commemorative services are held at dawn on this day,and each service as emotional as the next. Just speak with those who have taken part either as spectator, or addresing the onlookers.Our returning soldiers drifting home from the First World War, up until present day-These soldiors initiated this memorial, a tradition steeped in every patriotic heart, our form of remembrance. The first official dawn service was held at the Sydney Cenotaph in 1927, which was also the first year that all states recognised a public holiday on the day. Originally, these services were for all veterans, their personal homage to one another , time for them to reflect among fellow commrades in arms, almost a millitary wake, their respects shown by way of the two minutes of silence.....usually leading into the sound of a lone piper playing the 'Last Post'. Later in the day, there were marches in all the major cities and many smaller towns for families and other well wishers.
Today it is a day when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war. Gatherings are held at war memorials across the country and families and friends form a unified alliance to reflect-It is a day for the heroes of every regiment of every era. A day to catch up on the old days, and old buddies. A day these soldiers receive their own recognition by their home, their country.
The battle at Gallipoli, our thoughts drift back to a painful and bloody sacrifice where the hallow word, ANZAC would be born.Hereafter, we will never forget them.And even today, we can salute the anzacs, with national pride..all the men and women who contributed so much, through great tragedies, sacrificing their lives, to protect us.Young Australians and New Zealanders, brave and young, dying to bring peace.The defence on our own shores against the Japanese, a time I as a baby boomer will always remember from the many stories passed down through my own ancestors.Those who were the many prisoners of war and those who sadly became their own prisoners to many awful demons that would follow them home. Endless nightmares, memories that would scar and memories that would still manage to kill.
World war II,Borneo, Timor Korea, Vietnam the list goes on....The anzac spirit will always be with us, making us the proud Australians we are still to this day.To all the sons, fathers, brothers..to my own family, my grandfather, my uncles and their fallen comrades in arms...this day shall be a day for all Australians, for those who served their country, for us.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them.
Lest We Forget.
A Digger's Slouch Hat
A slouch hat is a wide-brimmed felt hat with a chinstrap most commonly worn as part of a military uniform. It is a survivor of the felt hats worn by eighteenth century armies. The distinctive Australian slouch hat, sometimes called an Australian bush hat, has one side of the brim turned up or pinned to the side of the hat in order to allow a rifle to be slung over the shoulder.

THE REST OF THE STORY

April 25th, 2000-

This was the day I said goodbye to an old rival, a thorn in my side. Most had a hard time understanding my reasons, many believed I would succumb. But I had an ace up my sleeve and it was a mighty powerful weapon, one I had never imagined owning.

My head was still reeling from the news of mum's diagnosis, my heart carried a pain I never knew possible, just getting from one day to the next all I could face-Soon weighed down with more personal blows, the fight to survive all that mattered now.

I'd heard many words of wisdom from those who 'meant well', it would not sink in, not until I had a need to get angry-really angry! Ovarian cancer had come to town, our town.Sneaking into my mother's space, it had rudely interupted....a life!
So as i struggled to comprehend the disease and its own power, I found my own. The habit I'd picked up at age 15, was about to feel my wrath! For twenty-five years it held me down...for every past effort to quit smoking , I had failed. I was weak.

Mum had long hoped I'd see the light, so this fight, was for her.
When asked why I chose Anzac Day to stop? Simple... I wanted a date to remember, all that had happened, all that was about to happen....I won't forget.
My 8th anniversary as a non-smoker....only 2 days short of my mother's birthday. Miss you mum, the void always present, the love eternal.

Judith Burns

27/4/37 - 3/7/00

Please help support the awareness message, add a teal ribbon to your page!

Kookaburra laughs while Matilda does a waltz`

It took me by surprise to learn that many of my American friends, were under the assumption a Kookaburra may well be a myth.

With this in mind, I thought I should do them all a favour, and share some real Australian heritage. Enjoy!

Even though Australia's National Anthem is "Advance Australia Fair", in 1974 it came very close to becoming "Waltzing Matilda". The latter a song written by our own Banjo Paterson.

Born Andrew Barton Paterson, in [Narrambla Station] near the NSW country town of Orange in 1864.

His earlier years spent near Yass, NSW he attended school in the small town of Binalong, then later in Sydney. Once working as a clerk for a lawyer, Banjo soon became a solicitor. The publication of The Man From Snowy River and Other Verses in 1895, saw him something of a literary celebrity in Australia. His travels took him all over the country, he was a correspondent during the Boer War in S.Africa, then later on became editor for the Sydney Evening newspaper,and the Australian Town and Country Journal. When the first world war broke out, Banjo had hoped to be right there, covering the battle but didnt make it to France, so returned home to Australia, joining the Remount Service which supplied the Australian cavalry with horses. After the War he returned to Sydney, journalism and writing poetry and prose. Paterson is best remembered as the the author of "Waltzing Matilda" - Australia's unofficial national anthem.

I was fascinated when I found out there have been 3 versions of this song, the original written by Banjo, Harry Nathan wrote his around the turn of the century and last, but not least, Marie Cowan's 1902 version. Hefre is the most popular sung by all 'aussies':-

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong

Under the shade of a Coolibah tree

And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled

You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

And he sang as he watched and waited til his billy boiled

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong

Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee

And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tuckerbag

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

And he sang as he watched and waited til his billy boiled

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Up rode the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred

Down came troopers one two three

Whose that jumbuck you've got in the tuckerbag?

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

And he sang as he watched and waited til his billy boiled

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong

You'll never catch me alive said he

And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Slang terms explained:

Waltzing
walking along a bush track
Matilda
a bedroll
Swagman
an unemployed drifter
Billabong
Aboriginal word for a waterhole
Coolibah
Aboriginal word for a type of Australian tree
Billy
a tin with a wire handle used for boiling water and heating food
Jumbuck
Aboriginal word for sheep
Tucker Bag
bag containing food (tucker)
Squatter
a landowner
Troopers
Policemen

_______________________

The Kookaburra-This amazing bird is from the family of Kingfishers, having a stout[fat]yet compact body with a short neck, short legs and a rather long bill. I love this bird for so many reasons. Have you really listened to his laugh? They are known as the 'laughing jackass' of Australia.Appearance:
Kookaburras are 17 inches in height, the upper parts dark brown, the wings spotted gray-blue. A white band separates the head from the body. There is a dark stripe through the eye, and the under parts are white. The strong bill is black.
Kookaburras ican be found in woodland areas of eastern and south western Australia, through many suburban towns and various water outlets, such as beaches and lakes. Many zoos around the world have fallen in love with this little cutie, which is a great opportunity for the Kookaburra to share its laughter!
The Kookaburra's rolling, laughing call is one of the best-known sounds in the animal world. The birds raise a wild chorus of crazy laughter as they go to roost in the treetops at dusk, and again wake everyone within hearing just as dawn breaks, so regularly that in the hinterlands of Australia they are know as the "bushman's clock."
They're also handy to have around to keep any rats, mice or snakes away! The Kookaburra seizes snakes behind the head and kills them by dropping them from a height, or else carries them to a perch and batters them senseless with its big bill before swallowing them.
See the video here on Blog, and see why Australians treasure this quirky friend of the fauna!

http://debra2760.tripod.com/my_kookaburra.htm

Note: Steve [croc hunter] Irwin was just one huge fan, like me.

Shake it up!

GMS continues to thrive! Have you seen the current issue? WHY NOT? For all you disco-dancing-divas, lovers of pop and rocking readers, the March edition is HOT!!

But don't take my word for it, see for yourself!

When you get to the Audio/Video section, do yourselves a favour and turn up those speakers to truly appreciate the sound that awaits...

There's a fun little competition over at 'Around the Globe' and it's so easy! To top it off, I decided to give you a helping hand, so have left a clue....you won't know unless you go!!!

There's heaps more going on and I really don't want to spoil it for you, so click the link here

I'll be back to give you a sneak preview of what we have in store for April! :)

Picture: KRILL taken at their recent Sydney single launch-

photo courtesy: Brendon J-GMS Photographer

See our GMS BLOG