Pax Nostalgic

Have I mentioned that I love 1940's music?  Especially the Andrews Sisters & Glenn Miller and his Band?

I was probably the only kid in the 80's that would rather watch an old Black & White World War II era musical than Countdown (For my USA friends think a variation on Solid Gold without the fabo dancers).  This fascination was rivaled of course with my love of John Wayne* movies

"Private Buckaroo"

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Glenn Miller

IN the Mood - Glenn Miller & his Band

Definitely the Golden Age of Swing!

*(it became tradition from when I was very young that I would always watch John Wayne movies with my Uncle George. He'd lost his own children to a very bitter divorce and an embittered ex-wife who whisked them out of his life; and this became one of our bonding rituals whenever he would return from his long months of construction working jobs. Over the years I must have seen almost all of The Duke's films, all made that much more enjoyable by spending the time with a dearly loved and now sadly missed uncle.  He never did get me a real six-shooter - which considering how my mum feels about my natural klutziness was probably a good thing - but that promise of "one day, when you're grown up, and if you are good" kept me toeing the line for years.)

RAK's make me a Happy Pax

One of the Bloggers that I follow - AirManMom - posted about a young Marine of her acquaintance who is back Downrange.

Small RAK* package of Australian silliness and munchies heading off to him shortly, with love from Pax. (musk sticks and a tinned marsupial *may* have been included - wicked grin)

*Random Attack of Kindness

*******************

In other news, Kyle finally made it home! (I'll see if he will allow me to post about some of his travel adventures at a later date)

Spring has Sprung!

Welcome to the Southern Hemisphere - where Spring begins on the 1st of September and we go from wearing an extra jacket to ward of the cold (no seriously.. anything under 15 degrees here and we think we're freezing!) to breaking out the flower allergy meds and summer clothes.

I love Spring - despite the occasional snuffly nose & swollen eyes from the flying pollen - Brisbane is semi-tropics so Spring & Autumn are the best seasons here. (winter as I have said is chilly & windy for we poor frail bunnies and summer is heat and humidity). October / November will see the Jacaranda trees bloom too.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jacarandatree.jpg

 I'd love to send my adoptees some blooms but can you imagine the dramas the Customs people would have over it? [Bwahaha.... "parcel marked as floral delights" - probably wouldn't make it through]

In "My Guys" news - C & K look to be going okay.  C has a birthday later this month so some Aussie Yums have been ordered and will hopefully be dispatched to him shortly. There's a fruit cake in the parcel but no candles unfortunately... oh and some Musk sticks which another adoptee has described as

"I finally know what the colour pink would taste like - let's never do THAT again!"

Newest Adoptee J2 is a sci-fi lover too so I'm going to be happily sending weird stuff (tm) to my hearts content. Oh and possibly some useful stuff too since that always seem to be appreciated.

I've still had no word on Justin but I have a cunning plan - actually it's more that I've realised just how efficient the mail services are in returning things to Amazon.Com.  So there's a book been sent off to J at the last known address and I will wait for 3 or so weeks to see if Amazon contact me to say it's returned (I'm being hopelessly optimistic that the mail-return snafu was simply from him being home on leave or something. Best leave me to my delusions of his safety - I get less teary-eyed that way).  I also found someone on Myspace that may or may not be in his unit and have left a message that hopefully does NOT come across as weird fangirl stalker.  Just a message asking if he does know Justin to pass on that mail has been returned and I'm worried about him.  Probability of that reaching a) the right person & b) eliciting a reply is very low but any chance at knowing that he is okay (alive, well, happy, finds-me-too-weird-and-could-I-go-away-please) is one that I'd like to take. The Not knowing is the hardest part.

And in the Random Friends met recently - I have a new penfriend courtesy of Green Bean's Cup of Joe program.  W is funny, articulate and amusing and I'm really enjoying chatting back & forth with him via emails.   If you think you'd like to do a spot of troop support but can't afford the time or funds for Soldiers Angels then maybe give Green Beans a go and help support the caffeine addiction of your troops at the front (go oooon.. you know you want the warm fuzzy feeling of knowing you've helped a fellow coffee lover to attain their daily "fix" :D)**

Oh! and Kyle who I mentioned in my last post (also found via Green Beans) should be home to the States this week.  Very happy to know that he'll be home & safe and within walking/driving distance of a Caffeine source that doesn't require him to keep his weapons with him at all times.

**legal disclaimer - I don't get any benefits from either of these groups and am quite sure they'd both be going "umm.. how the heck does an Aussie know about us?"  and hopefully not plotting how to get me to go away :D

More spring blooms!