October 27, 2012

Red poppy coin released to honour lost diggers


I will be looking about for a few of these coins.  Perhaps one can be used for a competition prize...
 
 

By Andree Withey 
Updated Fri Oct 26, 2012 2:37pm AEDT
A special $2 coin bearing a red poppy has been produced to commemorate the wartime sacrifice of Australian service personnel.
 
It is the first coloured coin produced by the Australian Mint and only 500,000 being made. The red poppy coin is being distributed by the RSL for a donation of about $10. There will also be a non-coloured version and both are legal tender.

October 25, 2012

St Crispin's Day

 
 
1415 ‎- the Battle of Agincourt....
 
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
...
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
(Henry V, Act 4, Scene 3)

October 20, 2012

Kindness shared

I still believe in Kindness.

And thankfully I have been blessed with friends and family who believe in being kind to me.

October 9, 2012

Troop Treats for the Aussie Forces

The Following information has come to me via the Facebook page of "Soldier On" and I am sharing here in case any of my readers would like to send them a goodies parcel (possibly too $$ for those of you in the US & UK so if you are looking for an easier way to send Troop Treats perhaps look in to the "Cup of Joe for a Joe" program via Green Beans Coffee

**************
For those who would like to send Care Packages to our troops. Please share this information.

Here’s a simple little thing that we can all do at very little cost or effort that will make a big difference to one of our troops serving overseas. Perhaps you may wish to send a soldier a care package.


The idea behind this is that some troops over in Afghanistan may not have family who are able to send them packages with things they may need or things that make their time over there just that tiny bit easier.

There may also just be a soldier who is finding their time over there difficult and just needs a bit of cheering up. It'll get given to whoever needs it most.
 

To send a care package to an Australian Soldier in Afghanistan, you need to purchase a "BM" size box (weighs 175g itself) from Australia Post, they cost around $2. They'll give you some customs forms which you will also need to fill out. The address you need to send the package to is below. Make sure you seal all the edges of the box with packing tape. If the box after being packed... weighs less than 2kg, Australia Post will send it for Free.
To give an example of what can be sent, a care package could be:

For a bloke 1 x Lynx Shower Gel Travel Size
1 x Pack of Schick Disposable Razors
1 x NON-AEROSOL Shaving Cream
1 x Lynx Roll On Deodorant
1 x Small Baby Powder (Talc)
1 x Chap Stick (SPF 30+)
3 x Bags of Allen's Lollies (NOT CHOCOLATE)
1 x Beef Instant Noodles
1 x Pack of Scotch Finger Biscuits or Anzac Biscuits
2 x Canned Tuna (Pull Ring Style)
1 x Coffee Sachets or Tea Bags

For a Female 1 x Dove soap or shower Gel
1 x Roll on Deodorant
1 x Chap Stick spf30
1 x small baby talc powder
3 x bags of Lollies
1 x Toothbrush and Paste
1 x Breath fresh mints
All those free shampoo and conditioner/face Cream/hand cream samples you accumulate or can get from your chemist and beauty counters
I x Pack of Anzac Biscuits or Ginger Nuts
1 x Coffee Sachets – Latte etc or Tea Bags

For those of you that are animal lovers, you may wish to do the following: sending care packages to our Explosive Detection Dogs (EDD) with the following items included:
1 x box dog biscuits
1 x pack of Smackos or Liver treats or similar dried treat
3 x Tins sardines – dogs love them
1x toy – a frisby or tug rope
1 x tennis ball and don't forget a couple of packets of lollies for the handler.

The dogs do a magnificent job under very trying conditions and quite a few have lost their lives serving their country, including Herbie

Things not to send:

No Alcohol, No Clothing(Except socks), No Aerosols, No Cigarettes, No Pork, No chocolate (melts), No magazines with naked people.


But don't limit it to this let your imagination do the walking. You may wish to also include a self addressed envelope and a letter, or include your email address as well just in case they want to contact you or have something specific they want you to get for them.

Mark your parcel To –
Australian Soldier - Male or Female or –  Australian EDD and Handler (Explosives Detection Dog)
AFPO 60
Middle East operations defence force NSW 2890
Australia

October 1, 2012

And the Winners are....

The Pax Poetry competition has closed and I am declaring Dual winners...

The Poems are -


They've got Dingos and Roos,
and trucks named Maloo,
and let's not forget the didgeridoo.
They waltz with Matilda,
and girls they call Sheila.
Some live in a hole,
mining opals, not coal.
Home country of a bear,
who has not a care,
'cause he's stoned on a leaf,
he finds everywhere.
It's called the Land Down Under,
and they like walking about,
in the wondrous Outback.
And with all the things I've mentioned,
I'm pausing to wonder,
Why the hell don't I move there?
 
and
 
Troops serving in the sandbox know,
there's a Soldier's Angel to beware..
she lulls them with water balloon launchers.
and then sends MUSK STICKS 'over there'!

Coffee drinking 'Joes'
receive notes left and right
and become her penfriends
to ask her 'what is vegemite'?

Bloggers round the world
vie for prizes worth keeping
But better than the prizes
is reading Marion's Meepings

Troopers,Joes, and bloggers
really know this fact
There's an Angel in Australia
and her name is PAX
 
Thank you Kathi and ExAFcrewdog - one coin will be sent to you each (good thing I had an extra :D)
 
Please email me directly with your mailing addresses [which I will promptly delete once your prize is sent off to you] - paxford AT gmail DOT com