Lest we forget...

For my USA based friends today - 30th of May* - is Memorial Day

God bless all those that have gone before

*It was observed for the first time on May 30 of the same year (1866); the date was chosen because it was not the anniversary of a battle

Ribbet!

In approximately two weeks my three Soldiers' Angels adoptees and my Cup-of-Joe Penfriend will all be receiving Froggie cards (containing various bits of frog trivia and some goofiness)

And if they're clever and use the special "Ribbet" code in an email I may promise to never send any of the Musk Sticks again! (I think it's important to reward good behaviour with promises of no more evil Australian sweeties - Bwhahahaha!)

Now for a musical interlude!

Munchies Paxed & Sent

Payday today so in between paying bills and calculating when others are due, I have arranged for some Aussie munchies to head off to my two newest adoptees. (small parcels only this time guys - I promise more interesting ones next month when the financial quarter has passed)

There are a few "surprise" items in each order that I won't tell you about in case my "boys" are uber-leet with the keyboard.  I've also included the classic staples of:-

Musk Sticks ^
These probably should come with a warning sticker of "Some Americans hate the taste - eat at own peril" :D

Unsure if I have ever waxed lyrical about Eucalyptus drops - they are GREAT if you have a sore throat (very soothing) and yes! they do smell like a Gum Tree.  I think if I am ever to roam far from my native shores that I will ensure i take a pocketful of these with me - one sniff and I'm reminded of home & the scent of the bush.

Pax is pleased!

... The ANZAC pin won by Suz has made it to her quickly and intact - way to go Australia Post!

Suz writes a lovely blog post about it here

And sent me a photo

I love it when I make people smile :)

Early May updates

Well May has arrived and is already turning into a Super Busy month.

So far I have:-

* Posted off the ANZAC pins to Suz and two of my adoptee's - J & G.

* Said Safe Travels to JJ who is due to return from Downrange very shortly

* Adopted two new (soon to be) poor bewildered Americans via Soldiers Angels.  One is a National Guardsman; the other a Marine.

* Organised a book of on How to make super amazing paper airplanes to be sent to JD (I *think* he's airforce. He's one of my "super-silent" types so no return correspondence has been received). Hopefully he & his team will enjoy the craft work

* Organised some super cute toy Koala's to be sent to the new guys (Pax's support plan... parcel one -  send something sweet & nice and then steadily ramp up the weirdness from there - bwhahahahah!)

Oh and in the middle of that I had a birthday.   Lunch with the parents, a few lovely gifts.

Mum & Dad gave me a handy dandy tool box (a small, light one that I won't strain my weak girlish arms lifting about :D)

A Friend sent me flowers

Two of my friends sent Amazon book vouchers - Wheeee!!! Book shopping ahead! :)

And my BFF Cozzles - well she outdid herself.

See the painted tube case there?  It's a hand made shaped leather needle case.  Once she made it she painted the design herself from a 1460 source. The Bone awls that were part of the gift fit into it well too. All storable in the little leather pouch. So now I have my medeival sewing kit all organised and ready to use - YAY!!!

And now - with the weekend here and my refinancing valuation looming very quickly (next wednesday actually) I need to go finish up all the paint and patch projects I have.  Cozzles is due over later today - we need to brain storm on fixing a very annoying cupboard door problem, with possibly a run to the local Hardward store (yes yes.. Pax is a weird girl - she LIKES hardware stores.  Just think what a very excellent girlfriend she'd make!) and then back on home to homemade Pizza.

Oh and I guess at some point I should look at booking a dentist appointment.  Uber-annoying upper left wisdom tooth has decided to make it's presence known once again.  On the Upside - it's too painful to eat much atm so maybe it will be my super-secret diet aid! (hey every little bit helps :D)

We have a WINNER!!!!

One ANZAC slouch hat pin will shortly be winging its way to somewhere in the USA

The winner is SUZ


Suz would you please contact me to advise of the postal address?  (paxford AT gmail DOT com)

And thank you for all the others that entered - I only wish I had enough to send one to you all.

JJ is heading home soon!

One of my adopted soldiers is heading home very soon - so happy he has come through the deployment whole & well.  He has been so much fun to send treats off too (and will forever remain in my memory as the Pink-MyLittlePony-Guy)

He is one of the squad in the photo below (posted with his permission)

Gambler Armament, Christmas 2010, FOB Sharana;
photo - Robert Wing

Safe Trip JJ!

Pax is a Royalist!

For those of you (like me) that ohh'd and ahh'd over the Royal Wedding of Kate & Wills.

Here's some Royal eye-candy (for the ladies of course :D)

Found it here