Merry Christmas 2009.....

Today is Boxing Day. Yesterday we had a lovely day celebrating Christmas Day. There hasn't been a lot of time to enjoy Christmas this year however, the quality of the time celebrated has been wonderful. Last week Meryn, Alex, John and I went off to Carols at the Domain. It was festive and enjyable. Then Christmas Eve we had our traditional family dinner together, made even nicer with young Anthony joining us. John cooked up a superb dinner of roast pork and ham. To this he added roast potatoes sour cream and salad. Alex cracked open the beers and cold drinks and Christmas music. We all laughed a lot and shared stories of Christm's past and toasted our beautiful Ben. At the end of the evening the tree was aglow and presents were stacked under it, lovingly wrapped and decorated.

John and I woke rather late on Christmas morning, I think it was about 10am. I wipped up a batch of croissants, coffee and bacon. John stuffed the ducks with a stuffing that he discovered in one of my cook books. By the time he was finished the BBQ oven was hot enough for them to be baked in. We settled in the lounge room and exchanged gifts to a lot of laughing and oooos and arrrrs. In all it was a wonderful morning.

We spent the remainder of the day at Grandy's house, enjoying roasted duck and pork and of course, Grandy's famous fruit salad. In between cooking we played cards and talked about the extended family. It was relaxing and the atmosphere was one of sharing and caring. Grandad is elderly and showing his age these days, frailty like his constant shadow. We all enjoyed the day and the children heard stories of Gandad's youthful days and the farming home that he grew up in. We loved it all and I often wonder how many more Xhristmas' we have left with him and cherish each one even more.

My wish this Christymas season, for you who are reading this, is peace in your hearts. I often think about peace in our hearts and I believe that one cannot wish anything greater for another humand being than true abiding peace. A peace that cannot be vanished by stress, overwork or tragic events. A peace that will radiate love to those around you. Merry Christmas!

The vibrance of Summer

This afternoon while taking a walk around our area I photographed some visitors who were equally curious about me as I was about them.

A hot day here.......

Goodness it was hot here today. 36.6 degrees c. In our business it is the little things that count which come to mean so much to people. For example, one of our customers named Ben, buys a coffee to have with his lunch each day. Today was soooo hot that he asked for an iced coffee. I suggested a Dare Double Espresso coffee to which I added a coffee cup filled with ice cubes from the ice machine. He stood and looked at the coffee and a beaming smile broke out across his face as he said "Thanl you Heather, you are a very thoughtful person". The boys on the site, in general, are very conscious of saying thankyou and it is nice to be appreciated by them.

Tomorrow is the biggest day of the year on the site. We put on the site Chrsitmas BBQ. J and I have hired three massive spit ovens to roast a suckling pig, 2 goats and several butts of beef. I have decied to be lazy this year and purchse the salads already made, we are having coleslaw, tabouleh and potato egg and bacon salad. To this we will add some whole baby beets, some chunky tomatoes and lettuce and a bread role. Fortunately the weather is forecasted to be much cooler.

Today it was so hot that even the spiders sitting under the tin roofs were dropping down on their webs because it was obviously to hot to sit on the metal. At one stage there were so many that I sprayed all around the eatting area. It was amazing just how many were about.

I hope that everyone has a good evening and that you can stay cool. Summer in Australia can be cruel.

I was sitting working on my blog when through the front livingroom windows I could see a small tawnycrowned honey eater bird on the electricity wires.

He sat very still as if "sussing out" the area.

He then lifted his head and opened his beak to emit the most amazing sound.

Fortunately my camera was handy and I was able to photograph the incident.

I can remember when not all that long ago I thought of bird chirping and whistling as nothing more than meaningless background noises The more I listen to the nature environment down here the more multifaceted and intricate it is. Every different type of bird has it's pwn distinctive sounds, and it is extraordinary that another bird can pickup on those very sounds to understand what is going on.

I wondered if h=the little bird were calling to it's mate or perhaps it's mother. Who knows?......perhaps it was playing it's part in Mother Nasture's Orchestra.

Whatever it was doing....I found it fascinating and beautiful and unique all at the same time.

It turned in several different directions, singing as loudly as possible.

Until eventually it quitened down to take flight.

Secret Santa

I thought that I might talk about a Christmas party which took place last Saturday evening. Mr J and I met with a group of friends to celebrate Christmas and as usual the group decided to share in a Secret Santa. For the first time ever the group decided to do this a little differently indeed, we had to "make it bake it grow it or sew it"..."it" being the pressie. What fun I thought and to my surprize everyone else thought the same thing. Marilyn went to a great deal of trouble and made boxes of homemade chocolates, which tasted beautiful. Meryn made a gorgeous chocolate ball christmas tree, Vj was very crafty and made a lovely Christmas wreath. There were several Poinsettias and other home grown plants as well as some wonderful christmas cakes that set everyone in the festive mood. The evening went well with some very excellent food and wine followed by lots of laughs and Merry Christmas cheers. But my fondest memory will be the trouble that everyone went to in making their pressies. It was a lot of fun and I look forward to next Christmas to see what we can do differently with our Secret Santa ideas.

Thanks everyone for a great evening, it is always lovely to catch up with you all and I look forward to January 16th. Merry Christmas gang!

For this past several weeks we have been visiting areas around Jervis Bay because our little beach here has had a deposit of seaweed on it. It is actually a mixture of seaweed, micro-algae and detritus. The micro-algae is a strong red colour and when mixed with the seaweed creates a high nutrient load on the beach. The algae apparently is part of the natural ecology of the Bay and when washed onto the beach (where it gets buried over the following weeks) it provides the bulk of the nutrient imput into the beach system. It actually supports beach life such as pippies and beach worms. So what you may ask…well these beach dwellers are important links in the food chain that includes flathead and bream fish. So I guess you could say that our dirty looking beach is going to prop up the recreational fishing around here.
Now the problem here is that normally the mess is cleared in a few weeks by high tides washing in and clearing away the debre however, this time the tides have not done their job and washed it out to a small continental shelf where it decomposes. So I am not sure how long it is going to take to disappear. I am glad though, that it occurred otherwise Mr J and would never have found places such as Honeymoon Bay or Silcus Cove or Cabbage Tree Beach. So the glass is still half full.

The Joy of Christmas......

When my children were very little I decided to buy a Christmas CD each year until we built a collection of Christmas songs to play in the lead up to Christmas. I will never forget playing “It’s the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” over and over again for Alex who would stand and dance and try to sing this song. I think he was about three years old at the time. His excitement levels would rise to a point where he would jump off the arm of the lounge chir telling everyone that he was pretending to be Santa Claus flying through the air and that it was the most wonderful time of the year lol.



















Nowadays so much has changed. One only has to watch the evening news to realize that Christmas is more a survival time of year. A time seeped in stress, depression, grief, mounting debts and unemployment. For many people this special time of year is a period so congested with social obligations that there is little time to enjoy one’s self. Indeed, many even talk about “getting through the Christmas frenzy” or the “silly season”. I sat at the hairdressers last Saturday and listened as many of the other patrons complained about not knowing what to buy their families who already had everything; they were “over” Christmas before it had even started. How sad I thought to myself afterall, it is the most wonderful time of the year.












Whatever happened to those Christmas’ of old where the wonder and awe of the festive season existed? Whatever happened to the days when singing Christmas songs and setting the Christmas table together brought smiles to everyone’s faces regardless of age? J and I have always tried to make Christmas at home here a stress free event and I have always found that the simplest of Christmas’ have been the most enjoyable. As little children grew older we made time for a special meal for our little family; usually it was Christmas Eve, the rest of the time was left for visiting or entertaining extended family. That special meal was a time to relax and enjoy quality time together. I guess we sat together seeped in sharing and caring. As the years passed by and little people became adults we moved the special meal to Boxing Day brunch so that any pressure to be at the boyfriend’s place or the girlfriend’s place…was removed. No matter when our time together is…we try to engage a true celebration of Christmas joy, for if we get caught up in the exhaustion of consumerism and outdoing each other, we eventually miss the true meaning of Christmas.

This year we are going to Grandy’s house to share lunch on Christmas Day. Some of the extended family will also come. After lunch we plan to play cards and drink a toast to Grandma who is no longer with us. It will be very relaxing and I look forward to it very much.

Christmas presents, although important, have never been the priority of our Christmas’ and this year J and I have talked to the children about how we can “do” the present tradition a little differently yet again. We are thinking of perhaps a short holiday later in the year together. Immediately at Christmas our favourite pressie is our special Christmas meal together and after all these years we still sing out aloud while setting the table together, we share in the memories of Christmas' past and we make a point to hold on to the joy of Christmas. We tell of the little boy who danced over and over again to the "most wonderful time of the year" and the little girl who dressed her dollies in red and white and another little boy who sat in a toy trolly pusghed by his older sister and brother delivering toys to the teddies and dolls lined up against the wall. Everyone smiles and joins in with yet another story. I do love Christmas time!

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. ....

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person..

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring things to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you
must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is
to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use
in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is
blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

I leave these lines for our dear friend Maria

Miss Bourbs.....I hope your road to good health is paved with 18 karat stones for you deserve them so. You were originally a reason person who became a season person and all these years later I now consider you a lifetime person. We will drink a bourbon and coke in your honor on Saturday night (big smiles).

Get well soon x

I passed this beautiful Flame Tree at Pyree on Saturday and had to stop to take a few photos of it. No wonder they call it a Flame Tree......

Honeymoon Bay.....

J and I have discovered a wonderful area where we have spent several days now. It is called Honeymoon Bay and can be found off the edge of Point Perpendicular. The entire Point area is owned and overseen by the military down here on the South Coast.










On the northern side of the Point the military often practice bombing and military exercises during the weekdays. There are signs posted on restricted areas warning people of unexploded bombs and to KEEP OUT! On the southern side we have found some magnificent leisure spots unaltered by humans and protected by Mother Nature in bays. These small pieces of paradise are open to the public.











Entry to the dirt road which take you to these areas, is through a gatehouse where a naval personnel officer took a few details, just in case we were to park and head off along one of the many hiking paths and not return.










The dirt road made me feel as though I were travelling along the Aussie outback again, dust everywhere, bumps and holes to the left and right. After a 15 minute journey the dust and grey gave way to the beautiful sight of the ocean appearing to our right.












We parked a short distance away from a track that led us to Honeymoon Bay, the first of the spots. The bay is breath-taking, just imagine a picture of a bay on a south Pacific island and you have a picture of Honeymoon Bay.










The sand around the water is white and shade from the national park trees hangs over the beach in most areas, making a sleep on the soft sand a very pleasant experience. The bay is protected from extremem winds wth only a gentle breeze floating about every now and then.









The trees keep the area cool and well protected from the midday and afternoon sun. To the left and right of the entryway into the bay are rock areas which is a good spot to sit and fish from. Out on the water the entry into Honeymoon Bay ajoins the entry into Jervis Bay from the Pacific Ocean.









We were entertained by a pod of dolphins who frequent the area. Just around the entry point is the Point Perpendicular Lighthouse, which is perched on the edge of a sandstone plateau some 90 meters above the sea. Again we were entertained by several sea eagles soaring on the updraft of a wind. They are such majestic bird and with a wingspan of approximately 2 meters I was left in awe of them.

The waters here at Honeymoon Bay are crystal clear to the bottom regardless of depth. I grabbed my goggles, snorkel and flippers to head out and view the sea life; I was not to be disappointed. After a good swim in some very refreshing water I soon came across several stingrays played on the bottom of the bay as well as a rainbow trout and a huge variety of fish I cannot name. You could be sure that where ever huge rocks or water plant life existed, so did the sea life.

Back on the beach J and I went for a walk and found a huge number of camping area which all blended into the forest. Apparently one can camp there on a Friday and Saturday night, providing your own water and gas cooking as no fires are permitted. I wondered what it would be like to wake up amongst such vivid beauty. Perhaps we will camp there one weekend to find out.

Shortly after, a naval helicopter flew overhead obviously on exercise.

I thought what a wonderful job that would be although I guess like most jobs, once you have performed the task so many times one would loose the wonderment and admiration for the area.

As the day wore on Jvisitors to Honeymoon Bay left to go home. J and I were reluctant to leave the tranquility of this place. Just one more sleep, snorkle, swim, walk and climb over the rocks.

During the afternoon John woke me to suggest I get my camera out.

I looked to see why he would make such a suggestion and was amazed to see a tall ship passing the opening out on Jervis Bay.

It was a square rigger with only half its sails up but a still a spectacular sight to see. Off the stern were another pod of dolphins accompanying the ship out to sea.

It is a beautiful world and country trhat we live in. J and I wondered just how many coves and small bays as lovely as Honeymoon Bay surround the country and we never get to see or hear about them.

I guess our days until we become Grey Nomads are getting closer and closer afterall, someone has to venture the countryside and find out where they all are!!!!! Hope you enjoy the photos.

When Nature Comes To Visit.......

These gorgeous Australian King Parrots have been visiting us over this past fortnight. The male is a vivid orange with a green underbelly and the female displays the opposite colours ie. a green coat with an orange underbelly. The male is quite outgoing and will hop along the banister to catch our attention and bring some seed out to them. Dissimilarly, the female will be much more reserved and stand back amongst the foliage of the tree until the male tells her to come out. I have watched them and the male often eats for some time before indicating to her that it is safe to appear and when I am taking photos the female appears conscious of the camera being aimed at her (you can see her looking directly at the lens in the photos) whereas the male concentrates on the food and nothing else. I have read in my bird book that Australian King Parrots as well as, Rosellas and Lorikeets, will have the one partner for life, which explains why we always see them in pairs. Not sure how much longer they will be visiting here, they were here this time last year before moving south for the hotter months of summer. I hope that you enjoy the photos.

I guess because we all get caught up with work Christmas seems so far away and yet not so. Yesterday we were invited to four Christmas parties which reminds me that the festive season is drawing near. Indeed, this is a time when family and friends begin to think about celebrating together. I have ofrten thought that perhaps we Aussies do not approach Christmas as enthusiastically as the countries experiencing the winter months. After all, it is hot and humid here where as they live amongst the snow flakes and the jingle bells however, when we look at what Christmas means to each of us it can be just as exciting here as anywhere.
Over the years Jand I have taken the best of our family Christmas' to create our own special family Christmas so that no matter where we are, Christmas with our children woulod be something to look forward to. Infact, one of our best Christmas Days was spent in Darwin, Northern Territory. Now it simply does not get any hotter or more humid that up in the tropics. The residents there await the commencement of the cyclone season and with the build up of the humidity one almost wishes that wew were anywhere but Darwin.

As Christmas time approached J and I decided to make Christmas as exciting as possible seeing as we were so far from the extended family. I looked around and thought that perhaps this was the ideal opportunity to have Christmas lunch out at a special place. In Darwin there are many larger hotels and so we located and booked Christmas lunch. Our children were 6, 7 and 9 years of age at the time so it was important to keep the atmosphere festive and family orientated

Christmas morning arrived and it was a sunny day with three very excited children. Because Darwin is such as transient place there were many other families with the same idea of eatting out and come Christmas Day we all arrived at the Atrium Hotel and headed towards the Ballroom where the festivities were to take place. On arriving there Santa's elves met us at the front door to mark off our names and to assure the children that Santa was going to arrive some time in the afternoon if they were good.

The ballroom was beautifully decorated and there was a band playing Christmas music up on the stage. To the children's amazement there was the biggest Christmas tree that they had ever seen sitting in the center of the ballroom with a nativity scene surrounding the base of it. I instantly knew that J and I had made the correct decision as to how to spend Christmas Day; the atmosphere was wonderful.

One of Santa's elves introduced herself and led us to our table which we shared which another family whose children were similar ages. The children immediately launched into conversaqtion as to what they had found under the Christmas tree at home earlier that morning and before we knew it, the first of many courses arrived at the table. Everyone dug in with relish and chatted excitedly inbetween. The band wondered the floor playing to families and frriends any requests they may have had and several sing alongs started up.
After a main course of traditional turkey, ham and veges, there was a break as silence desended over the ballroom, all 350 people hushed to see what was about to take place. A booming voice hollered "Ho Ho Ho" and screams went up everyhwere as the children realized that Santa had arrived. Yes indeed, Santa was accompanied by helpers and more elves who assisted him in draging in a sleigh full of gifts. One of the helpers called the names of the children who were each given a gift appropriate to their age. The hotel had requested this imformation when J and I booked. When it came to Alex and Ben's turn it was quite obvious that Ben was having difficulty in making his way up to the stage so two elves picked him and Alex up and swung them both up to theor shoulders for the rest of the trip to Santa's lap where they had a photo taken with him and received a present. The excitement was tangible and the smiles and hugs were everywhere.
Of course, it was soon time for Santa and his helpers to head back to the north pole hwoever, one of the hotel managers announced that staff were happy to take the chilren up to the swimming pool so as all Mums and Dads could have dessert and coffee followed by dancing. Well J and I didn't have to be asked twice and the children were at a stage where a good swim would slow them all down. We had a lovely afternoon. My doubts about being so far from the extended family were well and truely gone. Indeed, that Christmas taught me that no matter where we are, Christmas Day is only what we make of it. These are the special times that leave lasting memories to share.
Our family had three more Christmas' in Darwin which will keep for another blog.

The Man With No Teeth............

Every now and then a memory creeps into my mind of someone or something from the past. Many of them I dismiss without further thought but every now and then I make the effort to record them because they have a value worth passing on.

This morning I stooped to give a few gold coins to a homeless man who was offering a tin cup to people as they moved along the footpath. I have no idea as to what he will use the coins for however, I felt better for having given them to him anyway. Some would suggest that homeless people spend their money on alcohol, cigarettes or drugs; others insist that they are a burden on society and contribute to everything which people hate about city life. I have been fortunate enough to have seen another side of a homeless person’s coin.

Back when I was at university in Darwin there was a man with no teeth. To look at him one would not give another thought to him as he simply blended into the crowd, and in a university environment that is easy to do. He wore clean clothes, although they were always badly wrinkled and torn. He always had either a five o’clock shadow or a beard and I later guessed that was because he rarely shaved. One thing that stands out in my memories is the shoes he wore; they actually were not shoes but those old fashioned slippers with the zips at the front. I don’t remember his name in fact; I doubt anyone would remember his name. I thought about it one day and I do not remember him ever telling us his name instead, he simply said to call him Joe.
Joe had no teeth and once told us that he had slept on a park bench during the summer in Melbourne. One evening some youths woke him and beat him within an inch of his life. When he was eventually to leave hospital he would have no front teeth making eatting and talking difficult. Because of his appearance people tended to assume he was uneducated and illiterate as well.

Joe looked like a typical homeless man however the difference was that he was clean. In political studies we all took turns in giving a tutorial and when it came to his week everyone sat in wonderment of how he would present his. Would Joe be capable of speaking in front of a group of students? Had anyone explained to him that he had to do research on the subject and prepare for it? Did he even know anything about public speaking, I wondered. From the look of the other students’ faces they too were wondering similar things. The tutor entered the room and sat down. He took out his folders and book where he was to give marks and commentary on Joe’s performance and content of subject. When I think back all these years later I wonder if even the tutor had doubts about Joe’s abilities before commencement.

Joe took the floor and introduced him and the topic. When he began to speak his English was superb to listen to. He spoke with an eloquence that presented like Queen’s English. He was articulate, expressive and powerfully spoken when he became passionate about the subject, and even with the loss of his front teeth one could still imagine him as Queens council in a court room or perhaps the magistrate. Either way it was a pleasure to sit and listen to him. At the end of his presentation there was a thunderous applause to which he graciously nodded his head and smiled his gummy smile and of course, the talk that evening at the student bar was speculation as to Joe’s background and history. Many suggested that he had indeed been a solicitor or barrister and had had a mental break down. Other theories included a Grammar teacher, a broken doctor cleaned out during a nasty divorce and eventually living in a psychiatric facility. The rumours went on and on however, like all rumours they died down and everyone went on their way leaving Joe in peace. At the end of that semester Joe decided to move south to Adelaide. He must have shaken the hand of every single person he had ever met at that uni, including myself. He had saved enough money for a bus ticket and was looking forward to seeing some more of Australia. His luggage comprised of a small backpack of books and two shopping bags of clothes; all the material possessions he had owned in the world. When asked how he would live once he settled in Adelaide he responded that he would live that same way that he always did; by relying on the kindness of strangers and by enjoying and appreciating each and every day as it came.
Whenever I see a homeless person now I try to remember that every person has their own story and while many rely on alcohol and drugs there are many who have simply seen a different life to what we understand.
Here's cheers to you Joe...where ever you may be.

All Is Well With My Soul.......

All Is Well With My Soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, I have learned to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

This Lyric was written by a Chicago lawyer, Horatio G. Spafford; aman who had suffered almost unimaginable personal tragedy.

The Spaffords' only son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read:
"Saved alone."

On November 2nd 1873, the 'Ville de Havre' had collided with 'The Lochearn', an English vessel. It sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie aged 12, Maggie aged 8, Bessie aged 4 and Tanetta aged 6 months, clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up.
Durin Spafford's worst times of grief he would put pen to paper to write hymns and lyrics such as the above.

I sat and listened to this story last night; a story of how one man coped with the incredible loss and grief of his children and realized that indeed, all is well with my soul. To Morris and Helen, and to our dear friend Gary Raymond, I often forget to make the time to say “thank you” for being such compassionate people. I would sit with the three of you any time because you have taught me that all is well with my soul.

Merry Christmas Benny x

Why does one become a football team supporter?

When J was a little boy (I am talking 6 years of age) he attended the local school where Rugby League was the most popular sport for boys and netball for the girls. Each Saturday there was a game arranged for them to participate in and as their age increased so did the seriousness of the game. After each game on Saturday mornings the boys and their families (including parents) all climbed on board of the coach’s table top truck (a practice that most would have a heart attack over these days lol) and head off to Cumberland Oval to watch the might Eels play. This was back in the days when there was no Parramatta Stadium and indeed, Cumberland Oval was a local footy field with a small grandstand and a picket fence surrounding it. The grounds held a full-capacity crowd of 6,000 spectators and each Saturday when J’s team and family went to watch the Eels play they would cheer the Eels players onto the field. Grandma and the other Mums would take a picnic lunch for the rest of the group to enjoy. This was to be the beginning of a lifetime of cheering on the Eels.
When you hear or read stories like this one can appreciate the simplicity of that era as well. Could you imagine families crowding onto a table top truck to putter six kms to a local park or dropping your boys to a park with no thought to stanger danger, providing luch for the crowd and not even knowing half of them, etc. One didn't have to purchase a ticket into the game and access to the players was much easier. Life was so uncomplicated back then.
I remember in 1981 when Parramatta secured their first-ever premiership the old grandstand at Cumberland Oval was dismantled and souvenired by the fans in preparation for the construction of the new “Parramatta” Stadium which took two years to build.
Over the years J’s young footy team had many visits from the Parramatta team. He said that he can remember names such as Bob O’Reilly, Dennis Fitzgerald, Ken Thornett and Terry Fearnley, (just a few of many) often visiting their coaching afternoons to encourage the boys indeed, one year they received their trophy at the presentation picnic from Bob O'Reilly. This held more value to the young J than did his trophy.
I have often wondered whether personal appearances at public functions from prominent players were simply in the name of good public relations for the club. When you talk to people like J and hear the influence and inspiration that these players have on them, I can understand the value of visits to young local teams. In this particular case, the visits sealed long-term support from local families that were just working class families and went on to hand down a legacy of encouragement to the generations that were to come. Yes, my children are also Eels supporters’ lol.
So what makes a supporter of a Rugby League team? It is history, outreach and

What Were The Results?????

It is with great sadness that the Eels lost yesterday's grand final but wow....was I glad that J, Ms K, Mr A and myself attended. The atmosphere was electric with a sea of yellow and blue flags everywhere. Immediately around us were a mixture of Eels and Storm supporters that had fun trying to out-sing and out-flag each other lol. Although the Eels dragged behind the Storm for the entire match it did not stop the Eels fans from cheering on and on and with each try scored by Eels players there was an ear-deafening cheer from all around the stadium. The comaraderie was wonderful regardless of which team one followed as everyone was there to enjoy the day.
Even though the Eels lost they did everyone proud. The Storm were deserved winners, playing better on the day however, Parramatta remain the success story of 2009 after being wooden spoon contenders just seven rounds out from the finals. They turned a very ordinary year of footy around to capture the imaginations of the public by making it to the grand final. Their run from so far back at 8th position to second has certainly put the heart back into rugby league. Indeed at one stage of the competition it pooked as though they would not even make the semi-finals. I read a comment in yesterday's paper about how most people, sport's teams and businesses perform best when thei backs are to the wall, which is what has happenend here in this case, so regardless of a win or loss, the mighty Eels did everyone proud and will be a force to be reckoned with next year.
The age groups also fascinated me. Fans ranged from babies asleep in parent arms through to teens, middle-aged people to the very elderly. So next year I look forward to following the mighty Eeels as part of the Blue and Gold Army when the Rugby League returns in 2010.....GO THE EELS!!!!!!!

Parra Power......

It has been exciting to see the Mighty Eels rise from position 8 on the NRL table, to play in the Grand Final on Sunday afternoon at ANZ Stadium. Today J surprized the family by organising tickets for us to attend the game. We have been to watch the footy many times over the years, I think Ms. K was about 8 weeks old when she attended her firsat game ; Grandma had knitted a small size 0 blue and gold jumper for her to wear. Alex and Ben both wore that same baby jumper in the years to follow.

One year Grandma, Gandy and the rest of us attended the finals when Parra played Newcastle however, after all of the games we have watched ovedr the years, this game next Sunday will be my first Grand Final. Traditionally we have had a BBQ, invited friends and made a great Sunday of it and so this year J decided to do things differently. I must say that I am very excited about going. I spent this afternoon chasing up some Grand Final-Eels T-shirts for us to wear and so hopefuilly those T-shirts will arrive by Friday. When I thought about it I am not only looking forward to watching the game live but I am looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere of the other fans, and enjoying the emotion and excitement with my children and husband. Win or lose the Mighty Eels have turned the tables by simply reaching the Grand Final this season. Good luck boys...Go the Eels....Parra to win!!!!