What Do You Think Today?

[Kizza]

Had a great picnic at the Mt Lofty botanical gardens on the weekend. About 20 of us in all. Cricket balls and bats, and acoustic guitars and terrible singing! Maybe a glass of wine or beer was also had with the bbq. We have had some warm weather off the back of a slow ending winter, with a bit of rain and then Warm again. So the place was ringing green! Beautiful day, beautiful place.
I reckon the southern winters are getting colder, while my cousin in Canada is of the view that their winters have been milder.
Trees fall, things change, life goes on.... we hope!
Busy this week. Well wishes to all!

[Avatar]

Last few winters here don't seem to have been as bad actually. In fact, probably only 2 or 3 really cold weeks in both the last 2 winters.

Summers seem to be getting hotter though.

--A

[Skyweir]

Yeah we are both north of Kizza. I cant say winters have changed much here ... but spring summer has been hotter over the past few years ... but could be swings and roundabouts.

Driving all day yesterday .. went into the city to pick up my son .. we decided to see Bohemian Rhapsody .. which was awesome .. drive home was after a late start .. cos movie and got home about midnight.

[peter]

How ironic that today, as we remember the 100th anniversary of the end of The Great War, we are in the process of disengaging from the very institution that was started to ensure such a calamity would never occur again.

In my own case I intend to visit a small grave in a country church some three or four miles outside of my town. In it lie the remains of a twenty one year old soldier, killed in the conflict, not by enemy fire but rather by execution by firing squad for the simple crime of being too afraid to die. I once read an account of such an execution, where the officer in charge, before carrying out the penalty, spoke in the gentlest manner to the condemned man telling him that his was a contribution to the war effort as essential as any other, in that without it none would be prepared to endure the horrors required of them by their country. A kind act, but small compensation for the loss of a whole life.

[Kizza]

Armistice day. 100 years!... We stopped and spoke about it together at home yesterday. Safe to say we wont be rushing anyone in our family into the armed forces considering the potential there for getting into harms way. We spoke for a little while about the reasons behind the beach landings at Gallipoli, the poor intel around geography, heavily defended cliffs, and bravery never to be forgotten.

I remember reading a WW1 account of an execution of a French soldier, He was distraught - obviously - before he was given kind words of reassurance by his C.O. ahead of presenting himself for the firing squad. I am pretty sure the soldier was shot for desertion, in the face of some sort of German chemical gas attack where he had no gas mask... or something at least as crazy as that early in the war. I remember thinking it was overly harsh.

There was a fleeting time when I could not get my head around a world which didn't educate itself about the consequences of war. I always figured that if everyone in the world was able to learn about what happened through the World Wars, that there could easily be a case to support zero tolerance for any war in the future. That was back when I had enough hair to wear it long, and an Amnesty International sticker on my car, and as my wife said "dated hot alternative chicks."

[Avatar]

As the reasons for the carnage cut their meat and lick the gravy
We oil the jaws of the war machine and feed it with our babies...

...As the madmen play on words and make us all dance to their song
To the tune of starving millions to make a better kind of gun.

--A

[peter]

The execution of soldiers convicted in kangaroo courts of "fleeing in the face of the enemy" and then summerarily shot was a serious bone of contention even at the time. Some three hundred plus executions were carried out in this manner and much sympathy was often directed toward the victim. One sixteen year-old was given so much rum he had to be carried insensible to the post and tied in place. Officers (who tended to escape the harsh penalties meted out to the lower ranks when in turn their own nerve broke) were always in fear that the men would refuse to carry out the orders to join the execution squads, and tended to use the most easily ordered individuals to do the work - the boy soldiers and the recovering injured.

One particularly chilling account recalls how two deserters, in order to restrain their struggles, were bound in tarpaulins and rope with hoods over their heads. The observer wrote of the surreal nightmare quality of seeing those "sausage like" parcels, solid as logs, transported on a vehicle and then carried and tied to the execution posts, small squares of white linen placed over their hearts.

[Skyweir]

Crazy isnt it? Today theyd be treated for PTSD

[Kizza]

And with bushfire season nearly on us I went out weed spraying today. Then without any word of warning from the weather people, it started to sprinkle.
Then, fortunately it stopped. So my 12 litres of spray should work after all. For a second there I got grumpy.

I need a slap though. I have almost decided on a new car. Almost. I reckon I will but maybe not until . . . January. Maybe.
I visit the accountant tomorrow, I have been focused on other stuff and am late doing our returns this year. She will sort me out I reckon.
Maybe it is time for a flash car. Moved out of V8s long ago. But I might struggle without at least a 6 cylinder car. How will my ego handle that!? Happy with the newfangled diesel 4cylinders I think. Am I too young for a hybrid car? Maybe ready for a 4 cylinder. Maybe a BMW X4, or a Discovery!!! Maybe I see what the accountant says first. Could go all mid-life crisis and get a 2 or 3 door something.... in black, with black interior, and aaaargh, I dunno.

Hope you are all well.

[Avatar]

The struggle is real...

--A

[peter]

Shabby cool is the way forward Kizza; think an old Land Rover. Once a Landy driver, always a Landy driver; I know - I grew up on/in them and to this day hate driving anything else.

[Skyweir]

I love land rovers .. big in the UK we had one then .. but here we went land cruiser .. now Nissan Xtrail cos do a lot of off-roading out here. I have a little rav 4 that I love.

Kizza your post made me LOL

Good luck with the accountant and the choice.. how old are you to justify driving a hybrid?

[Kizza]

Tough times. Anyway, the sun rose again. And I haven't been in trouble for a little while.

We watched two movies over the last couple of days. Both really good and worth seeing in my view - Three Billboards and The Shape of Water. Sam Rockwell may be the funniest guy I have seen on the tv at home for quite a while.

Grey day here today.

[Skyweir]

Hahaha he is funny .. great in Galaxy Quest

And other shit Im sure

Shape of Water was interesting wasnt it? That nasty dude .. what a little shit for a human

[Kizza]

Hahaha he is funny .. great in Galaxy Quest

And other shit Im sure

Shape of Water was interesting wasnt it? That nasty dude .. what a little shit for a human

Yeah I enjoyed the whole unfolding of the Creature from the Black Lagoon or whatever it used to be called. It had a lot of Luc Besson about it, albeit a different director in Guillermo Del Toro who I like also.
But really in Three Billboards, when Sam Rockwell uses the line "Person-of-color-torturing" I cracked up laughing. I am still laughing about it, and the way he acted the dumbass cop.

[Skyweir]

I love Luc Besson just watched Lucy .. and love 5th Element .. sound track is absolutely brilliant.

Will definitely look for the Billboard one too

[Kizza]

I remember now a hot summers day in a distant galaxy sitting down to watch The Big Blue on video tape (VHS).
It was the first time I saw a Besson film and I have kept an eye out for his work since.
The sky is blue and it is a good day. Christmas is just around the corner. I am losing an argument for eating lunch out on Christmas Day. Ah dear.

[Skyweir]

hahahaha

Actually xmas is crazy soon .. and Im away on a couple of properties up until Chrissy.

But dont have too much to get ready before the inundation of kids .. I love xmas one of my fave times of the year.

However, I havent even started buying presents for peeps

[Skyweir]

Well today I have been doing quite a bit of thinking .. and sometimes it just doesnt pay to think too much about things .. as a dear mate pointed out to me

So now I am tired, dirty and about to head into the shower after a long lovely day on a large busy property. I do enjoy my time doing property stays. I got to spend quite a bit of time today with the goats .. and the piece de le resistance was snuggling with the poddy calf in the sun. Truly heavenly. Shes so cute and am glad that she was happy to sleep in my arms, and on most of me .. lol but it was priceless and made me happy.

So among all the chores there are great opportunities like that.

It sure warms this ol gals heart .. to an indescribable degree.

I didnt have to deliver bails of hay and lucerne to the animals dispersed across 120 acres .. which tbh was rather nice. Plenty of heavy lifting otherwise .. and hard yakka.

I have 6 show dogs to entertain and keep active and exercised too .. and I cant run them together .. it has to be done seperately. They have outside enlosures and indoor ones .. and I rotate them through the yard one at a time to play ball and get them running. Its fun but by the sixth dog I am feeling a tad tired.

I leave tomorrow and my son is taking me out for the night .. just him and I. We are going to a stand up show in
Canberra .. and I am looking forward to it. And its going to probably our last really fun outing together as he leaves for the US in a week and a half. So I am getting dolled up, frocked up and gleefully looking forward to a night out. Theres nothing better for the soul that laughter, I should know I laugh a lot. Hahaha I could be inappropriate here cos just so funny .. but I will refrain my naughty self .. but if you cant laugh to the point of crying and choking IN ALL situatuions .. you are mising out on so much. Anyway I think whenever you feel a little down .. a good laugh is the best medicine.

[Kizza]

Sounds like a recipe for a very good time Sky.
I spent a lot of the weekend realising i have a long way to go on the guitar.