Jan 25, 2010

Happy Australia Day


Tomorrow - Tuesday 26th of January - here in Oz we celebrate the landing of the First Fleet onto the shores of Australia.

For some it means backyard barbies, cricket, and a day off work, while to others it means a trip to the beach to celebrate in the sun, eat ice cream and swim in the surf.

But for me - this year is the 21st anniversary of the birth of my first born child. I have a lot to be proud about my boy. He is thoughtful, considerate and always there for his friends or for us. He is not adverse to coming to see a movie with me, or going out to dinner or even just been seen with his ol' mum. He is a wonderful son and I plan to celebrate with him tomorrow by taking him out to lunch.

To all you Aussies and Aussies at heart - Happy Australia day, 2010. Have vegemite on toast for brekkie, share a Tim Tam or two, have a barbie. Just enjoy the day.

If you are Australian, what does Australia day mean to you? Do you celebrate it, acknowledge it or just think of it as another day?

21 comments:

  1. Tracey,
    what a wonderful way to remember your son - and what a gorgeous boy he is!
    Australia Day for me represents what a wonderful, glorious country we live in - with bountiful opportunities if one *wants* to take them! We really are a lucky country =)

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  2. Happy 21st to your boy (..man!) Tracie. You got him through...nice job! I hope his mum will be sutiablly acknowledged in his speeches!

    Australia Day used to be abt all those things for me (and heading down to the city foreshore to watch the skies open up with rainbow pyrotechnics) but now its about staying home and cranking up the Aussie music and relaxing. No traffic jams, no yobbos stumbling through your picnic, no sunburn for the rest of the week.

    I do try to stop and reflect on how good we have it here in Oz and on the past 220 years of colonisation and what a *short* time that is in planetary terms.

    Happy Australia Day, however you mark it!

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  3. The actual party with his friends was low key and informal - so no real speeches to be had. Tonight or tomorrow we will go to dinner or lunch.

    And what am I getting my boy for his 21st? Some may think this is strange or inappropirate - but for us it is fitting. I will get him his first tattoo. It is something that will be with him all his life and he will always be reminded of his mother because of it.

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  4. Hey Tracie, I can understand why it fits you to give him his first tattoo, but (dying to know)... do you get to pick it ;)

    We're hitting the Sunshine Coast with our 2 little munchkins to spend the day visiting my folks and beating the heat by soaking in the surf.

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  5. Tracie, I've met your man-son, and you are very right to be proud of him! Happy birthday, Son-of-Tracie! =)

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  6. Have a lovely lunch with your son, Tracie! He sounds like a delightful young man!

    I'll raise a vegemite-covered toast soldier at brekkie tomorrow!

    Now I want to ask the hard question... what is the green thing behind the banner, beside the emu? I can identify all the other animals but he's got me stumped. I'm sure I'm just having a "duh" moment but still...

    LOL
    Sharon

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  7. Hey Tracie and the other LoveCats

    Oh how fitting that you would give him that - and that he wants the tat - that is just delightful and so you! Has he decided what he is having yet? And where?????

    Happy Birthday Tracie's son, and happy celebrating his birth from you 21 years ago Tracie!

    Australia means alot to me as I chose to come and live here, 10 years ago this year. Its a day filled with patriotism and pride I had never personally experienced before I lived here, and a joy for a country that is wonderful.

    If the weather is good we will probably celebrate with a morning out on the boat and a BBQ in the afternoon. Low key as school starts the next day.

    Bye 4 now
    Tina

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  8. Funny you should ask this question as that's exactly what I'm posting about on my blog tomorrow - www.kyliegriffinromance.blogspot.com :-) (shameless plug by a proud Aussie waving the flag!)
    I'm spending the day with friends, cranking up the barbie, playing games and relaxing.

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  9. Sharon, wouldn't he/she be a green tree frog? Since it's been dry here, we get them coming along after dark and sitting in the dogs' water bowl. Very cute. =)

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  10. Kylie, lol on your shameless plug! Have a great day tomorrow - I fully support the card games and relaxing agenda.

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  11. We've got the lamb chops in the fridge, the barbie in the go position and the thongs (all old and battered!) lined up at the back door. Bring on Australia Day!

    My kids are little, but we'll be talking about the history of Australia tomorrow. It's their history, too...

    Nice post, Tracie.

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  12. Mel - I missed you earlier. Thanks for wishing my young man a happy birthday.

    Anita - no he gets to choose his own tattoo because 1)it must be something he has to live with for the rest of his life and 2) Tattoos are personal and should mean something to the person who is getting it.

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  13. Happy 21st Birthday for your son Tracie.

    Am proud to be an Aussie (with Greek roots) but I really don't mark the day. Well maybe I'll hit the Tim Tams tomorrow :)

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  14. I got caught up doing stuff.
    Rach - thanks so much - and he is sweet isn't he?

    Sharon - I think it's a green tree frog (least I hope it isn't a nasty canetoad)

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  15. Tina - and we are so glad you chose to live here. Have fun out on the boat.

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  16. Kylie you mean the www.kyliegriffinromance.blogspot.com blog - well I will just have to go over and answer it, or maybe my friend Tracey O'Hara might turn up.

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  17. Em,
    Have a lovely, lovely day. Get those chops on the barbie and hope the weather is nice.

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  18. Eleni - Tim Tams are good - you go girl. And thanks for the birthday wishes everyone

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  19. Tracie, hope you have a wonderful day with your family and Happy Birthday for your son's 21st.

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  20. So the green thing is a green tree frog? But he's sooooo big! He must be on steroids!
    ScientifiCAT is shaking her head! LOL

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  21. Dear ScientifiCAT, have you not heard of the Giant Green Tree Frogs who populate Queensland rainforests? Up here, we refer to them as the 'Giant Greens'. Easily bigger than a kangaroo, so the picture is anatomically correct.

    Some have been seen (but not photographed, unfortunately) bigger than a large SUV / 4WD. They have an unnerving habit of smiling pleasantly just before they flick their long tongue out. Cases of them trying to eat an adult human aren't unheard of.

    Signed, QldCat (who is very much looking forward to April 1...)

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