20/20 VISION THROUGHOUT 2020...

Graphite drawings by me of a kookaburra...an Aboriginal Stockman, and David Gulpilil, the well-known and respected Actor who has appeared in many wonderful movies, including "Walkabout", "Storm Boy", "Crocodile Dundee", "The Proposition"...and more

The Firefighters Are Heroes in the True Sense of the Word

Cooee!  I’m baaack!  G’day, Cobbers!   How ya doin’, Sheilas?

Holy Dooley! Fair crack of the whip! Me stance on gender-neutral ain’t changed.  Who woulda thunk it?  Cobbers an’ Sheilas it is for youse lads an’ lassies; for youse blokes an’ birds.  Strike me pink! I’m not into “that” P/C stuff, but I am into that other P/C stuff.  In other words, at all times, I do my utmost to be politely-correct whenever and as often as possible.

Wandering off the beaten track to stand on the fence for a sec...Did you know a “Neutral” or “Neutrals” was/were member/s of a confederacy of Iroquoian-speaking Native American Indian tribes who used to inhabit the northern shore of Lake Erie – now southern Ontario, Canada?  They also lived in western New York, north-eastern Ohio, and south-eastern Michigan.  The French called these tribes “Neutral” because they were neutral/neutre in wars in the mid-to late1600s.  

With fanfare of the unwanted kind, 2020 arrived here in the wonderful Land of Oz, bringing with it endless heartache, and immeasurable sorrow.  Happiness is scarce; tears are not.  Injured animals are in the arms of angels who selflessly nurse the vulnerable creatures back to health.  Innumerable numbers of animals...native, livestock and domestic...became helpless victims.

All creatures great and small...two-legged and four...need our assistance, not only now, but for a long time to come.  It’s not over yet. 

The devastating disasters are harsh reminders of what is important in life.

Australia Day weekend approaches...and by the time some of you read this post, it will be here. 

No doubt the usual pests will be out in force...Super Glue in their pockets, arms flailing and mouths flapping, wasting everyone’s time, including their own.  Too full of misguided self-importance and over-inflated egos to realise, instead of being hindrances, their energy and time should be better utilised in the protection of others and their properties. If they are as smart as they think they are, how about surprising the rest of us...and themselves... by doing something useful for a change!  Help the fire-fighters, for instance!  Go and join those on the front lines, fighting the fires.  Give assistance to those who have lost their homes; those who have lost everything; and comfort those who have lost loved ones in the unforgiving fires.

Do you think now 2020 is underway humans will become even sillier than so many did during 2019?  Unfortunately, the answer is “Yes”.  Stupidity breeds stupidity.  It won’t become extinct.  When possible, I choose to ignore fools. They receive too much coverage as it is. 

 

Let positivity rule; erase ugly negativity.  Let’s concentrate on the good within society; dwell on the worthy among us; recognise the humble solid-citizens who go about their business quietly. 

On Australia Day, Sunday, 26^th January, let’s celebrate those who altruistically place their own lives on the line for the sake of others - those who, without fanfare, help others.  They deserve our perpetual respect.  

Let’s celebrate the true blue Aussies who make one proud to be an Aussie.

Heartfelt thanks to those who give freely of themselves for the sake of others, not for their own personal glorification. They are the real McCoy. They’re fair dinkum. Too right they are! Fair suck of the sav!

The Lucky Country is our home, through the good times and the bad...through laughter and through tears...whether we’re out the back of Bourke, in Woop Woop, on the coast, or in the cities. 

Don’t allow the dingbats who are more interested in division than cohesion tell you otherwise, or ruin it for you. Easily recognisable, they stand out like shags on a rock; or like those other things I shan’t mention here out of regard for bulls.

Let respect, love, kindness, consideration, and generosity be constant companions throughout 2020 and beyond... 

Late this coming Monday afternoon...27^th January...a public holiday...the mob who live in this little lane in which I dwell, and the mob who hang out in the lane that runs parallel this one...will again be rockin’ up for what has become our annual little get-together to celebrate Australia Day...and being proud to be an Aussie.  There will be less than 20 of us bogging in and kicking up our heels...and we’ll only hang around for a couple of hours, nibbling on snacks, sipping on a coldie or two...or a glass of wine or two while sharing pleasant chit-chat. 

It will be BYO...so I’m taking with me an antipasto of a varied assortment of “this and that”, and a little more of that; as well as a salmon-chilli dip, with crackers etc.   

With a bottle of Rosé, which is. at present, chilling in my fridge (I might join it), or a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon aka Cab Sav...depending on what I feel like come the day...under my arm...I’ll be up and ready for a ring-dinger of an arvo...bloody oath I will!

Happy Australia Day, youse lot out there– whether youse are Banana-benders, Sandgropers, Taswegians, Crow-eaters, Gumsuckers, Cockroaches/Welshies, Kanbrans, or Top Enders!!!

Be kind to each other...we all need each other...and our animals...domestic, livestock and native need us to be kind to them, too....

Aussie Meat Pie: Cut 1.5kg chuck steak into 3cm pieces; toss in plain flour; shake off excess. Heat 1/4c olive oil in casserole dish over med- heat. Cook meat, in batches, 3-4mins each side until well browned; add more oil as required. Transfer to plate. Preheat oven 180C.  Add 1 finely chopped brown onion to pan; cook until softened. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves; cook 1min. Add 1c beef stock, 1/4c tom sauce, 1/4c HP sauce and 2tbs Worcestershire; bring to boil; return meat to pan; add 55g drained green peppercorns. Cover; bake until meat is very tender. Cool 30mins. Lightly grease 6 x13cm round pie tins. Cut 16cm rounds from 3 sheets partly thawed shortcrust pastry; press into tins. Cut 13cm rounds from 3 sheets partially thawed puff pastry for lids. Keep bases and lids covered and chilled in fridge. Preheat oven 200C. Place baking tray in oven. Fill pastry cases with meat. Brush edges with water; top with lids; press edges together; trim excess. Brush tops with whisked egg; make a steam hole the middle of the top. Put pies onto hot baking tray; bake until golden and puffed.

On the Barbie Rissoles: Put1kg beef mince, 1 grated onion, 1 grated zucchini, 1 grated carrot, 2 egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1tsp dried Italian Herbs, 4tsp Worcestershire Sauce, 4tsp Tom Sauce, 1pkt mushroom or French onion powdered soup, 1/2tsp salt, 1/2tsp pepper and 1 c fresh breadcrumbs in bowl; knead well. Scoop up ¼ cups of mixture to make 2 cm – 2/3" thick rissoles.  Indent the middle slightly. Repeat with remaining mixture.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over med-heat - or barbecue hot plate. Add half the rissoles; cook 4mins or until golden. Make sure to press them lightly with a spatula. Flip and cook other side for 3- 4mins or until golden. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining rissoles. Serve with onion gravy, mashed spuds and minted peas!