June - July 2011

It has been a while since my last entry due to life happening.
Were to start!!
June 18th returned to Oz for our daughter Kat's Marriage to her fiance Tom
Nathania Springs is where they were Married on 15th July 
http://www.nathaniasprings.com.au/photos/chapel/
The day was just wonderful everything went to plan and she looked beautiful and her dad and I were proud parents watching our girl start in her new life journey.

One by one our children are leaving the nest and as our children go to live life their way we are starting our own journey into a new faze into our life journey.

Returned to Chennai for 4 weeks then back to Oz August 18th ready for the birth of our first granddaughter due on 1st September

Our granddaughter Willow decided she didn't want to wait until 1st September to come into our lives

On the 25th August
We arrived at the hospital at 9:20pm my daughter in the back seat of the car in labour she walked into the birthing room sat on the bed and at 9:25pm Willow arrived and man it was amazing talk about cutting it close..lol
and I have to say she is the most beautiful cute little girl in the world and her mum is exceptional
I could not believe how calm and composed my daughter was she said she had a stomach pain and some back pain!!  I wish my labour was like that lucky girl....

Mother and Willow are doing fantastic it was time for me to leave and it was a hard one.. missing them all but once again thank god for Skype.

Returning home to Chennai September 26th
I am back in Chennai again and I am loving living here even when my family and Friends are so far away but I have met some beautiful people and formed friendships here and I am grateful for all of them
I am looking forward to what is next in life and what living in Chennai has to give and hope I can give something of myself to Chennai.

December Christmas

Well hello it has been quite a while since I have made an entry to the Blog so I thought it was time
I said something!!

Its December Christmas and I have been searching for some decorations and I finally found some
just picked up some tinsel and bits and pieces from a shop in the street cheep too!!
dont have a christmas tree but managed to get a foam cut out tree so I have put that up on the
wall so now I have a christmas tree.
I am happy now starting to feel the christmas spirit!

Went to get some supplies today and while we were there we spotted a ham just the square slab you would buy from the deli that is sliced.
We thought for interest sake we would check what price they had on this..hmmm very amusing they only wanted $70.00 bucks... lol..
Who in their right mind would actually pay this price for a slab of ham that is just processed meat anyway yes I am going to miss having a nice ham and Turkey for christmas but man I am not that desperate their is always chicken at least that is the real deal.

I went back to pick up some supplies today its been 2 weeks and that Ham is still sitting in the fridge waiting for someone to be crazy enough to buy it.

I havent done anything to write about we have all been sick at different times comes and goes think its the cooler weather change don't get me wrong its still hot but we have had a few cooler mornings and evenings nice cool breezes.

It was Mark's and my 26th Wedding anniversary and Mark was unwell so we dident get to go out to celebrate so we thought we would celebrate on friday night just go out for a few drinks.

So this is how it went Its friday Mark's work Christmas break up hmm... it was starting at 9am in the morning they dont just all catch up after work or plane a night out for there christmas break ups here they have it on a work day all day!!

I was planning on getting out of the house today as I have been cooped up in the house for 4 days sick or someone els was sick It turns out I dont have a driver today thats o.k we are going out tonight I'll be right.
Mark and Megan leave to do what they do and I catch up with a few things then I notice its 9:30 and no
Maid hmmm... maybe she is just delayed for some reason time goes by its now 10am the maid is here

Life goes on

It's a new year and life is ever changing!!

The start to 2011 has been very exciting
Our eldest daughter is expecting and is due on September 1st
We are going to become grandparents for the first time how exciting is that!
Our middle daughter is getting married in July so I have been skyping a lot lately helping to organise and doing my best to support from over the seas how wonderful is skype it is a fantastic thing to be able to communicate with this wonderful technology just would not be the same feeling of involvement otherwise bless you Skype.

ticket

"At the going down of the sun,and in the morning,we will remember them" Lest we forget

25th April 2011
Madras War Cemetery
Nandambakkam,Chennai

We attended the ANZAC DAY service getting up at 4am in the morning
to give our respect to those who had fought and sacrificed their lives
to enable us a free and better life in our home country Australia 

By the Australian Consul
Mr Michael Long

Commemorative Prayer
Reverend Deborah Premraj

ANZAC Dedication by Australian Consul-General
Mr David Holly

Recitation by Australian Trade Commissioner
Mr Mike Carter

Engraved forever at ANZAC Cove are these words from Kemal
Ataturk,the Commander of the Turkish 19th Division during the
Gallipoli Campaign and the first President of the Turkish Republic
from 1924 - 1938

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives.
You are now living in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore,rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us,
where they lie side by side,
here in this country of ours.
You,the mothers,who sent their sons from faraway countries,
wipe away your tears.
Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

Ode of Remembrance
They shall not grow old
As we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them
Nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun

And in the morning
We will remember them
Lest we forget


Sonnet for ANZAC Day

Sound the Last Post again,lest we forget
the freedom that we cherish has been bought-
not found like mushrooms in the field; the debt
is ours to pay,mindful of thoes who fought and fell
-yet still they held the torch aloft!
May we remain as zealous to withstand
the traitors who would make our fibres soft,
as well as enemies beyond the land.

The trumpet has the power to move us still,
and though the debris of a flood of years
lies over hand and mind,an aching thrill
comes rising perilously close to tears.

Sound the Last Post to hold the memory bright,
then sound the Rouse and keep the torch alight.

Alf Wood

Final resting place of the "diggers"
14 Australian & 5 New Zealand
Madras War Cemetery

Link
 http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=145401&mode=1

The poppy of wartime remembrance is Papaver rhoeas, the red-flowered corn poppy. This poppy is a common weed in Europe and is found in many locations, including Flanders, the setting of the famous poem "In Flanders Fields," by the Canadian surgeon and soldier John McCrae. In the United States,^[3][4] Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand artificial poppies (plastic in Canada, paper in the US^{[citation needed]}, UK, Australia and New Zealand) are worn to commemorate those who died in war. This form of commemoration is associated with Veterans' Day in the United States and with Remembrance Day in Canada, both of which fall on November 11. In Canada, poppies are often worn from the beginning of November until the 11th. In New Zealand and Australia, the soldiers are commemorated on ANZAC day, April 25

SRI LANKA

COLOMBO

We are now coming to the end of our journey Clolmbohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombo

We arrive in Colombo and the first thing we do notice is how busy this place is we are back in the city
bumper to bumper traffic the other thing we notice is over here everyone stays in their lanes not at all like Chennai...lol

Our accommodation for the night is at a place called Havelock Place Bungalow http://www.havelockbungalow.com/

This place has two colonial homes joined up with a very nice pool in the middle beautiful garden courtyard area you can eat in or inside dinning.

All the food here is home made and produce from the area and it was delicious my mouth is watering at the thought.
The staff were helpful and friendly their was also a security guard at the gate.

The rooms were very spacious and comfortable had a romantic ambiance to the whole place a big bathroom lounge area and double french doors leading to a court yard area the bed was a mattress on a cement block you can imagine what was going through my mind!!

The thought of sleeping in this bed hand me a little concerned but much to our surprise it was very
comfortable and I had a very restful night...
I would  recommend this place if you are looking for somewhere in Colombo that was special.

Once we relaxed a little had a snooze showered and went for our dinner which was most enjoyed
a taxi was orded for us then we handed our room key over to the security guard who was going to be waiting for our return we headed for a casino.

Most of the casinos in Sri Lanka are small often limited to a few gaming tables.
Poker games are unlikely to be found, though blackjack, roulette and baccarat can be found in the casinos of Colombo.
Of the nine casinos in Sri Lanka, eight of them are found in Colombo. Some of these casinos sport famous American casino brand names, like Bally's and Bellagio.

Casino and lottery gambling is legal in Sri Lanka. The lottery is regulated by the National Lotteries Board, which offers a wide variety of lotteries
Despite a varied gambling culture, the authorities of Sri Lanka sometimes have harsh crackdowns on betting. One famous legal case involves the police of Colombo smashing a lottery stand, which led the lottery vendor to take his case on civil rights before the Sri Lankan Supreme Court.
This case is still pending as of early 2008.

There are other indications that Sri Lanka has an ambivalent attitude towards gambling. This was underscored in 2004 when Sri Lankan officials imposed "sin taxes" on casinos on the island. Other goods and services included in the tax were alcohol and luxury goods.

Bellagio One of the well-known casinos in Colombo Its modern interiors, advanced equipment and state-of-the-art technology provide a great entertainment to foreigners and locals alike

Bellagio is where we headed for the night!!
Very nice only about 20 tables we walked into this Casino and were greeted by the staff and offered a drink

Walked around watching people play their games then Mark found a table of interest black jack so he took a seat and enjoyed a few games.
I was offered a seat to sit beside him which surprised me I didn't think you could sit unless you were playing very comfortable seat as well then I was offered a drink they just kept coming over asking if we wanted more drinks then we figured it was free...lol
Now Mark is in heaven not only do you get free drinks also their was a smorgasbord at one end of the room it just so happened to be would you believe it "Indian night" ..funny...
the food also was free.

There was a platform to the side of the room and we were also entertained with a free show brilliant and guess what the entertainment was Dancing girls doing Indian dance they were fantastic.
Should have known its Indian night...lol thoroughly enjoyed the night.
another great place to go if you are interested in having a bit of a gamble.

Returning to our accommodation their was the security guard waiting for our return unlocking the door to let us in making sure we made it to our room o.k

Next morning we packed ready went to the dinning room for our breakfast a yummy poached egg,mushroom,tomatoes on toast and a nice cup of tea to start our day I could tell it was all fresh the
colour of the egg the flavour mmmm....all fed and watered ready for our last look around Colombo before we leave.

I loved Sri Lanka it was beautiful,relaxing,fresh,green,colourful just wasn't long enough in saying that we enjoyed the time spent fantastic experience.

Back to Chennai we go only have an hour and ten min flight back home
Sri Lanka is so close it will most definitely be on the return to list next year.

SRI LANKA

KOSGODA TURTLE HATCHERY

http://www.induruwabeachresort.com/front/content.php?id=1&type=3

Operated by the Wild Life Protection Society of Sri Lanka it has several species of turtles.

Most vulnerable of all are the eggs they are left uncovered on beaches all around the coast
Because of the goodwill of Kosgoda area fisherman who bring these eggs to the hatchery this has enabled their survival chances they have released around 100,000 young turtles in only 2 years since the hatchery opened.
This place was amazing we paid for our tickets and the guide took us through to the hatchery there were pools all in a row the first one was filled with tiny little baby turtles they were just so cute!!

The next pool had an albino turtle all on his own the guide said he is never to be realised due to the fact he would be easy pray for any predator's out at sea.
I put my hand into the water and he came over to me then the guide said to me with horror on his face
"mam no mam he will bit your finger off" woops!!! wasn't I lucky.

Next we went through to where all the eggs were buried inside a large caged area that looked like a cemetery with dates and names of species of turtle eggs that were buried beneith waiting for there day to hatch.
This place is also well worth a visit.

Off we go to our next stop COLOMBO