Dawn Service

Dawn service at the Australian War Memorial Canberra

Easter and Anzac Day

I hope everyone had a happy Easter.
Easter in Maclean also includes the Maclean Scottish Festival.
Every year we go and watch the bands parade down the main street, this year we had Lenice and Andrew plus Andrews parents Ian and Jill join us.
The sun was out and the sky was blue, the air filled with the sounds of bagpipes and drums being played.

Easter over and then Anzac Day.

As I have to work on this special day we always go to the dawn service.

Today in the early hours there was no traffic noise, no sound of people talking.

Just the sound of soft rain falling on umbrellas, one emotional male voice giving the service, the lone bagpiper playing and then the bugle.

I always find this service much more meaningful than the later one and I try not to feel so guilty when I am at work and can here the service in the background.

From Canberra

Jess's partner Marto cutting some gidgee for the fire bucket


The Gidgee stack just for Mo and Kelly!

Lissa and Jess with gift from Jess


Meg and Birthday Girl


Birthday Girl


Meg


Meg



Kelly


Marto busy with the awning ( we expected rain but none came)





Kelly making the photo wall


Kelly making the photo wall.


Miss Lissa !

Hi All
Well no news, just dropping by to say hello. Its Easter Sunday so happy Easter every one and hope the Eder Bunny bought lots of eggs for you all. My eder bunny ( Lauren) left me a large kinder surprise egg ( love the toys) but have not started it yet. So I hope he finds her in Samoa.

Tomorrow is ANZAC day and as usual I am off to dawn service and then on to breakfast. Dawn service starts at 5.30am so will need to be there by 4.30-4.45 and probably still will not see anything. If anyone is every around and wants to do dawn service it is a beautiful service and the only one I go to. And I always have a bed for you if you want it. I love that the when they play the last post you have to hear it over the Galah's .

Thought I would add a few photo's of setting up for the party.
Belinda
Australia War Memorial

Research the register for family service personal Here not everyone is list on this register yet.

Back O' Bourke and Lissa Tully's 21st

I hope you all enjoyed the photos.

Brian Barton and Meggie Magpie

Heading out

Ross Williams; Dan and Jack Barton

Birthday girl;Brian Barton and Zoe

Meg and Sammie

Jai and Kelly

Jai;Jacob;Kelly;Marto and Marcus

My last try, Lissa!!

Bill on last Sunday of Lent.

21st

Anna Bay

Hello all,

Well I am done and dusted after the trip out to Bourke and back. It was full on but a pleasure to be there prepping for the party. catching up with those few that I was able to. Pheobe Gaffney and John Holmes, only for a minute or so. I asked John if I could have a few limes for my drinks!!! And Marto and the boys went out to pick them up for me. Everyone asked me how much he charged me for them!! His grandson reckons he is so tight that he looks under his pillow of a morning to see how much sleep he has lost!!! Well cous didn't charge me and I did enjoy those limes. He said he was having trouble getting pickers as they are in the middle of picking the limes now and a team that he had up and left on Saturday and headed off fruit picking elsewhere. Tiawanese I think he said they were.

Well the party went without a hitch. Lissa and I hit the kitchen at a run and did not stop until Hannah turned up and she had her little corner that we were not alowed to invade!!! Ha Ha go girl. The more the merrier. We cooked potato bakes, potato salads, pasta salads, cob loaf dip, made rissoles, trifles etc etc etc. The boys had control of outside filling in dog dug holes putting up tarps as rain was a threat. ( But didn't fall) They did a couple of tip runs as well and put out the tables and chairs. Kelly had done a fantastic job mowing and tidying up the yard before we got there. She is a real trooper. Had 3 barbques going on the night manned by Marto and his Dad bless him. The drinks were flowing as well as good cheer. The young ones hugged the fire bucket, the more matured circulated and socialised. I will post some photos if I can for you. If I cant Jacob will put them on his face book pages. Lissa Lyn and I were the last men standing, cleaned the kitchen up before we hit the hay at 04:00. I must have zonked out because I didn't hear Lyn get up and leave around 7. Anyway a great time was had by all and a big thanks to all who turned up to make the night what it was. xxx

I have not yet finished unpacking, have got dinner ready, Mexican meatballs tonight. Jacob and I are off to dancing in an hour so I had better get a move on. Love to all and I hope you all have a lovely safe Easter. xxxx Meg

wont let me add any more pics will end and try again

Kell

Kell..Cook went to Bourke for Melissa 21st so she may still be there or on the road "out of Range ' for her mobile? Ill ask Meg wen she is due home..cheers..xx

Just a quick note. I've been trying to ring Cook, to tell her I received the two Aussie bird mugs.

They are just as beautiful as the ones I already had, (hers too.) So far, I havn't been able to find her at home. I'd really appreciate if someone (??perhaps Peters' girls??) could let her know for me please. I will continue to try & find her home. The time difference is a bit of a problem.

We have had SOOOOOOOO much snow here. Feet of the wretched stuff. I'm just praying for

some hot days so it will melt. It is Sunday here, & on Friday Mo & Bill are planning on leaving, to be in Whitefish for Easter. If the snow is still here by then, they wil not be able to travel.

I'll try & send some "snow" photos to Lin, & get her to post them on the blog. Love to all.

Thanks in advance. Kell

Snow, snow, snow!!! How I hate snow. Here it is, supposed to be Spring, & we get nothing but

snow. I think even the children are ready for a spell. Haven't seen any little blokes out playing

in the snow for a week or two now.

Not much news. We are all heading down to Kates' on Good Friday. The whole family was supposed to be going, but Josh has to work, & Michaila can't afford to take time out of school. She is in senior year, so a day or two makes a big difference. Because they have to be home,

Mike is staying home too. Leaving teenaged childa home alone for a few days is a bit risky!!

Mo & Bill will be here, but it will be a VERY rushed trip for them. I guess it was Charlottes' idea to have the get together. She is probably thinking what the future has in store for her.

Peter is olding his own. He is very healthy physically. Just his mind not so healthy. He still recognises us. Anyone whom he has not seen for a long time, he would not recognise. He still

"remembers when", but gets the dates & places mixed up. He frequintly "feeds the cattle", &

gets the tractors etc. ready for a days work on the farm. I used to tell him that we are in Alberta

& the farm is in Manitoba, but I don't bother now. I feel if he is happy, it really doesn't matter where he is. I see him at least once a day. It is a real drag on my day, but feel when he no longer knows me, then I wont have to go so often. He looks well, eats well, & gets a fair amount of exercising, just walking about. He has been lost a few times, but there are enough locked doors,

he can't get out of his own building. Steve brought the children down a few days ago. Peter does love to see them. I don't know if he knows who they are, but he always loved little ones. He knows Steve, so he probably makes the connection.

With all the snow we have had, & the few warm days now & again, many towns are flooded. Mos' province is having a tough time too, as is Saskatchewan. The flat land doesn't help!!

I get news at msn9, but havn't been getting "updates" for several weeks now. Don't know what has happened, but the news is about 2 weeks old. Will have to get someone who knows more

about computers than I do to have a look at it.

There is absolutely no news, so will quit "wandering" here, & get on with my chores. I still

check the Blog, & e-mail first thing in the am. Usually it is a waste of time, but one never knows!!

It was great to hear from Bernice, & Melissa a week or so ago. Belinda Jane has not had too much to say recently. Let's hear what is going on in everyones' life please.

ANZAC day is fast approaching, so will have to start 'phoning soon to get the bods together.

I just looked out the window. BIG mistake!! It is snowing SO hard, cant see ANYTHING!!!

The streets will be in a heck of a mess.

Someone write. Love to all. Kell

Hi from Bernice 13/4/11

Hello all! how lovely to hear from Melissa Tully on the blog..I used to so enjoy their Bourke letters..I do catch up on facebook but it is not as personal..lovely to hear from you Melissa and all the family news! and A BIG HAPPY 21st Birthday ' to you...hope you enjoy! Always nice to hear from you Mona..are you still coming over this year..Oct or Nov???? hope so. How is Kell she has been quite on the blog? do hope Charlotte is doing ok...give our love to all.. Ken and I are not going to Lissa party but I'm sure Meg will take plenty of pics for you Mona. Ken and I enjoyed our 40th anniversary.. thanks to you all for your wishes we had so many lovely texts from the paytons..Marge stew Lisa Jane and friends ..we also had a lovely time in Anna bay with Meg Greg and Tom and boys... Thank you Meg for your lovely words on the blog ... Ken and I are both lucky to have found our 'soul Mates" and in Bourke..Ha! Ken is back at work after two weeks off..he has a terrible Rash' at the moment don't know where he picked it up but poor bugger is a mess of lumps and itching mad..he went to a chemist got stuff but not helping so off to the Doctors today..Its a beautiful day here today so I should be taking advantage of it as it is predicted Rain for next couple of days I am expecting lots of visitors this weekend I have rels coming down so I had better get off and do something! Hope all are well...love to all Bernice

DON STRESS MO, ILL SHOW NAN THE POST ON MY LAP TOP , BESIDES SHE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT SHE IS, WE CALL EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME AND REMINICSE ETC SORRY ABOUT THE CAPITAL LETTERS SOMETHINGS WRONG WITH MY COMP.

Lissa's photo

Morning all. I STILL can't get that photo to come up. Lyn found my lost posts and published them for me......Thanks Kid! My computer guru is to be here for supper tonight, and if he can't get the picture to come up, I will phone Jo and ask for help. It was Jo who got me started on Picasa....the program I am useing. Lissa, thanks for the letter. It is good to hear how you are and what you are doing. Keep up the study......God Ma is so proud of you and of Jess. I am going to mail a bunch of photos to you....at Bourke.....they are ones I have scanned into my computer and don't want to waste the hard copy. Your baptism ones are there, too, and some of your mum,so if you aren't ready to look at those, just keep them till you are. Now, will someone please print Lissa's note out and give it to Cook? She NEEDS to know how important she is to those kids, and that they remember her treats, etc. OK, Bernice, it will likely be you if you are going to the party......THANKS....If the Paytons aren't going, will someone else, please????? Best go. I get on a roll and don't know when to stop! Have a wonderful party Lissa....it will be Friday for us so I will force myself to have a drink and toast you! Love to all. Mona

Lissa

Say what you like, I am NOT a quitter !

Lissa.

My last try!

lissa

Last try.

Lissa

I hope this goes through! I'm having trouble with Picasa. If this doesn't post I will call Joe for help.

thanks for the bday wishes

hi all, as you are probably aware i dont get on here much these days and no im not facebooking instead as i deleted that as well so im not doing much at all on the net other than uni. Any way aunty meg told me to come on and look at the posts for my birthday and so i did, thankyou so much for your wishes i really do appreciate you guys remembering as i would not expect you to of remembered so am impressed that you did. Mona i would love to see that pic but noticed its not up yet?? your really goping to have to get control of those cyber aliens so you can post pics without them stealing them.You really are a great godmother you see as even though your on the other side of the globe your still always "around" ! theres really not alot of news out our way, im having a party on sat for my bday which lyn and meg will no doubt take pics of so they can pass them onto you all. jess is going great in sydney and is head vet nurse of 12 nurses at a vet clinic in baulkham hills shes enjoying it but cant comprehend the fact that if a roo gets hit by a car there they do life saving surgery on it rather than just put it down. shes also missing the interesting surgeries that she got to perform when she was in bourke as in the city the nurses dont do much of that mostly just assisting. Nana cooks coming out for my birthday which is awesome shes so lovely to travel so far for it kelly and i are always saying how we miss having her just up the road, we used to stroll up there after school everyday without fail for tea and whatever yummy object she had cooked that day, normally zuchinni loaf then she would give us $4 each so we could go to bp and get a rices drink and some lollies, so even after all these years we miss having her around and are always excited when she comes to visit! Im still doing environmental science externally through lismore uni i just finished a week residential in lismore which i do twice a year for some face to face tutoring. im still working with the mobile childrens unit and still love it to the moon and back, it makes leaving bourke so difficult knowing i wont be guarenteed a job like that where i could go to a property and do preschool with the children then they will take me down the river and ill help them with their yabby nets or whatever they are doing that day, its such a unique job so im really going to miss it but im going to have to leave at the end of ther year and go somewhere around lismore to finish my uni off full time. kelly is in year 12 and has decided shes going to take a year off after school and do the rodeo circuit, shel be based in tamworth but follow the rodeos around competing in barrell racing and other sporting events on her horse "sally" she is kellys pride and joy and they make a wonderful team shes a top little horse and has won titles in barrel racing with her last owner so she should go great guns in the next few years. i dread the day anything is to happen to that cranky mare as kelly will probably lie in her grave with her till she rots away... no im not exaggerating thats how much she loves that horse. sally and i arnt on such good terms i rode her heaps when we first got her but once kelly started doing barrells and stuff on her they just clicked and she would rather kick me in the face than let me pat her, but for kel shes an angel! After her year of rodeoing she is going to do an electricians apprenticeship and has someone here who will take her on in a year or two. Dads out at salt lake at the moment crutching and mustering, hes spending lots of time doing stockwork again as he has decided hes going to spend more time doing what he enjoys than worrying about other stuff so hes out there with his dogs giving the sheep a bit of curry at the moment. My baby boy Boof, a red kelpie 12 mnths old is in the process of being broken in out there and hes doing great so ill head out shortly to watch him work and see how far hes come. i have just realised ive written a novel so i do apologise! hope everyone else is well . love lissa xox

Lissa is 21.

Happy Bday Lissa! I hope my card arrived in time. Thought I would share your baptism photo with everyone! I just wrote a full page of nothing, added the photo and lost everything! Out in cyber space with the aliens somewhere! Have to go, I am out of time. We had a glass of wine....OK, OK, a couple of glasses of wine, to celebrate your 21st. More later when I have more time. Much love to all. Mona