11 November 2018

Good God is it really November already??
Ok I’m here. I’m tired but I’m here. When I mentioned two weeks ago that I’d been busy, well that was just the practice run..... this week has been crazy. I’ve just got home from a two day Organic Farming Conference ....totally amazing. My head is spinning.

So it looks like we are now going to host another Natural Farming Conference here on the farm in April next year. Which for the fun of teasing my stressed out head is ?!()%€¥# weeks away and may also have guest speakers from Sydney University..... holy shit.
Then in May next year there’s a level one Natural Farming course over 5 days....here on Farm too.
Pffft - pop ....that was my brain imploding.

Anyway despite the frantic level of admin going on here I think the farm is still ok, but as it’s pitch black right now I won’t know till 5:00am ish.

The dogs were happy to see me, as I am to see my bed. And to close my eyes. Which I nearly did while driving....eek. That’s what happens when you drive too long.

Well it was Rememberance Day here in Australia today.. The 100th anniversary of signing of Armistace to end World War 1. I wasn’t able to attend a service but I stopped  off at my old RSL Cenotaph early in morning to lay some flowers for an old friend. He was born on 22 November 1926, served in World War 2 and the Korean War. And he was a very dear mate. But sadly passed away in 2011. I still miss him.

It’s hard to type with mascara running.

Anyway Fred was a legend in our RSL. The dearest, most generous man I knew. While I was still serving in the Army I would drop in on way home to check on him; make a cup of tea for him and have a yarn...we got on really well. He was a great rose grower too and had beautiful blooms in his front garden. When he got really sick, later on, I went upto the Veterans Hospital in Greenslopes to see him. His face was always a picture when I saw him there... “get me outta this bloody place”, he’d say. But I reckoned he loved all the fuss they made over him.

One day on a visit to see him I took my youngest son with me. They were up to something those two and whispering at kitchen table and giggling. Then suddenly my younger son went off into back room and came back with a long cloth bag. I sat there looking blankly at it not understanding.
“Open it mum!” said my son. So I did. I saw Fred’s face as I drew out of the bag a beautiful long engraved Regimental ceremonial sword of the Intelligence Corps, the Regiment I commissioned into in British Army in 2002. His eyes twinkled with joy. Mine just filled with tears.

In 2015 I got to use that sword officially for first time on the parade ground of Fred’s old unit,
3 RAR in Townsville. That sword is my most treasured possession.

Fred’s ashes are in the garden bed at the Cenotaph. Today I took Fred three red roses.
Miss you mate.Lest we forget.

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