25.4.15

ANZAC DAY 2015


Lest we Forget …


WWI Roll of Honour Wall at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

ANZAC Day, originally a commemoration of the landing of Australian and New Zealand forces at Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915, has grown to become perhaps the most important national day in Australia. In addition to recognising the service and sacrifice of all Australians who have served in war or on peacekeeping operations, ANZAC Day has become core to the identity of Australia itself, a day on which Australians reflect on the Anzac spirit and its place in Australia today. 



This ANZAC Day, we mark the 100 year anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.

Members of the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance practice boat drill off the island of Lemnos, Greece, in preparation for the landings at Gallipoli, April 1915



My Grandfather fought with the ANZACs at Gallipoli. 

He spoke very little of his experience but here is Dad's memory of his story...

Alfred Edgar Roberts was part of the British contingent sent to The Dardanelles to engage with the Turkish forces. He became part of the Allied landing at Gallipoli. 

Troops Landing At The beach. Photograph by Charles Bean at the Gallipoli Peninsula on April 25, 1915.
As the British contingent were advancing into Turkish held territory one of the Turkish snipers managed to shoot him in the leg. The wound made it impossible for him to walk so he dragged himself into a gully to avoid being hit again by the sniper. 

Australian artillerymen dragging guns into position after the landing at Gallipoli, Turkey on 25 April 1915.Public domain photo by CEW Bean.

Two Aussie soldiers picked him up and dragged him back down to the beach where they had build a block house made of bully beef packing cases. The Aussie soldiers told him all their officers has been killed so they were fighting the Turks on their own. 

Image via Pinterest
 
He was eventually carried over to an area where the British were evacuating their wounded to a hospital ship. He was treated for his wounds on the ship and was taken back to England.

Landing at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, 25 April 1915 courtesy of the Australian War Memorial
 
After a short recovery leave in the United Kingdom he was off again to the war, This time to France where the British were fighting a "trench war" against the German army. The Germans were using Mustard Gas as a weapon to drive the British back toward the French coast. Grandad unfortunately was fighting the war in this part of France and and suffered from the effects of the gas until he died in 1978.

A Royal Irish Fusilier at Gallipoli attempts to draw the fire of a Turkish sniper to reveal his position. Photograph: Lt Ernest Brooks/ IWM via Getty Images
 He always praised the bravery of the Anzac's who assisted him in Gallipoli, who he credited with saving his life. He always had a high regard for Australians and was very proud that one of his sons immigrated to such a wonderful nation. 



x KL

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24.4.15

well, that was wild...


 Today the sun is shining and it is a perfect Autumn day. 
Such a dramatic change from a few days ago when the Central Coast, along with Sydney, the Hunter and Illawarra areas were struck by a ferocious storm. Cyclonic winds downed trees and power poles, sparking mass blackouts, with some areas still without power.
Torrential rain and gusts of up to 135km/h whipped up massive seas that smashed yachts into matchwood whilst widespread flooding closed roads and schools. 


My son had one day back at school after the Easter holiday before the storm hit on Monday evening. The pictures above are of his school which only re-opened today. 


 The Central Coast is surrounded by magnificent waterways where many moor their boats. They called the winds Cyclone Category Two and they ripped  many vessels from their moorings causing extensive damage.


 Whilst we are very exposed to the weather at La Hacienda, being situated at the top of an ocean cliff, we survived well. Three days without power was challenging for a gaming obsessed boy though so we went and purchased a Generator. I have never seen so much joy from reconnecting with the T.V. and the net!


And in typical 'Murphy's Law' style, our power was restored the next day! LOL!

Storm Troopers on clean-up duty. He he.

x KL

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6.4.15

BLOCK spoiler! Plans + Pictures


Like my wee expose HERE, I recently learnt that The Block apartments have been put on the market. Whilst the real-estate advertising does not show any images of  areas yet to be broadcast in the television series, (Kitchen and courtyards) they do give a tantalising peep of the exterior of the completed complex. I don't think seeing these will spoil my enjoyment of watching the remaining episodes but, if you feel otherwise....click away now!

The completed exterior of The Block 2015; 27 Darling Street, South Yarra.
 Quite a transformation!

All the advertising campaigns also showed floor plans of the contestant's units. I really liked seeing these as they helped me to 'make sense' of the flow and comparative sizes. I have also provided a link to the four Real Estate agencies employed to market the property. Click to read their sales blurb and see additional images.

UNIT 1: Charlotte and Joshua
Marketed by Hocking Stuart





 UNIT 2: Anastasia and Tim
Marketing by Biggin & Scott.

 UNIT 3: Jess and Aiden
Marketed by Gary Peer & Associates.



UNIT 4: Dea and Darren
Selling through Jellis Craig.




Also pictured is the DD's Dining Room which caused them allot of anguish during construction and was not broadcast finished. I think it has been well resolved!


David and I have been regular followers of The Block. We didn't engage with one series but tuned into the reveal episodes. I have mixed feelings for the show as The Triple Threat starts to wind down. The budgets available to the contestants are beyond the reach of the majority of viewers and the expectation / pressure to deliver return on investment is unpleasantly palatable. The contestant's skills and experience seemed unequal this round which made for uncomfortable viewing. Less 'hands-on' and more drama filled than ever, this series only became my viewing choice from lack of an alternative. 

Thoughts?

There's a whisper that the eight level, 34-room octagonal-shaped Hotel Saville in South Yarra has been purchased by the production company of Channel 9’s The Block.


Eight luxe apartments with 360 degree views are a possibility.
Will you watch the next series?


x KL

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You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

3.4.15

Year of The House: update

You may remember when I posted HERE about our new year's commitment to instigating some 
major progress at La Hacienda
Well, to show our sincerity, here's a #YOTH15 update:



 FEBRUARY: 
J's bathroom floor screed has been laid.
Front main bed deck and rear top decks waterproofed
Drafted kitchen plans to take to joiner for quotation. 
Drafted J's bathroom and main bed ensuite vanities to give to joiner for quotation.
Ordered our oven / cooktop; 900 mm Freestanding Smeg with tepenyaki plate. 
(The Miele oven we originally bought will go into storage)
Ordered a Smeg convection / microwave / grill + trim kit for the new kitchen.
Bought a Smeg convection / microwave / grill combi oven for the laundry / kitchenette downstairs.
A very 'spensive month! 




MARCH:
Frustrated by our phantom tiler, David laid and grouted the marble floor in our main bedroom ensuite. 
Ditto, J's bathroom / powder room floor
The marble feature wall is complete and he has started on the white wall tiles.

Main bed ensuite floor complete, just needs cleaning. Powder Room floor and marble wall complete.
  Ordered the two custom floating vanities for these wet areas.
Appliances have been delivered and are sitting in my lounge room. Eeek!
Bought the Lido Teal Bucket Chair for J's bedroom when I saw it on sale at Freedom.
Sold the unwanted rangehood that came in the cooking package on Gumtree which means the big range was VERY reasonably priced! Yay!
Ordered a blind for the playroom glass door as I missed that when I did the windows.


David has started to tile the walls in the two bathrooms (matte, white rectified 600 x 300mm) and hopefully will get them finished over the Easter Break and then I'll have some pretty pics to share of two more finished rooms! Yippee!


Renovating? Building? Got some House Projects to complete?
Join in! #YOTH15

(also on instagram of course!) 


x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. 
You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!