Australia Day 2015 in Victoria Park

    I've talked about Australia Day before [see  Australia Day in WA ] and wandered around to see much of this U.S. Independence Day type fun in the past.  But today the temperatures were forecasted to be 100F/37C and I just didn't fancy getting hot, sticky and irritable to watch people hang out in OZ flagwear by the river. I can see tonight's fireworks right from my balcony-- so why move a sweaty muscle? How grumpy can I get?
    Well, early mornings aren't too bad and this morning the Fremantle Doctor (cool breeze coming in off the Indian Ocean) was in.  So I went to a special 9 a.m. church service and on the way home in the little  memorial park next to the town hall was an Australia Day service in progress. New citizens were being sworn in five at time by the mayor Trevor Vaughn under the ancient giant fig tree.  The newly sworn were from all over the planet.  The dress code was quite obviously "your choice."  Some new citizens were wearing their Sunday best or designer chic.  A few showed up in  ethnic garb. And yet others adopted their new country's relaxed attitude and showed up well...relaxed. All posed for pictures with their very fancy citizenship certificate.  Big Day.
     Then we went on to the local Australian of the Year and local Australian Group of the Year. Oooh, Victoria Park is loaded with do-gooders. All sounded worthy. Certainly worthy of better flowers than the collection of weeds in cellophane they received.  Add a few politician speeches. And a few more. And a couple more for good measure. zzzzzzzzz    Done!     Now the nice little Vic Park Band played the entire Banjo Patterson catalog (this includes Waltzing Mathilda, soundtrack from Man From Snowy River, etc) and we all dashed up to the refreshment tables for wonderful finger sandwiches, mini-pastries and drinks. All seriously good stuff--Vic Park doesn't believe in scrimping on food at their parties.
     I bumped into Mayor Trevor Vaughn as I was leaving (and trying to hide the extra goodies I was sneaking home with) and he inquired about my turn under the old fig tree. "Well, as soon as I know more words of the national anthem than my Australian born husband does."   That occurred about two weeks after I arrived here.  But don't tell. 
    Well, I'm still not going out to wander in the heat and I am sure I am missing some really cool stuff happening on the river.  But I won't miss tonight's fireworks and I'm glad I didn't miss my little community's appreciation and induction ceremony. Happy Australia Day, everyone.

Australia Day 2012, Perth

    Australia Day, the commemoration of the First Fleet from Britain arriving in Australia, January 26, 1788.  New citizens are sworn in, awards for citizenship handed out, a high school or community band will play.  Nothing more than a day off work for the eastern states but embraced by the residents of Western Australia.
   Usually.    Today the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak.  The temperature today shot up to 107F and most of us simply ducked for cover.  Thursday is my radio show day and I hung out at the air conditioned radio station a whole lot longer than necessary.  Licked a 50 cent soft serve ice cream cone from McDonald's while waiting for an air conditioned bus which dropped me off at the air conditioned grocery store.  Did not pick up any of the traditional lamb chops for holiday grilling but did buy a bouquet of blue,white & red radishes as a show of spirit and a lime to swim in my Tanqueray & Tonic.
   Swimming.    Our property pool was closed seven weeks ago for a lack of signage. You know: depth markers, "Do Not Dive", etc.  Hard to believe that  these simple signs would take two months to get done and posted.  Hard to believe also that the pool manager left the gate near us unlocked.  Easy to believe that upon the aforementioned discovery of pool access, Kev & I went for a quick swim despite the "Pool Closed" signs. Have I mentioned the 107F heat (and we don't have air conditioning?)  Fear not, we weren't noticed and the Cricket game was still on TV when we returned ten minutes later.

    Fireworks.    The highlight of many a celebration ...and easily seen from our balcony so we don't need to stray from home to see the big show.  And a good thing there, too.  Clouds from a far north storm had made it to Perth  (along with Cousin Lightning Bolt) just in time for the beginning of the fireworks. Oh dear, this must have scattered people on the foreshore very quickly.   I REALLY like fireworks and appreciate the music that a sponsoring local radio station provides to heighten the experience.  I daresay it is an underdeveloped art here in OZ.  Rousing patriotic tunes are heard in the U.S. with some shows timed to the music even.  Here in Perth, the music tends to sound entirely incidental.  No more patriotic than Rolf Harris' "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" with a sampling of INXS and AC/DC (What? No Wiggles tune, also?) and more likely to be Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors."  And the music bed ended way before the finale. Oh well.  The rain stopped as soon as the skyshow did, naturally.

     Tomorrow?     We're back to work.   Happy Australia Day, Mates!