I Know You I Danced With You Once Apon a Dream...For Ellen

My cousin just asked how I met my husband. What dragged a girl from New England all the way over to the other side of the world? Well here goes. Oprah move over because I have my own story. lol!

In 1991 when the first Gulf War began, my sister Cat began the first cookie/letter campaign. As my first husband put 20 years in the military I knew it was important for the troops to receive letters from home. And Cat nagged at me until I sat down to write. What I actually did was make homemade greeting cards and send them off to the APO to 'any service person'. The result was that I ended up corresponding with 11 people and was delighted when they all returned home safe and sound. But, I found that I missed corresponding.

About a month later I was shown an ad for International Pen Friends in the newspaper. I sat down and sent a letter off to them. They sent me back about 6 people to write to. From the first I knew that the one from Tasmania was a special man. He was a widow just like me. He had 2 children and lived in a rural setting. We had a lot in common except I had no children. We started to correspond. The letters got longer and the phone calls started. An expensive exercise but worth it.

In 1994 Tony braved it and came over to see me. It was New Years Eve when he arrived. I had a tiny apartment in Hollidaysburg, PA. I had moved back down there the year before. It was incredible. Like we had always been together. No strangeness - no qualms. We fit together. As Tony waited to board a return flight he asked me to 'make haste and come to Tasmania.' He wanted to marry me.

I got myself in order. Applied to Australian Immigration - a lengthy process - and on July 8, 1995 I left for Tasmania. We were married on Jan. 4, 1996. A beach wedding with Irish musicians and lots of laughing and dancing. Only thing missing was my family from home. But Mom and Cat called me and they timed it for right after the ceremony.

We have been married for 13 years now and he is the kindest, sweetest, gentle - man that I have ever met. And he makes me laugh. All the time. So, I am where I am supposed to be. I believe that. And I gained the 2 children I thought I would never have- as a bonus. So, yes, I am old enough to have those children, Ellen. lol!

Anyway, thanks for asking and I know that you know that their is more to the story - like telling Mom I was moving...but we will save that for another time.

Love you,

Lin

No Matter Where I Roam

The longer that I am living in Australia - the more aware I am of my roots. I miss New England. Four definite seasons that you could count on bringing their own holidays and fun. Ever-changing scenery. I am not complaining about Tassie. Tassie is widely unspoiled and has the mountains, the sea, rivers, lakes and breath-taking rainbows on a regular basis. I find this amusing as I often feel that I have flown over the rainbow to be here. Hello Dorothy. And who doesn't love a good rainbow or feel the pull of it's magic?

More than I miss the location of my birth - I miss those who were a part of my life. Helped mold my charecter. Knew me from the beginning. Who understand how I came to be exactly who I am. I miss my blood relatives. I miss that feeling of kinship and looking at a person whose eyes stare back at you with the same shape and color. Or have a similar forehead, the deviated septum or the crooked grin. Family. Immediate or extended. We look at them and often know ourselves better. "A hundred year old photograh stares out from a frame - and if you look real close - you'll see our eyes are just the same."

Thanks to the internet and Facebook in particular - I have reconnected with a great deal of my extended family at the same time as I keep up with my immediate family. The extended family had also moved away from their roots. Of course they are all in the same country but America can be pretty vast sometimes. It is as easy to be parted for years there as it is to be parted for years here.

This week I feel blessed. I also feel sad, glad - like laughing and crying all at the same time. I have so much catching up to do with the people who knew me when. And a further blessing in finding the family has expanded to so many beautiful people - of all ages. Yes, I have been blessed.

I have many thoughts about this swirling in my head but I need to sort them out before I write again. And I will write again because I have been inspired by a cousin I thought was lost but now is found. Thank you, Ellen.

May we all be blessed with family we love - who if lost - are found once again.

Long Time Gone

I have been away for a long time but I hope to get back to blogging again on a regular basis. Right now we are flu city in this house. So, between bouts of coughing I am going to get this blog sorted out.

Famers and Makers Market

Tomorrow Cygnet is hosting a Famers and Markers Market just like the old days. There will even be a parade with the past Apple Queens. I have been busy as ever getting ready for it. My friend and I have taken a stall at the market.

The market is being held at Burton's Reserve so there will be loads of space. There will be food stalls as well as craft. There will me music through out the day so it promises to be fun. At least we will be entertained.

I spoek several times with the people in charge. They are hoping to make this an on-going market which would be great for our area. It won't exactly be a Salamanca Market but it could be very good. Right now it is being run in conjunction with Ten Days of the Island. So they are getting heaps of publicity.

I have noticed that it is very difficult to get in to some of the blogs since this change over and have had some emails from people saying that couldn't get in to some blogs. One of those is Foodkitty. So Foodkitty - Leolady in particular sends a big hello and says are you aware of the problem getting to read your blog. And of course - a big hello from me.

Back to packing up goods and I will report back on how the market went. Pray it doesn NOT rain, please.

Be Afraid - Be Very Afraid

I have just spent most of the last two days thinking that it was 2008. Now where the heck is that coming from? I think it is because I have not had a cigarette in the last 48 plus hours. My brain and any thought process is always the very first thing to go. We're in big trouble now!

We went down to the art show in Cygnet, "Watermark". I had no entries this year nor did hubbie have any sculpture or photography on exhibit. Then we went to the 'Bottom Pub' to try their cappacino and the pastry that was on offer. Nothing really special. I had some lemon cheesecake and hubbie had some several layered chocolate cake and cream combo. We would have done better to go to 'Lotus' or 'Divinge' or better yet - 'theapplefactory'. There are so many places in our little area to get coffee that no one could ever suffer from lack of choice. But as this is Regatta Weekend as well as the Taste of the Huon weekend and the start of Watermark exhibit - all the places were pretty full. You couldn't get even a look in at the Red Velvet Lounge.

I'm not really complaining. I say good for all the owners. It is a job you have to love or no sane person would own a restaurant.

Blackberry Time

The blackberries are in overload. We noticed it last night when we went for a wander on our property. I just had to go down to the lower 40 this morning and pick a big bowl full. Since hubbie killed a snake last week I decided to take Ms. Taffy with me. She is about 80 pounds right now (and still under 6 months) and decent protection. She found the snake last week and barked at it until hubbie came over and investigated so I figured she would do me proud today if I needed her. Instead she ate blackberries. lol!

They were so beautiful that I only had to give them a little rinse and then in the fridge they went until tea time. I did sneak one or two and shared a few with Taffy but I showed great self-restraint. And there are heaps more to pick. But I was taking my life in my hands by going down to where they are - without hubbie. I did take the mobile just in case I tripped or my foot gave out though.

A hint - never cut up banana slices to mix in with the blackberries. The banana has a stronger taste that almost over-powered the blackberries. Next picking will be just blackberries for icecream topping and to compliment the museli. But I needed to use up some bananas fast. Does anyone else have a problem when they buy bananas from Purity? Mine seem to ripen quickly when I get them there. Then I end up with too many ripe at once.

So - between card making and blackberry picking and window washing - my day went by quickly. Hey Foodkitty -please note that I blogged along with card making! lol!

theapplefactory

Today we took a girlfriend who is having surgery -out to morning tea. We went to a new place that we have been watching get ready to open. It is on the outskirts of Cygnet, Tasmania and is called theapplefactory.

Theapplefactory is actually a working orchard that has belonged to one family for over 145 years. There are 13,000 fruit trees. Not just apple but pear and peaches. You can have a guided tour of the orchard or just have morning tea in a lovely setting. They have converted the original farm house into a cozy tea house with attached gift shop.

The people were very friendly and not just because we were locals. The food looked incredible. I got a slice of double chocolate cheesecake that about did me in. It was sinful it was so rich. And the presentation - which my husband will tell you is vital (even if it is fish and chips) - was beautiful. The over sized plate held an enormous slice of cheesecake with a light layer of rich chocolate sauce and cream as well as rose petals and a leaf. Beautiful and almost a shame to touch. Of course, I didn't let that stop me. lol! I had to take some of it home as I couldn't eat it all.

One friend had a slice of apricot cheesecake and the other - the biggest rum ball I have ever seen. We all had coffee. The setting was perfect for good conversation and we exclaimed over all the treasures around us. Beautiful quilts handmade by locals graced the walls, as well as little shadow boxes and legends. Family photos helped everyone connect with the owners.

Cygnet is lovely all the time but with apple picking not far off I would highly recommend a visit to this great tea house. Experience the world of primary producers and wallow in a bit of history. The pumpkin lasagna and meat pot pie looked worthy of a try and the pastries will make you salivate. There is a lot more on the menu to tempt you.

It was a wonderful way to spend a few hours. and it cheered our friend no end and took her mind off her surgery. What more could you ask for?

They have a website: www.theapplefactory.com.au

Dont' Come Back From Deadman's Curve Or something Like It

My baby brother runs a towing service and has for 20 years. He is very experienced at it. The other day he got a call and had no other driver to send so he went on the call. A fuel truck for home fuel had broken down. Of course, it was blocking traffic so he got right on it. As he was adjusting something inside the truck in order to hook it up - some woman decided she had waited long enough. She put the pedal to the metal and headed straight for him. She connected.

The only thing that saved him was fast reflex action. Plus, he lifts weights and tow truck chains on a daily basis. He is a large physical specimen. She ran over his foot and took out his shoulder and hand. Then she drove away.

Over people were stopped and someone called 911. They caught her. She was arrested and charged with 'hit and run'. I figure attempted murder about covers it.

I am just furious. What is happening to our society that people think it okay to suffer road rage. I drove those highways for a number of years. I was caught - more than once- in-between exits on the interstate for as long as four hours. Where the nearest exit was only 2 miles away but you couldn't gain entry - and I never once went in to road rage. What is so important in peoples lives that they get so mad that they try to run an innocent party down? It is sick. And a testament to our society.

I hope this woman is extremely grateful that she didn't kill someone. She could never claim it was an accident. It was deliberate. And lucky for her that she didn't kill him or she would have had some righteous anger flowing down on her by our brother's four siblings and assorted family. I hope she is grateful but I fear there was no lesson learned.
Today I feel that as a society we don't need to worry about terrorists - we are imploding. And why isn't anyone noticing. Nothing is more important than a human life. Certainly not running late for an appointment.