G'day viewers!
Ow's it goin? Fit as Malley Bulls? OR Six Sheets To The Wind?

Now I must fess up cobbers, I'm NOT organised at all for this edition as my creativity part of the 'grey matter' has gone 'walk-a-bout!

The last three months have been to say the least BLOODY EXHAUSTING as we have switched camps, you know, moved further up the creek, headed for the hills .........Moved House!

We have cleaned up, packed up, moved out, moved in, unpacked, cleaned, painted, hammered, nailed , shopped and mopped.... and he we are in our new home with an extraordinary view! Well worth the hard yakka but YUP! You guessed it, I have been neglectful of my journalistic responsibilities!

So go ahead ...... TAR AND FEATHER ME ........ wish upon me ......'Mud In Me Eye' or 'Chewy on me boot' ........ OR just enjoy a few meagre bits of Aussie poems, trivia and tid bits ...... It wasn't ALL sawdust between me ears ya know........ There was a bit of light .......... So WITHOUT further ado ...... go to the loo, make up a brew, and lets see what's new .......... There could even be a recipe for a Kangaroo stew!

I would like to share with y'all one of my favourite (possibly EVERY Aussies) favourite poem which was turned into a song and indeed thought of as our UNOFFICIAL National Anthem.

~ WALTZING MATILDA ~

Written by A.B. (Banjo) Paterson

Oh there once was a swagman camped in the billabongs, under the shade of a coolibah tree, And he sang as watched and waited till his billy boiled, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda, me darlin, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Waltzing Matilda and leading a waterbag, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me, Up came the jumbuck to drink at the waterhole, Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee, and he sang as he put him away in his tucker-bag, you'll come a Waltzing Matilda With Me,

Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda, me darlin, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Waltzing Matilda and leading a waterbag, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,

Up came a squatter a- riding his thoroughbred up came policemen one, two and three, Whose is the jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag ? You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,

Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda, me darlin, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Waltzing Matilda and leading a waterbag, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,

Up sprang the swagman and jumped into the waterhole, drowning himself by the coolibah tree, and his voice may be heard as it sings in the billabongs, Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

~ The End ~

Now for some 'Grub'...

If you'd like to please your average 'Ocker' ..... we all know that a way to a blokes heart is through his stomach .... lovingly referred to as GUTS (Usually Cast Iron!) So if ya can't shut him up FILL him up by stuffin his FAVE treat in his cake hole... The famous Aussie
~ 'PAV' ~ Better known as "Classic Pavlova" for all you Culinary experts! Are you ready for some HIGH ROLLIN calories? An instant SUGAR FIX!

Classic Pavlova

• 3 egg whites
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon cornflower
• ¾ cup castor sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form; add castor sugar gradually, beating well after each addition. Make sure sugar is completely dissolved.

Mix together granulated sugar and cornflower, lightly fold into meringue with lemon juice.

Spread on prepared tray.

This mixture makes one 23 cm (9 in.) pavlova or 4 small individual pavlova shells.

Baking in Electric Oven: Large pavlova: bake in slow oven (300 deg F or 150 deg C) 30 to 40 minutes, cool in oven. Small individual pavlovas: bake as for large pavlova.

Baking in Gas Oven: Large pavlova: bake in very slow oven (250 deg F or 120 deg C) 1 hour or until pavlova is dry to touch, cool in oven. Small individual pavlovas: bake in very slow oven (250 deg F or 120 deg C) 45 minutes, cool in oven.

When cool, top with whipped cream and whatever ya fancy on top, fruit, chocolate chips, anything ya like!

Now if that lil number don't win ya man over try his second fave:

Ye ol Faithful Lammie - "THE LAMINGTON"

An Aussie crowd pleaser, great for the girls get together over a cuppa, kids birthday bash, whatever, wherever WHOever, ya can't resist the LAMMIE!

• 4 oz. Butter
• 2 cups self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• ¾ cup castor sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 2 eggs

Beat butter and vanilla together until white, add sugar, beat until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk. When all the ingredients are added, beat mixture lightly until smooth.

Spoon mixture into desired tin which has been greased evenly with melted butter. Bake in moderate oven (350 deg F if gas or 375-400 deg F if electric) for following tin size times:

Deep 7 in round or 6 in square: 1 hr 10 minutes.

Deep 8 in round or 7 ½ in square: 55 minutes.

Test cake after time given; touch top of cake with fingers; if firm, test with a skewer in the thickest part of the cake. If the skewer comes out free from any cake mixture, remove cake from oven. Shake tin gently to make sure the cake is free from the tin. Turn on to wire rack, then, so that rack does not mark top of cake, invert on to another wire rack to finish cooling.

To prepare lamingtons: thinly trim brown top, base and sides from cake, cut cake into 24 even pieces. Hold each piece of cake on a fork. Dip each cake in chocolate icing, then toss in coconut (about ¾ lb.). If desired, place coconut in plastic bag or brown paper bag for easy tossing. Stand on wire rack until icing sets.

Chocolate Icing

• 1 lb. icing sugar
• ½ oz butter
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• ½ cup milk

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into heatproof basin, or into top half of double saucepan. Add softened butter and milk, stir with a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly. Stand over hot water, stir constantly until icing is of good coating consistency. Keep icing over hot water while dipping lamingtons. If icing becomes too thick, add a little extra warmed milk or water.

Hmmmm... NOPE ..... That's it! I'm shakin the scone but ........ it all empty now .... Lights gone out and sawdust is movin in ...... I could leave you all with a little bit of Trivia and maybe a coupla one liners ...... Waddya reckon? Yeah ..... BLOODY OATH!

• "All women in the nineteenth century Australia were excluded from Political Power because they were not allowed to vote or stand for Parliament. Women from all states formed groups and stayed in contact with all other states to FIGHT for the vote and such issues as Women's education and health. They also kept in contact with the groups of women from America and Britain and became MOST active by the 1870's. In South Australia, Catherine Helen Spence 1825 - 1910, an active feminist, writer and public speaker worked with this group to gain the vote for all women within this state over 21. They succeeded in 1894. The first women in Australia to gain the right to vote and to stand for Parliament. Carn the 'Crow Eaters' ...A nick name for South Aussies! Three cheers for our 'Fore Sisters' ... cause without their sheer determination in a most difficult, turbulent and man orientated time, we may not be where we are today!

On a lighter note, I will leave you with a classic one liner :-) "He puts his foot in his mouth SO often he has to floss between his toes!"

Until next time viewers,
Be Good, (If ya can't be good, Be Good at it!)

Yours Sincerely, The Thunder from Down Under,

"Sterling Moon is my favorite specialty coffee!" David E. Brown,
[Billy Joel's former lead guitarist for 11 years] Gloucester, MA

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