Penniedarling

 Confusing...
I don't have an Opal Card yet,    I've ordered one so just waiting.  Now buying a ticket from a Ticket Machine on the Railway Station is hard work, I won't go on but trust me it is just a tad confusing!

Funny...
We arranged to meet Nerys, Jack and Charlie in the second front carriage where Jack was playing Pokemon on his Mum's phone and when we sat down he found a Pokemon on David's arm, it was a two headed animal!  Weird eh!  Especially when David has no idea of how to play.

Hurty...
Walking up and down stairs, along long tunnels, up and down more stairs makes a person's sore leg even sorer!  I took a very low dose of Endone with me just in case... it was needed!

Memorable...
The Fromelles Commemorative Service, in Hyde Park was indeed Memorable and moving.

Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty Three (5,533)  young men lost their lives at Fromelles.

The Holy Family Choir sang several Hymn's in between several speeches.

Darren Mitchell was Master of Ceremonies.

 Premier Mike Baird gave an excellent speech.

Major General Gus Gilmore from the Australian Army gave a very clear and moving speech.  (Are high ranking Army Officers getting younger and younger or is this just from a mature age woman... hang on a minute, Doctors are getting younger as well...  and...  Oh I see! I think I get it...  It must be me!)

Nicolas Croizer, Consul-General of France covered WW1 and the three attacks on France in the past 18 months very movingly and of course in a very heavy french accent.

 Piper Jim Braid played the Lament during the Wreath Laying Ceremony.

 Several Wreaths were laid, here's L to R, Gus Gilmore, Nicolas Croizer and Mike Baird laying their wreaths.

One of the wreaths with Dame Marie Bashir on right.

The Last Post was played by Bugler Terry McCleary along with the Fire and Rescue NSW Band.

Pastor Bob Durbin gave a Prayer and Blessing.

 Mr Jim Munro from Families and Friends of the First A.I.F. closed the Centenary Memorial.

Musical...
I sang the French National Anthem in La la la's and I sang the Australian National Anthem word perfect out loud and clear!

Interesting...
 After the Service I stopped a man walking past and asked him if he would mind taking a photo of us all, he was not only very helpful... he suggested we move so the Sun wasn't behind us, but he was very interesting as well.
 I told him we were there to Remember my second Cousin who had died at Fromelles and he told me that he was 67 years old and his father had been in WW1 when he was 18 years old!   I had to think about that, I am almost 71 years old and my Father was in WW2!  Both my Grandfathers were in WW1 and about the same age as this man's father.
 He then told me that his father had been 50 when he was born... so that makes sense but this man, who's name I didn't get,  must be quite unusual!   Anyway... this is one of the photos he took.
 David, Remy, Gwilym, Pennie, Charlie, Jackson and Nerys.

Yummy...
On Gwilym's advice we headed down Liverpool Street to a great Sushi Train called Yamaki,  we needed 7 seats and even though this Restaurant was packed we were seated at our own table in only a couple of minutes.    Nerys and Gwil and Jack and Charlie all headed to the Sushi Train and bought back plates laden with wonderful foods... David ordered a collection of cooked little nibbles, he's not comfortable eating raw foods.

Loving...
Watching Jack and Charlie looking out for Remy as we walked along footpaths full of busy lunch time crowds was a joy then lots and lots of hugs and kisses as we parted at Museum Station.

Historical...
Have you ever spent time wandering the tunnels of Museum Station, it's really wonderful and in great condition with some fun advertisements on the Platform...  here's some photos I took last time we were at Museum Station it is still the same today.




Lastly to the Kind...
I don't know if you have ever seen me in action but I love to catch the eye of a stranger and have a quick chat, I did it 4 times today.  The first was a man I was sitting next to at Turramurra Station waiting for our train.  I laughed when I heard the announcement that the next train arriving on Platform 2 would be going to Hornsby etc.  I said to this man... 'That's the 8th train heading to Hornsby since I've been sitting here and we are waiting for the second heading to Wynard',  he just nodded.

The man sitting opposite me on the train opened his iPad so I asked him if he was playing Pokemon, he laughed and we had a little chat.

To the lady trying to get past us and the three boys as we headed up Liverpool St,  I said... Those boys are so wonderful looking out for their younger cousin... and that started a little chat which was fun.

Then when we got to Turramurra Station, the hurty leg sat down on the Taxi Rank seats when a man beside me said, 'Are you waiting for a Taxi?'  I told him no, my husband was getting our car because I had a sore leg.  'I was going to offer to share if you were,' he replied.
He said he'd booked a Taxi but it was hard to get Taxi's at this time because it was Change Over time.  I asked him where he was going and he said North Turramurra,  just then his Taxi arrived and we said goodbye but after a chat with the driver he came back... I asked him what had happened and he said the Taxi Driver wouldn't take him because Canberra Avenue was only a short trip and he wasn't interested in taking short trips, this is illegal but it happens often apparently and there is little the prospective passenger can do.

I offered to give him a lift and he said his mother was waiting in the Coffee shop and if I was sure he would go and get her... David arrived and along came the man with a very elderly lady using a walking stick... we introduced ourselves to Susan and Ivan who we discovered were from Armenia. We settled Susan into our car, Ivan headed to the Station and work at the Opera House but before he left he handed me this delicious loaf of Spinach, Cheese and Pine nut Bread, see below...  we drove Susan, who was absolutely delightful,  home to Canberra Avenue and here I am Blogging!

It's Been a FUN Outing :-)
P.S.  Nerys just rang to tell me that when they were continuing to enjoy the City and walk down to Circular Quay they were amazed to discover many many many groups of adults in suits and so on playing Pokemon in Hyde Park LOL  You gotta love Pokemon... then as they headed to Macquarie Street they heard sirens, Police Helicopters, saw heaps of Police and Ambulance Officers, they stopped to ask what was going on and were told it was Joe Biden  :-)

Boy oh boy it was a FUN Day wasn't it!

Labels: Bishop, Food, Griffiths Family, Sydney, WW1