Patriot Realm

I have been moved to write about one of the world's most iconic food staples - the Hamburger. It all started when I read that Woolworths is about to stop purchasing locally grown fruit from Australian canneries and, instead, buy imported Chinese and South African products.

A few years ago, I went down to see my daughter at Redhead's place ( Mum for those of you who don't know that ) and we sat around chatting, yarning on and convened the knitting circle of " Memory Lane. "

It was not your average 4 generational conversation, but we are not your average family. We are a family of strong men. Strong women and very well behaved children. One of the younger generation attended our meeting of the minds. 13 years old. It must have been an eye opener.

 We tallked about the architecture of Prague, the failure of the judicial system; the insanity of the vaccine mandates; the lunacy of stirring up racial divides; the rainfall this year and the prettiness of pink shoes.

We moved on to the joy of  sharing our lives with pets. We wandered down mossy pathways of memories long forgotten yet resurrected through our shared familial memory.

We talked about the past, the present and the future.

On June 6, 1944, the world witnessed an extraordinary event that changed the course of World War II. Known as the Normandy Landing, or D-Day, it marked the largest amphibious invasion in human history. 

The Normandy Landing was the result of months of meticulous planning and preparation by Allied forces. Under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a multinational coalition consisting of American, British, Canadian, and other Allied troops including Australian, came together to devise an audacious plan. The objective was to establish a foothold in Nazi-occupied France and initiate the liberation of Western Europe.

In the stories from history, certain events stand out as extraordinary displays of human resilience and solidarity.

One such event is the evacuation of Dunkirk during World War II.

Against all odds, the allied forces executed a remarkable rescue mission that saved hundreds of thousands of lives and altered the course of the war. The operation, known as the "Miracle of Dunkirk," remains etched in our collective memory as a testament to the indomitable spirit of humanity in the face of adversity.

It happened early in World War II between the end of May and the beginning of June 1940.

As German forces rapidly advanced through France, over 400,000 Allied soldiers found themselves trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk. The situation was dire, with the enemy closing in and the prospects of escape looking bleak. It was a pivotal moment in the war, and the fate of the Allied forces hung in the balance.

I have just spoken with my Mum about my Dad and we have enjoyed a trip down memory lane about Old Times. It is his birthday today and while he is not longer with us, he is still very much part of our lives. As much as he has gone, he is still with us. Everyday. While we, as a family, mourn his passing some years ago, we still celebrate his life. 

When it is his birthday or the anniversary of his passing; when I am feeling lonely or in need of guidance or help – I just reach out and lo and behold, a connection happens and I get a FEELING, a wondrous gift… It does not matter who your loved one is – talk with them and share with them. Stay in touch. Keep the lines of communication open . 

On my Dad’s important days, I do something I know he would like. It might be eating a “ goodie “ – his term for an indulgence like  a creamy doughnut full of real cream and strawberry jam. Later, I must confess, I drink the forbidden fruit of alcohol and overindulge and wake up the next morning telling him it was all his fault…. Strange how he rarely responds to me with an answer on those occasions.…. except to tell me it was my own bloody fault and not to blame him.

The difference between life and death is a millisecond. How can one fraction of a second suddenly dictate that this loving friendship is over?  All that has happened is that we have lost the telephone line, the internet or the postal service. We just find a new way of staying in touch.

In a 2016 interview with photographer Steven Edson, CNN asked, “What makes a car sexy?”

Edson replied, “It’s because a lot of the parts of those cars are, in fact, sexy.” He cited the taillights on the 1959 Cadillac Series 62, which he described as “like rare ruby earrings.”

Most of today’s cars, however, Edson lamented, are “homogenous” and offer little of interest to the photographer.

Enter Elon Musk. In 2019, the Tesla Model Y completed the company’s long-awaited “S3XY” family of models – the S3Xyest cars on the road today. That’s one major reason they sold well. Even so, Carscoops admitted that whether Tesla’s S3XY family was sexy remained up for debate.

Maybe the sex appeal of the electric vehicle is wearing off. Tesla is slashing prices, Ford cut back production of its electric pickup and cut the price of its Mustang Mach-E, and General Motors is looking at bringing back plug-in hybrids. Even the EPA is toying with extending the timetable for the total phaseout of non-electric vehicles.