[AussieTH]

Hi Gang,

I just wanted to take some time out to wish you all a really great day on a day that is so important to you all. Put in a real good one!

Also to thank you for the help and friendship that I have been so freely given since joining these forums. It has been appreciated more than can be really expressed.

We have nothing similar down here! I reckon that when Oz got independence it just took it so saw no cause to celebrate what was seen as a right.

Similarly we had no real Civil War. Probably the closest we got was the Eureka Stockade bash – but that was really not much more than a souped-up OK Corral event I suppose! Any civil war is probably an on-going event around here– especially at weekends in the local bars in the country. The guys seldom bring their horses into town but damn they are hard bastards who know what a day’s work and a real thirst is!

Anyway you all have a great time and look back with pride on your nation’s achievements.

Aye

Tony

[Ratdog68]

Gonna broil up a nice thick, juicy steak on the grill... have some good ol' chips-n-dip, some steamed cauliflower with cheese sauce, and some good ol' cold ones. Yer a credit to yer countrymen. :)

[bigbadgun]

Thanks Tony
We are bbqing up a mess of ribs and chicken and some ice cold beers. And some homemade fireworks. About the same as M80s. God I love black powder lol.:banghead: I am gonna open a Foster and think about or holy black breatheren down under. CHEERS MATE

[BHP FAN]

Thanks,good on ya,mate!

[Ginormous]

Wow, no Independence, Dominion, or Australia Day? Not that a proper Aussie needs a reason to drink, but it seems to me that you guys are getting short shrift. Demand one!

Don't forget Canada Day, which was this July 1st. Seems they slipped theirs in a few days before ours.

Anyway AussieTH, you're more than welcome to share ours with your countrymen. I'm sure Canada would be willing to share theirs as well. The more, the merrier!

[jmaubin]

thanks tony that's very kind of you to say

[Smokin_Gun]

Thanks Aussie good on ya mate ...

[madcratebuilder]

Thanks Tony! Looking forward to BBQ chicken and corn on the cob. A few 'blanks' from the Walker to start the fire works off.

[DoubleDeuce 1]

Thanks Aussie! Happy Birthday to us all.

[armoredman]

Barbequing a steak, having a few Miller Genuine Drafts, and broccoli with cheese sauce. Also birthday cake - it's my son's birthday, too!

[Ratdog68]

My boy became a papa this morning !!!

"Ripley" is my boy
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv134/Ratdog68/Horses/Foal/Groomed001.jpg
"Honey" is the mama
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv134/Ratdog68/Horses/Foal/Momma001.jpg
We paired 'em up on the 5th of July last year... and this morning... "Independance" FINALLY decided to arrive !!!
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv134/Ratdog68/Horses/Foal/Burp.jpg
Not only did she arrive on the 4th, but was more than a LITTLE "late", she arrived when she was darned good and ready to. She was due on about the 10th of June.
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv134/Ratdog68/Horses/Foal/IndependanceAndHoney.jpg

Does 'zat make me a g'pa? :evil:

[Ginormous]

Hell of a day, huh? Momma looks relieved, and the filly, looks, well, like her momma. Congratulations grandpa! Did you assist in the delivery?

[Smokin_Gun]

I hope you name it "July" 4th, or Firecracker :O) Congrads Ratdog...

[Ratdog68]

LOL Just got the word... "he"... is a "she". Apparently the original was an assumption... they just decided to "check and see". LOL

As far as I know... she's keeping "Independance" as her name... and, it figures... as the song says... "Waitin' on a woman..." (she was due on the 10th of June).

I'm 175 miles away... din't get to be part of the morning's festivities first hand... so, I'm celebrating her arrival the best I can from here.

[Ginormous]

175 miles away from anything sounds remote. Whatcha got you can't shoot in Seattle? Some 400 gr salutes or sumpin'? :evil:

[Ratdog68]

The herd and girls are in a rural part of WA State... believe me... I'm tempted to load some 777 down the barrel of the .54 and light 'er off tonight. Unfortunately... all these Obamanazis living around me would have the local constabulary kickin' my door in in short order if I did.

[NobleSniper]

Congrats on the new Colt..........good looking family there. I am hoping to have some horses of my own if I can get the place I am looking at :)

[Ginormous]

Congrats on the new Colt filly..........

There I fixed it for you. We don't wanna look ignernt or nuttin'. ;)

[NobleSniper]

I am glads you did............I logged off , got halfway out to the garage and came back in to change it. :banghead::banghead::cool:

[Ratdog68]

I'd posted up the news before I got a text message that they'd forgotten to lift the hood and check the oil... and had assumed it was a colt initially. We've been going on that assumption since colts usually have a longer gestation period than do phillies (takes longer to cook a weenie is the joke). Then about an hour later, had to edit the post when I got the news they'd lifted the hood and found out for sure. :evil:

Anywho... thanks all... I'm pretty excited about the new kid on the block.

[bonza]

Australia does have a few days to celebrate: Australia Day (January 26th), ANZAC Day (April 25th).....& how about The Melbourne Cup (first Tuesday in November)!! Plus Australians get more long weekends than anybody else I know. However, no fireworks, they went away (for private use) when I was a kid in the 1970s.....damn pinkos! Australia isn't independent, but they did recieve nation-hood in 1901, they are still a Constitutional Monarchy.

[4v50 Gary]

Thank you very much Tony. I'm glad we've got cousins at the other side of both ponds.

Ratdog - congratulations on the new filly.

[arcticap]

Our Independence was a beacon of freedom for the whole world.
We're all in this together, one for all and all of one! ;)


ANZUS

Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/50/ANZUS_map.PNG/200px-ANZUS_map.PNG

The Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS or ANZUS Treaty) is the military alliance which binds Australia and New Zealand and, separately, Australia and the United States to cooperate on defense matters in the Pacific Ocean area, though today the treaty is understood to relate to attacks in any area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANZUS