Perhaps I am doing a little better on this occasion.

Just checked again and it was only 21 July 2016 when I last wrote (here)! Still, it is almost ten months, and quite a bit has happened since then. January this year we had a week long trip to Melbourne for Melissa and Matthew's wedding. Then, In February we headed for India for a Macleay Valley Travel's 19 day tour of India. In a word, fantastic! Then, in May we teamed up with the Pikes, the Morris family and the Andrew family - fourteen in all, counting Sharyn and I. And there is that word again: fantastic. The Sullivan family trip was for a special purpose; Sharyn's scheduled 70th birthday (9 December 2017). Celebrating it on the actual date was impractical for several reasons so May it was. The Pikes and 'we' flew out of Canberra via Sydney for Nadi while the Kiwis flew directly from Christchurch to Nadi. The accommodation at the Sheraton Resort had been booked for several months. Very suitable rooms; probably as good as we have experienced in our travels. Expensive all up, but for Sharyn's purpose it was worth every cent. Bonding was rife, with Mother and daughters in a constant pleasurable state and lapping it up. The sons-in-law caught up in ways which are not normally possible. As for the grandchildren; the copious video and many photos tell most of the story. Cousins who rarely see each other were inseparable and never a cross word was spoken. Skin off here and there due to over-enthusiastic use of entertainment facilities, and there was one case of Delhi-belly. Needless to say there is already intensive planning of future travel, probably involving family groups. Just on week before leaving for Fiji we had a disturbing incident in Sterling. Unsavoury characters, presumably two, thought they could make better use of our cars (the Hyundai and Corolla) than we could. They got into the house unheard by us (in bed), gained access through the garage into the family room and located the keys to both cars and most of the doors in the house. I'll come back to this story shortly (I promise).

Well, there you go then!

Just checked, and it is almost ten years to the day since I last put 'pen to paper' so to speak, at least in the context of blogging. I thought I was on a roll, but it escapes me now. I will dwell on the matter and get back to this sometime within the next ten years; no doubt! No, I am confused, something wrong with my knowledge of this site and I may have already 'been back' in the intervening ten years. I will sort it out and, hopefully, get back to it soon.

Well, that's what I reckon!

Well, that's what I reckon!
... and I am back! Here I am, eighteen months down the track and I am riled. Despite my best intentions I have neglected my undertaking to blog!

Where was I? I came back aboard for a reason - just have to recall what it was. I am primed with a number of "dark and stormies" (for the unitiated, that is copious amounts of Bundy with lashings of ginger beer - good quality stuff - Cascade in fact!). I've been watching the news, on Channel 10 of all places. It is a channel that I don't have a lot of respect for but by accident I happened to be tuned in this afternoon. I must watch it occasionally because I recognised their weatherman. Is his name Ron ....? He is magic. Someone just has to grab him and put him up on a reputable TV channel. He is really entertaining! No, I am not his brother, nor his father, nor even his cousin. I don't even know his name, but I recognise a talent and he is one just waiting to be plucked. Get your finger out Channel 9! ... or the ABC!

An update!

I decided to visit and add something to my deplorable attempt to date!

I was considering an incident which seriously recently affected our friend's family. The incident related to a practice which our friend believes is more prevalent in Australia than it is in other parts of the World and which has inadequate legislative barriers in Australia to its perpetuation. I refer to the use of mercury as a preservative for the purpose of extending the shelf-life of certain vaccines used in the treatment of autism (and perhaps other vaccines for all I know!!!).

I hadn't developed my thoughts sufficiently to deal with the topic and my mind wandered to other things. In the process curiosity lead me to another blogg-site. I was impressed by the site and scanned it cursorily. I was absolutely amazed to find references to the very matter that had engaged my attention only minutes before, notwithstanding that I had not heard of the problem except the incident affecting the grandchildren of our friends. And, I might add, the subject had been treated much more thoroughly than I could possibly have done, and with authoritative links to boot.

My mind is still spinning. If I have got your attention - go to mikemcclary.blogspot.com and check it out. Also explore the relevant links! Good work Mike!

A little more about me!

Well, basically I'm tired, like in "slack". Evidence, the fact that it has been two weeks now since I started this blog and I haven't written a word. Also inclined to be lazy, averse to solid research. More inclined to just "reckon" so my words should not be taken at face value but more as a jogger to hopefully strike a chord with like-minded, but not so lazy, people. I detest reports, or news stories, which raise more questions than they answer and I am inclined to draw attention to these. Don't waste my time and yours by chastising me for these basic flaws - too late to teach an old dog new tricks.
Over and out!

A very little about me. Ask!

Well, this is the launching!!

I'll formulate some views and get back to you soon - and hopefully express them without fear or favour!