Rant n Rave

The last few weeks have been interesting and eventful with regard to family, some light and breezy but some very sad and heavy. I'll start with the very sad and heavy loss of my cousin Dion's daughter; tragically killed in a motor accident, not far from home on Good Friday.

Ronnie and I only met cousin Dion's very talented and delightful wife Tracy, beautiful daughter Taylor and handsome son Miles, back in August 2011 for the first time when we visited Canada. I am not one to be easily impressed but I must say that this family is truly unique (in my experience). So close, loving and supportive to and of one another, they not only welcomed us into their home and their lives but made time to get to know us by spending quality time with us. Taylor really took a shine to Ronnie. ('Groggy Ronnie' Dion would quip much to Ronnie's absolute delight, she does love her port.). Taylor turned 21 in February this year and whilst physically young, I couldn't help but feel a much older and wiser spirit residing within. I would often see this in a smile and also in the way she carried herself, with poise and grace well beyond her years. The family... Dion, Tracy and Miles have handled the tragedy with great strength and dignity by choosing to celebrate Taylor's life rather than mourn their loss. They are an inspiration to me and others, I love them dearly!

Son-in-law Brett's transfer to Nanago was finalised and the move took place a couple of weeks ago. This is great for all of us as we now live within a two hour drive of our children and they, with each other. I'll include a few photo's at the end of this blog. We went to visit within a few days of them moving in, no chance to settle or even finish unpacking before we made ourselves at home. I love the rural setting and even though the weather wasn't great, it was nice to wander down to the dam for an hour or so. We stayed overnight and yes it will be very cool during winter but it's nice to rug up a bit from time to time, it could be quite cosy and romantic in the firelight with a little mood music and a soft mellow port in hand. Hhmmm, might have to move in for the winter.

Facebook, what a wonderful social network along with Twitter. I put both to (good) use over the last few days with an attempt to help my daughter-in-law Natalie in her quest to assist a family with a very sick child.

Here is a copy of Natalie's Facebook plea;

On the 22nd of April, Tobias, his little brother Elijah, and parents Julia & Brian flew out of Victoria funded by Make a Wish Foundation for an awesome QLD holiday! Many fantastic memories stored for a lifetime were created for the Vizard family!

Sadly, Tobes took a turn for the worse and is currently staying at a Brisbane hospital, unable to get home to the Royal Children's (Melbourne) to the people that have been with him since the very start (The BEST PLACE HE CAN BE IS MELBOURNE!!!!)

Heartbreakingly, Make a wish insurance company AND Queensland government have refused to fly him out!!!!! BUT SkyMed will fly him out for ten thousand in a pressurized cabin.

Julia was asked this morning if we could put the word out to help them get home: we got one reply:

'Please... Don't let him die here...'

ANYONE WHO CAN HELP - PLEASE DO.. DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE, WHO KNOWS SOMEONE? PLEASE SHARE, PLEASE. CAN YOU HELP? AND NO THIS ISN'T A SCAM - I know this little boy!!!!

JULIA has asked that funds be donated to my personal account - and she thanks you from the bottom of her heart: Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou :)
Erin E Foster
CBA:
BSB: 06 35 30
ACCT: 10 36 06 79

PLEASE LEAVE 'TOBIAS' as a reference :)

BRING THEM HOME YOU AWESOME PEOPLE!!!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Leanne is the mother of a special little boy with HLHS the same as Cameron's. Please share this post and help a family in need. Families need to stick together!!!! Good luck Julia and family xo

Cameron is my grandson (Natalie's youngest child). He is brave, happy and most of all - AWESOME!!

Cameron

Of course for every positive there is a negative and the social media is great place to start strife with a few 'Chinese whispers' such as the number of hackers who post pornography in 'your name'. A more recent case in point was a local (Queensland Australia) 'FB flame' between friends over 'Proposed New Motorcycle Laws/Legislation'. Of course there was no formal evidence of any proposed change but this didn't deter the nay sayers  from attempting to recruit supporters for a proposed protest of strength. Things quickly went from the sublime to the ridiculous when some common sense was suggested with the nay sayers emphatic maligning of the others intelligence, heritage, gender etc. and concluding with statements that persons had fought and died for the freedoms and rights to express one's ?????? - Well! true enough, we do all have the right to express ourselves? Nowhere is this confined to cohesive intelligence. Amazing how a little research can put everything in perspective.

We saw where this can lead with the events that took place in London in the latter half of 2011 with an enormous amount of violence and costly destruction by protesters. All protests start as peaceful but it only takes a handful of mindless agitators to turn the event into dangerous anarchy.

The Rant n Rave, now for the Nanango Photos;