shrpshtrjoe wrote:

A Meal fit for a king Very Happy it's good stuff Vince....... Joe Sage makes a big difference with the gravy. I think it's very cool when members get to meet each other like this. There is a good group of people here Joe

Yep...absolutely mouth-watering Joe.

Tanya and her friend decided to pop down to Brisbane from Seoul on their break and spend a couple of weeks with us. As you say, its great when members get together and meet up face to face. One day, I'd love to visit the US...get myself a car and trip around dropping in on all the good folk here.

Cheers, Vince

You're welcome here Vince. Just give me a heads up before you come.

Thanks Hoffy...to yourself and all of the others who have all said the same...your hospitality and friendship is very much appreciated.

My chances of getting to the US are extremely slim...I hate being and old mongrel pensioner...but if ever the opportunity arises I'll be there with beer cooler in hand.

Right now I am trying to deal with yet another loss...Tricia's (my wife) father passed away this morning. That makes four this year...don't know if I can handle anymore friends and relatives passing this year. It's hard being strong for everyone else whilst trying to hold it all together myself.

Oh well, life goes on.

Cheers, Vince

My condolences Vince, I hate to see anyone go through the loss of a loved one. This year has not been kind to you and your family, I suspect the man upstairs is testing you to see if the old grunt has still got it.

There's always room for an Aussie up in Minnesota. I would advise not coming in the winter, about all you will see in the winter is a whole bunch of snow some very cold temperatures, and the inside of a fish house. We won't have to worry about keeping the beer cold, we'll have to drink it fast so it doesn't freeze.

Good luck and stay strong.

Sorry to hear of another loss Vince!!! Let the wife know your family hear is thinking of your family there!!!

Thanks guys...your thoughts and prayers are well received.

Wiersay old mate...yeah...the old grunt still has it...but as the years go by, the soft centre that we all must keep in order to remain a humane human being gets a little softer and a little bigger, and the shell around it a little thinner.

Cheers, Vince

My condolences for the loss Vince.

Also, if you ever going up there, give me a yell, I'll try to steal some time and visit the folks up north..
and maybe got booted out of there in a pinch ..

Thanks Gelan...will definitely call mate if I can ever find a way of getting over there...just think of the mayhem we could cause teogether....WOOHOO

Cheers, Vince

Vince wrote:

Thanks guys...your thoughts and prayers are well received. Wiersay old mate...yeah...the old grunt still has it...but as the years go by, the soft centre that we all must keep in order to remain a humane human being gets a little softer and a little bigger, and the shell around it a little thinner. Cheers, Vince

I know exactly what you mean, it gets harder every day. Then ya look deep and find some of that Infantry armor to hold it together one more time.

Yep....cause ya know its what ya have to do mate...it's a soldier thing.



Cheers, Vince

Grab a pitcher of jungle juice it'll strengthen the armor.
I'd send you the recipe for tanker tea but.....
#1 every time I make it I forget where I am.
#2 I'm guessing you don't have the proper measuring device to get the ingredients in proper proportion anyway (the empty casing from a 105mm tank round).
#3 You probably don't have any tanker sippy cups (the aft cap from a freshly fired 120mm tank round).
Tanker Tea will cure everything.......until you wake up the next afternoon!!!

All my thoughts and prayers are with you and Tricia tonight, I know what it's like in that situation. I lost 4 grandparents and a great-grandparent just 2 years after moving to Oregon. All their friends and relatives just get overwhelming after a while and just when you get a respite from it all another one dies, you feel like you're down for the count! Really you are for a while, till you find the reasons you miss them so much are faded memories of younger days anyway and you decide they really did have a fine time in their day and what the heck we all gotta go sometime and it was just their time to go. Sad how things happen that way, so many at once. I found that my thoughts of the folks that have passed are more wonderful than they ever really were. Your appreciation of them will last forever. I'll be thinking of you two.

Thank you Suzanne for your lovely words, they are very comforting and re-assuring.

You are so right when you say that your thoughts are now more wonderful...I think we seem to remember the good times and not the "not so good"...and that is a good thing.

Cheers, Vince

wiersy111 wrote:

Grab a pitcher of jungle juice it'll strengthen the armor. I'd send you the recipe for tanker tea but..... #1 every time I make it I forget where I am. #2 I'm guessing you don't have the proper measuring device to get the ingredients in proper proportion anyway (the empty casing from a 105mm tank round). #3 You probably don't have any tanker sippy cups (the aft cap from a freshly fired 120mm tank round). Tanker Tea will cure everything.......until you wake up the next afternoon!!!

Ah, no mate...none of the necessary CES for a nice Tanker Tea...but then again...I can always improvise...Adapt and Overcome....Maximus Fleximus

Cheers, Vince

Vince, I wish your family the best in this tough time. I've found that thoughts of my Dad, who passed away in 2005, may start with a tear but always end with a smile.