Brisbane emerged from a shotgun Lockdown to an Easter of rain. And it’s still raining. Apologies to all those (un)happy campers out there but I’ve loved it. Rain, as well as being good for the garden, slows you down. It limits your activity options. Yay.
And the garden is thriving. Pumpkins and rockmelons galore.
Read Daniel Keighran’s autobiography for Bookclub, Courage Under Fire. Keighran was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award in the Australian honours system, “ For the most conspicuous acts of gallantry and extreme devotion to duty in action in circumstances of great peril at Derapet, Uruzgan province, Afghanistan, as part of the Mentoring Task Force One on Operation SLIPPER” on 24 August 2010.”
This young man is only a few years older than my daughters. The message I took from his story is that despite being brought up in abject poverty within a dysfunctional family – and we’re talking with a capital D – he was able to make something of himself to ensure a better life.
The book is dedicated to his grandfather who was a softly spoken, self contained gentleman who served in WW2 and provided gentle guidance in young Dan’s life. He passed away only months before notification of the award.
Based on a true story, the movie 0n Wings Of Eagles takes up where Chariots of Fire left off with Scottish athlete Eric Liddell having won gold for Britain at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Liddell, played by Joseph Fiennes, returns to his birthplace, China, to follow in the footsteps of his missionary parents. As World War 2 looms the Japanese invasion of China in 1937 brings great hardship to the locals and Liddell sends his family off to Canada to safety whilst he continues to minister at a school and is imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp. Enduring dreadful conditions Liddell remains a leader of men, providing lessons to the children in camp, and by his patient endurance.
Released in 2016 this movie is often bleak though there are also moments of great beauty. Fiennes has never been on my radar because of the “hungry look” about him. I’ve always thought he could do with some of my Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pud. It works well for him here.
Brizzy Mays Books and Bruschetta 
Your garden looks good!
LikeLike
😀
LikeLike
Love the book recommendation – sounds like a good read! I didn’t know there was a sequel to Chariots of Fire… I’ll have to see if it is available on netflix!!
LikeLike
The movie is certainly worth seeing. What a fascinating man though I have questions about the men ( and women) who put others before their own families. It seems so often the case with those who are truly “great”. Puts me right out of the running.
LikeLike
Always reading great books, aren’t you. The garden’s looking great. Are your bird and animal friends hiding in this rain?
LikeLike
Three wallabies this morning – they are bringing their joeys – but the birds ate thin on the ground. Enough grubs coming out of the ground I suspect:)
LikeLike
Sounds like an interesting book, I’ll have to check it out. I also didn’t there was a follow up movie to Chariots of Fire, so will look out for that as well.
LikeLike
The movie is worth seeing – Eric Liddell must have been a truly inspiring man. The book about the young VC winner ? Jillian, I’m pretty unshockable but this fella’s home life was appalling. Where were Community Services? I did not know people in coastal Qld lived in humpies with dirt floors!!!!
LikeLike
Your garden is flourishing. The rain has does wonders, but enough is enough for a while, getting very soggy. I agree about the rain slowing us down. Good excuse to read books and other sedentary things. But isn’t it great to see the sun this morning🌞
LikeLike
Just picked our first rockmelon and pumpkin. The others have rotted in the rain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had a couple of shrubs curled up their toes and drowned. Need this sun to dry things out.
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
With the kids grown and gone, Easter for us is more like fathers day in San Francisco….very quiet.
LikeLiked by 1 person