Happy Australia Day!!!

To all the Aussies that I know - friends, family and colleagues - a very Happy Australia Day to you.

I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating - a shrimp on the barbee, perhaps? Some fun in the sun, spent on the beach? (Assuming there is sun where you are - we have been having rain all day!).

I've been an Australian for about 12 years now and I'm grateful that this country has accepted me into it's fold. For the most part, I do think of myself as an Australian and I'm making the transition to supporting the Aussie sports teams when they play (although I confess to a fondness for a certain Swiss tennis player!)

For those of you who do now know what Australia Day is all about, here's what Wikipedia says about it: (I've just copied this directly from Wikipedia, so I've left the links intact).

Australia Day (previously known as Anniversary Day, Foundation Day, and ANA Day)^[1] is the official national day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, the date commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788 and the proclamation at that time of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of New Holland.^[2]
Although it was not known as Australia Day until over a century later, records of celebrations on 26 January date back to 1808, with the first official celebration of the formation of New South Wales held in 1818. It is presently an official public holiday in every state and territory of Australia and is marked by the presentation of the Australian of the Year Awards on Australia Day Eve, announcement of the Honours List for the Order of Australia and addresses from the Governor-General and Prime Minister. With community festivals, concerts and citizenship ceremonies the day is celebrated in large and small communities and cities around the nation. Australia Day has become the biggest annual civic event in Australia.^[3]
The date is controversial to some Australians, particularly those of Indigenous heritage, leading to the use of alternate names, such as Invasion Day and Survival Day. Proposals have been made to change the date of Australia Day, but these have failed to gain widespread public support.

If you ever get a chance to visit this wonderful country, with it's blue skies, lovely beaches and friendly people, I hope you grab it. It will certainly be an experience. Many of our friends have come to visit or work for a few years only to move over permanently with the intention of retiring here.

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