Things Australian

For perhaps over 50 years now I've always liked the Australian song 'Waltzing Matilda.' I've loved the melody as well as the Australian slang that has to be fully understood to appreciate what the song is about. Hobos I guess always represented free spirits, even if they were a bit down and out. Quick, what is the 'waltzing Matilda' referring to? You're going to need to do some research.

The Robert Mitchum, Deborah Kerr movie 'The Sundowners,' was always a favorite when it rolled around on television.

As probably already mentioned somewhere in these postings, my youngest daughter visited Australia about 11 years ago. She set out on the day after Christmas to visit her school-mate Kelly who was teaching there in some kind of exchange program. Kelly was in Sydney, and Susan went up and down the Gold Coast surfing and I suspect drinking some spirited liquids. She and Kelly climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, at night I believe, after passing the sobriety test they administer to prospective climbers willing to pay money for the privilege to crawl on steel beams wearing a safety harness and lighted helmet.

If you don't already know, the Sydney Harbor Bridge is a replica of New York's Hell Gate railroad bride that connects Queens with the Bronx and send trains into Upstate New York and New England. No one has ever thought to make climbing Hell Gate a tourist attraction. Perhaps it is the name.

Given this, and meeting in Penn Station my Twitter-pal Jennifer King (@justjenking) and her husband, my Australian fascination has increased. I loved telling the two of them at as we stood there on the Amtrak level Madison Square Grden was directly overhead. I got a kick of their marveling at that.

That later in the day, the Garden would host an NHL ice arena, and 20,000 fans would be in their seats to watch the Rangers open their season. New York is built vertically, with layers of things and events going on below. Just there, at that two square block of real estate in New York, lies three railroad stations, the confluence of two subway lines, Madison Square Garden, and The Theater at Madison Square Garden. How New York doesn't cave in is a wonder.

So, after my Aussie rendezvous I thought about the Australian flag. It's very colorful, depicting the Union Jack is the upper left corner, a seven point Sovereign Star below, and the Southern Hemisphere Constellation on the right. I just had to have an Australian flag.

Internet, of course. And now I have a dozen 4" x 6" Aussie flags with short plastic poles. Great for the garden next spring. How much? $5.99, including shipping from China!

Now that's a trade agreement.

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