Australia Day for an Anglophile

Just to prove I am also a proud Aussie I am showing the cook book I got as a xmas gift. It has 400 recipes from Country Women's Association members all over Australia. All the recipes are simple, easy to cook and contain no exotic ingredients that I have never heard off. I am showing the Tuna and Mushroom casserole I cooked Monday night. The recipe said 'serves2' right, was still eating it 2 days later after freezing a portion. Most of the recipes are meant to feed farm and station workers and men from the shearing sheds who have been tossing sheep around all day and need a huge meal.
The idea behing this gift was that I would use it to fatten up my patient who lost so much weight during radiotherapy. Yes it works!! I am being fattened up very well but I'm not the patient!!
Hope I don't get a gardening book next xmas. I would rather cross stitch than cook or garden.

One of the recipes I have put in 'the too easy' basket for now. Basically it is some boiled mince with a tin of spaghetti on top.

I'm keeping this one in mind for one of those days when I feel the need to serve rat bait to a guest or family member.

Am going to visit son D on saturday and will take along a plate of these Ginger Crisps. Well I'll have to now, if he sees this post he will demand Ginger Crisps.

Tonight I am cooking Sausage Casserole from the book. There will be enough to last 3 nights.

Here is the ship and the journey that one set of great grandparents took to arrive in Australia as free settlers in 1862. Born in Somerset, Francis and Susan Wakely left Liverpool on the Ariadne with sons William3 and John a baby. The voyage took 120 days and during that time William died and was buried at sea. The Ariadne was the first ship into Maryborogh Nth Queensland and carried much needed workers and single women. Francis and Susan went on to have 7 more children in Australia, my grandmother was the youngest.

The last years and early death of my great grandmother is a very sad story I will leave for another day except to say all hidden family skeletons eventually come out of the closet.

The family seems to have moved around a bit until Francis opened this Bakery in a Northern N.S.W town. Francis is standing in front of his shop here. There is a small hard to see dog behind him and perhaps one of his sons on the left. My grandmother is on the verandah to the right and an unknown woman (though I have my suspicions) on the left.

Emily is very keen to pass on her latest beauty tip. I've told her it's out of context for my Australia day post but she insists, so here it is.

Emily's Beauty Tip #???. Always sleep with your chin resting on the edge of the bed. This will prevent a double chin in old age.

Wish you'd told me sooner Emily, I think it's already too late for me.