Your Glen Times for February 4th

Don't worry. I can type with nine fingers, or would that be eight fingers and a thumb?

In any case, my hand is fine so here we go.

We have yet another new resident at the Glen and I'll be getting to that shortly. First up we could be reading the very last Kate and Colin story at the Glen. You'll see what I mean.

Kim Barrett is full of surprises as he helps Jake arrange something for Cindy's birthday. He's full of 'Grace' , his mum and romance as he shows his good side and a smile to his best clerk.

Dom gets a job and it couldn't come at a better time. He'll be working with Colin at the garage and it looks like Jess will be spending some of the dosh he earns ASAP. House hunting is on the horizon.

This brings me to the new resident at the Glen. His name is Nick Russell and he's here for a few reasons but most of all he's here to shore up some changes in his life. His old friend Pete Valentine seems to feel the changes may be the end of an era for them both.

So here's the links to today's stories. Read on!

February 4th, 2009

Will this be the end for Kate and Colin? Will she end up with Sid?

Losing Her

Cindy and Kim Barrett

It's Cindy's birthday. Jake, Kim, and Kim's mom help her celebrate.

Cindy's Night Out

Dom and Jessamine with Colin

Dom has a job interview at Colin's garage. Will he get the job? He'd better, since Jess is determined to go house-hunting the same day!

Gainfully Employed

Nick Russell

Welcome the Glen's latest resident! Who's Nick Russell and what's the story behind his move to the Glen?

Land of the Second Chance

That's all she wrote. Colleen did a great job of wrestling the press around to get it working. I'm slightly wounded you know.

If I hear one 'Poor Baby' I'm going to cry.

Just Kidding.

Cheers, all,

Cal

Australia Day 2009

We couldn't let today go by without mentioning Australia Day. Australia Day, also known as Anniversary Day and Foundation Day, is the official national day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, the day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, the unfurling of the British flag at Sydney Cove and the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia.

Australia Day is an official public holiday in every state and province of Australia, and is marked by the Order of Australia and Australian of the year awards, along with an address from the Prime Minister.

Learn more about it at these sites:

Australia Day 2009

Australia Day.gov

And, to celebrate Australia Day in our own way, here's the video of Russell Crowe and TOFOG singing "Land of the Second Chance", the song Russell referenced in his article for The Daily Telegraph, What Australia Means To Me.






The Land of the Second Chance

What Australia Means to Russell Crowe

In a special section iof Australia's Daily Telegraph, Russell talks about his immigration to Australia and what his adopted country means to him. His narrative reveals the beautiful story behind the Russell Crowe/Alan Doyle song "Land of the Second Chance". Crowe fans won't want to miss it. Here's a brief excerpt:

What Australia Means to Russell Crowe

You see, I'm an immigrant too. I understand the feeling and have experienced the gratitude of being blessed and accepted by a country that I wasn't born in.

I call Australia: "The land of the second chance", and that's what I called the song we wrote for Mario.

********************************************************************

Land of the Second Chance (Crowe/Doyle 2005)


He didn’t say her name; he described her with a tear
In 1952 he left that girl and made his way down here
And the ocean raged around him, cleansed his soul and sharpened his aim
He was coming down to Queensland to cut the Sugarcane

Chorus

Burning Field
Bow my head and bend my back and I will kneel
I’ll give the angels thanks
For bringing me here and guiding my hand in this land
The Land of the Second Chance

In ’53 he bought a car with the proceeds of the season
He travelled three States, coast and bush wandering without a reason
He was driving away her memory, driving himself insane
Then he drove back up to Queensland to cut the Sugarcane

Chorus

Burning Field
Bow my head and bend my back and I will kneel
I’ll give the angels thanks
For bringing me here and guiding my hand in this land
The Land of the Second Chance

Troppo is not tropical it’s Italian for crazy in the heat
He got arranged to a Spanish girl but she didn’t like his canecutter’s teeth
That season he tripled his workload to prove he was worthy of her hand
When he got back up to Rockhampton, she’d taken off with a handsome man
Five or six years on a gambler’s drunk, he woke up in Sydney one morning
A thousand miles south of his last night out so he took it as the angels warning
That car got him a job fitting aluminium window frames
Floating above the big city, far away from the Sugarcane

Chorus

Burning Field
Bow my head and bend my back and I will kneel
I’ll give the angels thanks
For bringing me here and guiding my hand in this land
The Land of the Second Chance

Bridge

Forty-five years of married life,
Children and children’s children
He can still point to where he fitted the glass
And smiles when you recognise the buildings

Most of his mates have seen the pearly gates but there’s a few that have survived.
They sit here and drink espresso
Like it’s Florence – “Firenze, prima della guerra” (Florence, before the war)

Back in 1935
On a front table at Bill and Toni’s he told me his story on Stanley Street
A little hard to understand that day Mario got brand new teeth
Fifty-three years he’s been here and he says he’s never looked back
A fortunate find for a lucky guy
The Land of the Second Chance

Chorus

Burning Field
Bow my head and bend my back and I will kneel
I’ll give the angels thanks
For bringing me here and guiding my hand in this land
The Land of the Second Chance
The Land of the Second Chance
The Land of the Second Chance