I have witnessed a miracle !

[Coss]

MLG, like many others I suspect, had an impoverished childhood - raised as the youngest of 9 siblings, in a poor family, competition meant she was always last in the queue.

So fast forward 30-some years, married to a farang, and in NZ.

Whilst we are at the modest end of income in NZ, we are still streets and avenues ahead of her childhood.

So, every clothing, shoe and makeup sale, that's on is religiously attended and real, actual bargains are gained.

But shoes, when our shoe shelves got filled, she started piling them on the floor in front of the shelves. Several, 9 years later, the floor in front go the shelves had become a large cardboard box, the size of half a beer barrel. The shoes were heaped in this.

Until today.

Even though the New Year's resolutions are not until tomorrow, 13:06 hours and minutes away, by my looking, MLG sprang into action.

Our recycling bin now has some 20 pairs of unloved shoes in it and the cardboard box has gone.

A miracle I tell you.

I'd never presume to tell her what number of shoes was seemly, given her childhood, anymore than she would cast an eye over my growing pile of fishing tackle.

[bust]

7 hours ago, Coss said:

Our recycling bin now has some 20 pairs of unloved shoes in it and the cardboard box has gone.

I have a Christmas/New Year tradition. Been doing for probably the last 10 years.

Every Christmas I do 2 things (except during Covid not the second one)

I take a leg of ham down to a homeless men's shelter Woolloomooloo

http://www.sydneyhomelessconnect.com/services/matthew-talbot-hostel/

And secondly go through my wardrobe and have a clean out and take it to another support group for the homeless

https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/

Even got my sons involved this year to give them a bit of perspective on life.

[Coss]

We don't have a tradition, but a meal for a few Thais and Laos who don't have company for the countdown, was just had and we're 1:45 away from the end of life as we know it.

[My Penis is hungry]

We've always seemed to have parties for expat orphans. 

 

Those living in another country without family

 

Was common in Thailand, one poster called quite upset one year wanting to know where everyone was!

 

Wed moved from Bangkok to village and hadn't thought not having a party was needed to be advertised hahahaha he was at our old place Christmas Day sadly alone.

 

We continue in the village and now in Oz it seems the reverse

 

Parties for others from overseas on Christmas day

 

Mostly Thais, but a few Africans too this year.

 

Tonight to a Thai friend's house with great city views.

 

I hate New Years Eve. Have since o was a teenager. Usually an excuse for people who don't know how to party to go out and be dickheads.

 

The old days when you could kiss a cop long gone. Yes that was a PR campaign when I was young. 

 

Wife today went to the local Laos Temple. There is a Thai and Cambodian temples too but the Loas one is her preferred.

 

In the village we organised "towels" activity blankets, for about 20 old people and uniform for the boys soccer team, surprisingly cheap and really nice thing the wife also organised.

 

As I'm retired I do t even pay for these anymore. Her little business does now.

 

All the best for the New Year everyone.

 

Hopefully some of us might get lucky tonight

 

Hahahaha

[bust]

Yep Happy New Year to all.

Ironically the Festive Season which is meant to be a happy time in many cases is the complete opposite.

Having said that I still enjoy spending New year's Eve in Dollhouse

Hope the tradition still continues after Darel's passing. It did in 2022 which was the last NYE I spent there.

[Mekong]

Crap Music at Sydney Fireworks 

[bust]

Which ones? 9.00 or 12.00?

I am guessing you are referring to the TV broadcast. I know the 9.00 ones were criticized for the over representation of the indigenous community.

[Mekong]

The Midnight ones, only ones shown on global TV 

[My Penis is hungry]

Missed that Bust, got any links I can read? 

[bust]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia%2Fabc-criticised-for-rap-group-performance-before-9pm-fireworks-in-sydney%2Fnews-story%2F16b5b0e0e4ff7ad103438e7c4f87897a&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=HIGH-Segment-2-SCORE&V21spcbehaviour=appendend

The 9 pm fireworks display, which was renamed ‘Calling Country’ by the Left-wing City of Sydney Council, featured a projection of the children’s show Bluey on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, followed by a rap song by 3% that had lyrics such as “They stole the land in the name of their kings”, ‘They locked us up and then they threw away the key’ and “You can suck my Moby D***”.

I think the criticism was more about the fact the 9.00 o'clock ones were meant to be family orientated but had become politicized.