and after the dry spell…
On Australia Day we got to do something totally, totally marvellous. We got to toast my marvellous Dad as he received an Order Of Australia Medal. If you're not local, maybe take my word that's it's a pretty big deal. We called him Sir (for about a day.) Some of his friends are persisting in calling him My Lord, accompanied by a bow.
I listened to my Mum explain to my three nephews that it was an award for all Grandpa's work in the fire brigade and the OAM award stood for Old Age Malcolm.
Totally wonderful.
Also totally wonderful was the brigade showing up in the two trucks, in uniform, in the morning to pay their respects and shake Dad's hand. That was pretty cool. On their way to the Australia Day breakfast in town, it was a nice touch to stop here.
The phone rang and rang and rang and rang (the OAMs are published in the paper.)
And we hosted a little nice-one-Malcolm! lunch for his favourite friends. With all Buena Vista Farm food on the table, our tribute to the farmer without whom we'd be nothing and certainly not here.
Roast pork loin with apple sauce (and crackling!), quiche with roasted mushrooms
I'm impossibly proud and happy that those fifty years of community service with the Rural Fire Service have been recognised. Dad of course was stunned by the award and takes no credit himself, says it's great for the brigade, and acknowledges the fellas who got him involved in the first place, and who he worked alongside for many years.
It's wonderful. And then it rained for two whole days. We've got watermelons ripening on the vine and the tomatoes are going nuts. We're eating delicious fresh-picked zucchini in cakes and pasta and as a salad peeled into strips and dressed with olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar and fresh grated parmesan.
Wonderful.
Congratulations, Dad. It's an awesome acheivement and we're proud as punch.
Gosh it's going to be a good year.
xxx
Philippa
January 30, 2013 at 11:33 pmCongrats to your Dad, you all deserve to be proud 🙂 That lunch looks divine.
Mrs Homespun
January 31, 2013 at 5:29 amWow! Huge congrats to your Dad.
Stan
January 31, 2013 at 7:21 amAnd so you should be proud Fi. Brilliant – and well done to your Dad.
GB
January 31, 2013 at 7:55 amWow! A huge congratulations to your Dad. And congratulations to you guys for that supremely delicious-looking lunch produced by your farm. Awesome.
alison@thisbloominglife
January 31, 2013 at 8:34 amWell done all round and how lovely for your dad to be recognised publicly. Xxx
Just Joyful
January 31, 2013 at 8:37 amHow absolutely wonderful! For your Dad, and the whole family! I love it when people like your Dad are recognised for the work they quietly put in to keep the communities the wonderful things they are.
And you can be proud of what you have done too, to put on the Buena Vista lunch – an amazing achievement.
Mary
January 31, 2013 at 9:32 amThat’s a fantastic honour for Malcolm – very exciting! Please pass on our congratulations. The lunch looked totally amazing (those sausages are great – we love them 🙂 OAMs and welcome rain – life on the farm is looking up…
Deanne
January 31, 2013 at 9:57 amCongrats to your Dad! The feast looks amazing!
Bruisemouse
January 31, 2013 at 10:13 amA huge congrats to your dad. What an amazing contribution he has made to the community.
Your lunch looks like the perfect way to celebrate.
rhonda hetzel
January 31, 2013 at 11:09 amWhat a wonderful acknowledgement of your father’s work. I send my congratulations to him too. We need more like him. The feast looks absolutely delicious.
Catherine
January 31, 2013 at 12:00 pmCongratulations to your Dad. What a wonderful achievement and very well deserved. The party afterwards looks amazing – all that gorgeous home grown food.
Jeff & Judy Quine
January 31, 2013 at 12:46 pmSo proud of our great friend, Malcolm OAM and Gay for her tireless support. We were lucky enough to partake in the magnificent feast – and then the heavens opened after such a long, dry spell.Wow!
Ngo Family Farm
January 31, 2013 at 4:41 pmWhat a remarkable man your dad is! And you must be so very proud of a beautifully prepared lunch made entirely from your family’s labor of love on the farm. Beautiful. -Jaime
P.S. And please, please could you share the recipe for those chicken pies? 🙂
Tracey
January 31, 2013 at 5:00 pmCongrats to your dad (and to your mum, being the partner to a fire service volunteer deserves a medal too)
It is going to be a good year, especially if you eat that well all the time 😉
Alex C
February 1, 2013 at 3:33 pmCongratulations Malcolm! That is wonderful news. So nice for people who give so much of their time to the community to be recognised and valued! Great news. Love all the farm food too – yum!
Penny Hannah
February 1, 2013 at 9:27 pmWhat a wonderful, fabulous, and truly well-deserved day The pictures and food say it all and may 2013 bring you all lots more good things!
lors
February 1, 2013 at 10:52 pmCongratulations to your Dad, What an achievement. Fifty years of service, it is people like your Dad who are every day heroes that deserve recognition and true honour well done