Friday, June 1, 2012

Our Gracious Majesty


This weekend our Pommie mates are preparing for 4 HUGE days of partying to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Our Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11. It's probably timely to remind Hedgies in the Excited States of America that Australia remains a Commonwealth country. We are not a Republic (yet), so our figurative Head Honcho is still the Queen of England, yep don't get me started.

Pommie Land will be awash with jubilee gun salutes, carriage processions, beacon lighting, river pageants, palace concerts, church services, festivals, exhibitions, lunches, mad Poms hosting boisterous street parties by the thousands & enough bunting to traverse the globe twice .

Being the laconic, laid-back mob that we are, we've been taking the celebratory things a bit easier. The odd pub or two have cashed in & are having Royal Jubilee BBQ's in their beer gardens at double the normal price. Patrons have been asked to show some respect & eschew their normal flip-flops for something a little posher (Crocs in red, blue or white thanks).

I was getting a little concerned that we weren't embracing the whole shebang until today, when I was speaking to one of my favourite clients, the Royal Flying Doctor Base in Broken Hill. Remote, dusty, outback Australia in all it's glory. I love this hangar & have spent many happy hours in its cavernous surrounds. It's always busy, with aircraft & the medical crews coming in & out constantly, equipment being checked, restocked & reloaded, quick handovers given, a vast area of concrete floors with air redolent with the smell of av gas.

But tonight it's being transformed into something else. The planes will be pushed out onto the tarmac, floors swept clean & equipment stashed. In their place metres of bunting will be strung around, Royal paraphenalia prominently displayed, eskies overflowing with ice will have bottles of beer & bubbles pushed in hard to cool, canapes will be passed around, the band will fire up & the hangar will be fuller than a punter on Melbourne Cup Day. Despite being about as geographically removed from the colourfully garlanded streets of Old Blighty as it gets, the lovely people of Broken Hill will be partying just as hard as their Pommie mates by hosting their very own Royal Jubilee Cocktail Party. My client was soooo excited, I just wanted to hop in the car & head north to join them!

So to my favourite Pommie Hedgies have a mighty time this weekend. And remember that tonight in remote Broken Hill, a group of Colonials will be raising their glasses to a faraway Queen. We are different, but we are the same. It's the weekend dear Hedgies, so go enjoy!

Images: Hello   RFDS


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6 comments:

  1. Helloooo there from your newest Hedgie! Living in the real Wales, UK and girding my loins for the upcoming jubley celebrations! Have had fun reading your back posts! I have 2 gammy knees, you have my sympathy.
    Great to meet you.
    Di
    X

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  2. Thank you Millie for such a lovely tribute to the Brits and their britishness! I think it's wonderful to think of a aircraft hangar being repurposed for a jubilee party!

    have a wonderful and royal weekend
    Sharon
    x

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  3. Greetings from the Excited States of America! We are just as excited here, too, Millie! Me probably more than others :-) Looking forward to this historical weekend of celebrations and festivities. Wish I could be in London. And, wonder what The Queen will wear each day? Hope she wears hats from Philip Treacy.
    Ta-Ta-4-Now!
    Loi

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  4. Hi Millie,
    I think you should go to the hangar party. It sounds as though it would be huge!
    Lovely to catch up. Pleased the new job is making you happy.
    Amanda xx

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  5. A fab post, Mills. Don't forget she's the Queen of Australia as well, thanks to old Mr Gough. No doubt there'll be a bumper souvenir edition of the Women's Weekly! J x

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  6. Good on them, what a great idea! One of my ancestors, George Vickers, was one of the first Flying Doctors. They are just wonderful. What an interesting client to have. Thank you so much for your gorgeous comment today. I'm such a dill, but at least I have the blog back! AND, I am so thrilled for you and Moth about the impending arrival of a granddaughter! That is fantastic news. Can't wait to see some pics. Have a lovely Sunday..Rachael

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And none will hear the postman's knock
Without a quickening of the heart.
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
~W.H. Auden

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