Wednesday 26 January 2011

Happy Australia Day

I can't let today pass without wishing everyone a Happy Australia Day or as they say around here
...Happy 'Stralia Day.


Australia Day is a public holiday here, and the nation celebrates everything Australian. All the parks are full of families playing cricket or rugby or just kicking a ball around and there has to be a bbq. We stayed at home and invited some friends over for a swim and some lunch.
Let me teach you a new word for sausage - a snag! So the kids had snags in breadrolls. If we were true Aussies we would have put the snags in a piece of bread...but hey, we're still learning.

The other obligatory food for Australia day is...prawns of course! Our little family rarely, if ever eat prawns so it was with some trepidation that I went to get some yesterday. How many different variety of prawns are there! and what's with the "preparing" of them?
I eventually bought some cooked ones, which I thought was the safest best, but then I had to prepare the critters...
I managed about 3 until help arrived in the form of a 'real' Australian, who showed me how to pull the head off and the shell and then take out the yucky part! They did look impressive in the big glass bowl of  ice and I did manage to eat one (smothered in lemon and lime yoghurt sauce!)

phew, hot work!
Husband did a good impression of an Australian male with complete control of the bbq and beer in hand.

We raised a glass of bubbles to our Scottish friends who are now fully fledged Australian citizens and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon chatting, eating and watching the children having a great time in the water.


The sun shone in Brisbane today and I hope that those who have had a really tough few weeks also managed to stop and enjoy a few hours of down time with friends and family on Australia Day

Back to work tomorrow for me after a long summer break...
Happy 'Stralia Day
x

Beach Cottage Good Life Wednesdays

10 Comments and thoughts:

  1. oh beth- i love this post!!

    prawns and snags on the barbie...cooked by that very cute looking guy at the bbq!! your husband no doubt!!

    your patio looks brilliant all decked out...so glad you had a wonderful day!

    thinking of all you aussie based blogging gals today...

    melissa xxx

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  2. Oh, this looks like such a fun day! Reminds me of our 4th of July in the US:) XOL

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  3. You're a classic, Beth - looking more Aussie than a lot of us! Ah, the whole prawns thing. Growing up in Tasmania, that was considered way too *tropical* for us as well as way too expensive. Only when we moved to Sydney did Mr PB and I discover prawns. And I agree, de-veining them is revolting. But so worth it ☺. J x

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  4. Ah...we have dear friends in Australia and I've been wanting to go visit them so bad. Now I REALLY want to!!!

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  5. Mmm, nice! And here's me, shoving the snow until my arms fall off...:)

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  6. Hi Beth, that barbie looks great. Has hubby got his budgie smugglers on under his apron...sorry just a new term for you to learn. Your Aussie decs look great...makes me homesick...again. It's funny...you're dealing with prawns for the first time and I have just had my first experience with a brace of pheasants. A guy at hubby's work bought us two poor little things that he had shot recently...I was horrified that I would have to deal with them...so he arrived with the birds and a special little knife and...well the result was 4 pheasant breasts. Glad I didn't have to do it! I also remember my first experience in QLD cooking freshly caught mud crabs...thank god they had been put in the freezer first so they didn't scream and flail around when they went in the pot. Suffice to say I think it's much better to have some food fully prep'd before we cook it! Robx

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  7. Awww, that's great! You really got into the swing of things. You did much better than me as I didn't have a snag or a prawn (I don't eat eat) but did have a nice day anyway :)

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  8. Whoops, I meant "I don't eat meat", not "eat eat"!!

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  9. Glad to hear that you enjoyed your Australia Day! Have a lovely weekend, Kellie xx

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  10. Looks like you had a marvelous 'Straya Day :)

    Hope the heat wasn't too unbearable, it was in the 40's up here :O

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