We're back! Update and entries for the Washington Post Travel Photo Contest

Hello -

It's been some time since we last posted.  Life Down Under has been exceedingly busy on both the personal and professional levels.  Charlie/Chuck is working on a graduate degree in military history at the University of New South Wales, finishing in December this year (lots of research and writing of essays).  It's funded by the Australian Department of Defence (yes, with a "c") which is very nice of the Aussie Government (otherwise as an international student the cost is prohibitive - given that the Aussie Dollar costs U.S. $1.07!).  Debbie now has a Federal job working here. She just finished working overtime for several months in preparation for a successful 4th of July celebration for nearly 2,000 invited guests (that's a lot of RSVPs to deal with, not to mention the hard-copy invitation which had about 23 different attachments to it...it is THE event of the diplomatic community's year - everyone wants to come and neither of us were lonely in the month or so preceding July 4 - everyone asks for an invite).  It may sound glamorous, but it isn't.  However, Debbie was called to the stage and presented a bouquet of flowers in appreciation of her effort.

We also just had Debbie's brother and three children visit for 10 days, which required a lot of planning, logistics, coordination (and cooking and driving).  We all had a great time and enjoyed seeing Scott and the kids.

While we were on the family trip we learned of the marriage of our good friends Bill Kleinert and his partner (as they say here in Oz), Leslie Johnson.  Bill's son John Christian (soon to be dubbed an Eagle Scout) and Leslie's son Erik co-served as Best Men. Congratulations and good luck to Bill on his work on his documentary film.

Also attached is a selection of photos that have been taken on various trips around Australia and New Zealand over the past year.  I like to enter the Post's annual travel photo contest in the hope of winning a valuable coffee mug or a tote bag (my last prize in 2003).  Anyway, since I have been so remiss in posting (not that anyone is waiting with bated breath) I though some of you might be interested in the photos I picked out as possible entries.  Let me know which one you like the best. Hopefully it coincides with the one I entered.

Things in Oz are going well; we are inside our last 6 months Down Under and looking into options regarding our future.  Our best to all of our friends and family.

Closure on Usama Bin Laden

I have not posted recently because of other commitments - professional, personal, and academic.  But I learned today at a farewell luncheon for a friend here in Canberra that UBL was dead.  I wanted to write something to mark this moment.  Some may think this over the top but frankly, I have earned some forbearance.

Since 2001 my life - and especially that of my wife Debbie - has been affected by UBL's actions.  I volunteered for active duty in 2001 precisely because of 9/11.   I was told I might be "too old" but I did not accept that.  I thereafter deployed in November 2002 to Kuwait and then Iraq in the liberation of March 2003 in association with the Global War on Terror.  I saw  things there which haunt me still.  I - and Debbie - are still paying both emotionally - and physically - for the events of the last 10 years.  I have not spoken much of this except to my closest  family members and friends - but our lives were changed forever. I spoke of this at my retirement from the Marine Corps Reserve in late September 2009 at the ceremony at my home in Alexandria VA.  Tonight, we have some closure.

Having seen death at close range, I do not rejoice in the the death of any man, however deserving it may well be.  But if there was ever a justifiable act of execution, this was it.  There is little glory in war.  It is ugly, filthy, and shocking. But sometimes it is necessary.  This was.

All of us should sleep well tonight, yet remain vigilant.  I am no flag-waver.  I leave that to the Sunshine Patriots in front of the White House and in Times Square at this moment.  I have been doing this since I was 17, despite its unpopularity from 1976 onwards until it became fashionable during the Gulf War of 1990-91 and then post-9/11. I am now nearly 52.  I think of my best friend Christopher Roosa in Iraq at this very moment risking his life and ask you to spare a prayer for him.  But I also ask all of you to think of the long years of anonymous effort on the part of intelligence professionals and Special Operations Forces who work in silence and the dark and give thanks for them.  All of us can sleep peacefully at night because they man the wall and do the things that most of us would cringe from - but they do it for us.  And gladly, for little reward.  Think of that the next time your Congressman rails against the "bloated" Federal employment establishment - many of those people work for intelligence agencies.

So remember today and give thanks for those that willingly do what must be done, despite the costs, both visible and invisible, for all of us.  Spare a thought for them as you fall asleep in your bed tonight, without fear for the events of the morning.

Semper Fidelis,

Charlie/Chuck
COL USMCR (Ret)






 

In Memory of Joseph Cook Jr.

Late last week we got word that my cousin Joe Cook had passed away after a long disability resulting from a tragic car accident several years ago.  Given that we were unable to attend the funeral this past Monday (but Tom, Cindy, and Jim were) Debbie and I at least wanted to acknowledge Joe's passing and to express our condolences to his wife Karen, daughters Carolyn and Kristen, his mother Joyce, and sisters Anne and Sue.

I will always remember Joe as the "cool" cousin because he always had the coolest stuff - the first time I ever saw an electronic game - "Pong" - it was at Joe's house.  We thought "Pong" was the height of technological achievement.  He always had the latest music (first time I ever heard a George Harrison solo album - I think it was "My Sweet Lord" from "All Things Must Pass," which would make it 1971).  He seemed to know everybody - there were always a lot of his friends around.  He had a pool table, an electric shuffleboard and as I recall, an electric bowling game down in the basement.  And it was educational - he even had this interesting poster of a young lady with a cowboy hat - and nothing else - on, and I think that was also the first time I ever saw an issue of "Playboy."   He even had a great dog - that big Saint Bernard that (I believe) somebody actually stole.  I was always jealous Jim got to stay the weekend after Christmas or Thanksgiving when family events took place at the Cook house.  It was always an experience.

Just like his Dad, he helped my Mom with legal work, which I knew she really appreciated.

Joe was a lot of fun and he was never boring to be around.  I know his brother Masons gave him a good send-off.

So rest in peace, Joe. 

Another Bonus Photo

While I have heard from Herr Kleinert, Cousin Trudie Thompson, and Cousin Jim Klein (Jim - please clue Second Cousin Michel into the blog), the rest of you are a mystery.

The view from our friends James and Su's house in Kangaroo Valley.  Su went to school with Danielle from Sydney (Mrs. Roosa). 

Bonus Photo

My campsite this past weekend on my friend Danielle's (that would be Mrs. Roosa) land outside Joadja, about an hour south of Sydney and in the back of beyond.  Had to kill one poisonous spider, no brown snakes sighted (mercifully - I'm sure they were there).   Wombats are really noisy at night, I have discovered.

Tasmanian Tiger descendant located...

I came home today and this is what I found.  Karnak was apparently perusing my September 1986 of Australian Geographic which has a key article on the search for the Tasmanian Tiger.  Note the resemblance. 

Further notes from the front (water) line

Bull sharks seen in flooded streets

Chris Garry | 14th January 2011

The flooded Ipswich Motorway at Goodna on Thursday became a causeway.

Two bull sharks have been spotted swimming in flooded streets in Goodna.

Two bull sharks have been spotted swimming past the McDonald’s restaurant in Goodna.

Goodna butcher Steve Bateman saw one of the sharks swimming through the flooded waters of Williams Street near his bucher’s shop in the St Ives shopping centre yesterday.

There were several reports of another shark spotted in Queen Street, the main street through Goodna.

Bull sharks have been spotted in the Goodna sections of the Bremer River previously, with fishermen regularly catching them from the Goodna boat ramp.

Ipswich councillor for the Goodna region Paul Tully said while it may sound almost too bizarre to be real, the shark sighting was valid.

“It would have swam several kilometres in from the river, across Evan Marginson Park and the motorway,” Cr Tully said.

“It’s definitely a first for Goodna, to have a shark in the main street.

“I know Steve (Bateman) and he wouldn’t say he saw a shark unless he really saw one.

“It’s not like there have been polar bears or crocodiles spotted.

“Bull sharks have been in Goodna for a long time in the Bremer.

“They are regularly in the Brisbane River and often swim up. I know a number of fishermen who have caught bull sharks.”

State Member for Bundamba Jo-Ann Miller also backed Mr Bateman’s bull shark sighting.

“Steve wouldn’t lie about something like that. He’s very well known in the community.”

Bull sharks are the third most likely shark to attack a human being. They are noted for their aggressive behaviour and often swim in shallow waters along coasts and rivers.

Mr Bateman was not available for comment.

Goodna was awash with water eight metres deep during the past 48 hours. The water receded dramatically overnight.

Police evacuated people from a large area of Goodna as large quantities of flammable gas spewed into the air yesterday.

Chuck comment:  I think bull sharks can operate either in fresh or salt water.  I read in the Washington Post that two big ones were just caught in the Chesapeake Bay. 

I can see the insurance claim now:  "Drank 12 XXXX stubbies at the pub.  Left pub, waded across street.  Bit by shark."

There has been a lot rain here lately and that means a lot of trees have gotten washed down the Molonglo River and into Lake Burley-Griffin.  Look at the piles of driftwood pulled out of Yarralumla Bay just opposite our house:

 

OK - here are a few more photos for the flood-obsessed.

More in a bit.