Are you celebrating the Jubilee ?

[Twiggster]

Actually, I miss my family (Yorkshire & Sussex) above everything. To a much lesser extent, I also miss growlers with mushy peas (and pies in general), Yorkshire fish and nurks, malt vinegar, English real ale on draught, and decent pubs.
I always enjoy visiting England, but after a few weeks I start to remember why I left and am glad to get away again.

[HarryofOz]

Is all that rain, God's way of saying that Royalists are drips?

[Twiggster]

Is all that rain, God's way of saying that Royalists are drips?

Well queenie looked well fed up today. Her offspring are mostly drips, agreed!

[Emsley]

but after a few weeks I start to remember why I left and am glad to get away again.

Whys that then twigstar?

[Twiggster]

Whys that then twigstar?

Hang on mate - I'll compose a list of reasons...will get back to you when I finish it, in about a week.

[Emsley]

Hang on mate - I'll compose a list of reasons...will get back to you when I finish it, in about a week.

I think I already know what your gonna tap.

[LUFCRACE]

Well queenie looked well fed up today. Her offspring are mostly drips, agreed!

Actually I thought she looked like she was having quite a good time.

[Twiggster]

Actually I thought she looked like she was having quite a good time.

Wife was following in on telly here. Said only time queeny smiled was when it was all over.

[LUFCRACE]

Wife was following in on telly here. Said only time queeny smiled was when it was all over.

she looked very happy when she was in the first boat

[Twiggster]

she looked very happy when she was in the first boat

She was actually siiting here in the living room, but....oh - see who you mean. Queenie only smiled at the end. If my wife says it was so, then I'm NOT going to argue! I couldn't give a toss BTW.
Loved @Queen_UK on twitter - "please tell one that was the LAST sodding boat to pass bye"..

[Silky]

Wife was following in on telly here. Said only time queeny smiled was when it was all over.

Claire's mum says the same thing about England... she longs to go 'home' and be with her family, and she still gets quite home sick, but once she's there, she realises how lucky she is to live in Australia..

Claire's mum is actually in England now.

[Emsley]

I said before silk, Australia is pretty neat.
its the long GRAY winter months we have to endure here and the bullshit from the government that f**k my goat.
I dont know if i can take another winter gathering on this island.

[MeeTa]

Claire's mum says the same thing about England... she longs to go 'home' and be with her family, and she still gets quite home sick, but once she's there, she realises how lucky she is to live in Australia..

Claire's mum is actually in England now.

Im still surprised people actually survive in Aussieland...every animal you got down there is designed specific to harm/hurt/torture and kill humans. Your spiders are the size of small dogs ffs but i do envy your climate

[Twiggster]

Claire's mum says the same thing about England... she longs to go 'home' and be with her family, and she still gets quite home sick, but once she's there, she realises how lucky she is to live in Australia..

Claire's mum is actually in England now.

You have to endure your girlfriend's MUM as well, in Aus??? One mackem is more than enough for ANY household, ANYWHERE!

[Twiggster]

Im still surprised people actually survive in Aussieland...every animal you got down there is designed specific to harm/hurt/torture and kill humans. Your spiders are the size of small dogs ffs but i do envy your climate

Every country has its negative side, Zero. Norway has mosquitoes the size of zeppelins! They don't just bite you, they rip off limbs! :shocked:

[Twiggster]

I was waiting for this photo! YESSSS! :mrgreen:

[MeeTa]

Every country has its negative side, Zero. Norway has mosquitoes the size of zeppelins! They don't just bite you, they rip off limbs! :shocked:

IF you travel to very specific places in Norway you could face large mosquitoes yes, most places tho they are quite small and in fact they are so small we dont even call them mosquitoes. And ive encountered far larger mosquitoes in denmark.
But what are those small things compared to every venomous creature on the planet on steroids like aussie. I rather have a large mossqy in my room than a spider who can cover my entire telly

[drsdadsotherson]

I'm really not surprised that the anti-monarchists are coming out in this thread.

Our Head of State, as my Dad pointed out earlier, is one of the most respected and loved people on the planet. In actual fact the UK effectively DOES have an elected head in the prime minister in terms of policy and governance. Although our Queen has the right and the power to veto acts of parliament, disband governments and declare wars it is more than telling that in 60 years as monarch and head of the commonwealth of nations she has NOT ONCE exercised any of these powers, preferring to defer to democratic process and allow free governance to the people she oversees.
For sure, she advises PMs on a weekly basis, but never does she enforce her personal preferences. I very much doubt that I would have her strength of character under such circumstances.

The financial argument is old and weary now, and brought about by those who see only what the royal family has, not what they give. Do you hear about all the charity work? Does the palace publish documents justifying their existence? No. Because it would be deemed crude and showy to do so. Documents that are readily available showing financial information demonstrate very cleary that EVERY SINGLE YEAR donations to the UK coffers from estate revenues and tourism exceed any expenditure on policing, civil lists and anything else by tens of millions of pounds.

Yes, monarchy is an outdated system, that much I will agree with. On the other hand, OUR monarchy works for the good of our country, our dependents, our protectorates and our allies. What they provide is financial aid, a sense of history and wonder, an uplift in our national identity and increased respect from the vast majority of other nations. Monarchy can be, and has been, abused elsewhere in the world and here in the past. This monarchy, and in particular this monarch, deserves nothing but respect and admiration. So let's elect our next head of state... See what kind of impact they can make on the world in a four-year term. Let's ask the world who means more to them, our Queen or Tony Blair, William Hague or Barak Obama? Let's raise a powerful emotive response for Harold McMillan or Maggie Thatcher! Look for an example to Australia, the other side of the world. 'Let's have a referendum!' cry a few. What was the result? The people in general WANT our Queen to be there, and long may she be so.

The simple fact is that our monarch does wonders for our country, and most people never realise it because they cannot see past their petty jealousy of the house they live in. Some refuse to accept it because it is not democratic, and fail to see that she does not use her powers against democracy, even when she may wish to. I say 'God save the Queen', and I am proud to stand up and admit it.

[Silky]

Im still surprised people actually survive in Aussieland...every animal you got down there is designed specific to harm/hurt/torture and kill humans. Your spiders are the size of small dogs ffs but i do envy your climate

It is not as bad as people think it is..... I've never seen a shark, a crocodile..... seen a few snakes but nothing deadly, and there are lots of scary looking spiders but the killer ones are small, so you just have to be vigilant... the big hairy ones aren't even poisonous in most cases...

People have to realise that even though Australia is a MASSIVE place, the vast majority of people just live on the coast.... you need to travel a long way in to the centre, in to the remote bush land or the deserts to encounter anything too scary...

its 4000km from Sydney [on the east coast] to Perth [on the west coast], if you drove none stop, no sleep, it would take 2 entire days...

[1964white]

I'm really not surprised that the anti-monarchists are coming out in this thread.

Our Head of State, as my Dad pointed out earlier, is one of the most respected and loved people on the planet. In actual fact the UK effectively DOES have an elected head in the prime minister in terms of policy and governance. Although our Queen has the right and the power to veto acts of parliament, disband governments and declare wars it is more than telling that in 60 years as monarch and head of the commonwealth of nations she has NOT ONCE exercised any of these powers, preferring to defer to democratic process and allow free governance to the people she oversees.
For sure, she advises PMs on a weekly basis, but never does she enforce her personal preferences. I very much doubt that I would have her strength of character under such circumstances.

The financial argument is old and weary now, and brought about by those who see only what the royal family has, not what they give. Do you hear about all the charity work? Does the palace publish documents justifying their existence? No. Because it would be deemed crude and showy to do so. Documents that are readily available showing financial information demonstrate very cleary that EVERY SINGLE YEAR donations to the UK coffers from estate revenues and tourism exceed any expenditure on policing, civil lists and anything else by tens of millions of pounds.

Yes, monarchy is an outdated system, that much I will agree with. On the other hand, OUR monarchy works for the good of our country, our dependents, our protectorates and our allies. What they provide is financial aid, a sense of history and wonder, an uplift in our national identity and increased respect from the vast majority of other nations. Monarchy can be, and has been, abused elsewhere in the world and here in the past. This monarchy, and in particular this monarch, deserves nothing but respect and admiration. So let's elect our next head of state... See what kind of impact they can make on the world in a four-year term. Let's ask the world who means more to them, our Queen or Tony Blair, William Hague or Barak Obama? Let's raise a powerful emotive response for Harold McMillan or Maggie Thatcher! Look for an example to Australia, the other side of the world. 'Let's have a referendum!' cry a few. What was the result? The people in general WANT our Queen to be there, and long may she be so.

The simple fact is that our monarch does wonders for our country, and most people never realise it because they cannot see past their petty jealousy of the house they live in. Some refuse to accept it because it is not democratic, and fail to see that she does not use her powers against democracy, even when she may wish to. I say 'God save the Queen', and I am proud to stand up and admit it.

Great post