ANZAC Day.. & some thoughts from Mark this time!

I was telling Deb about the Somme.. and she asked me to write on her blog for her: I visited all the commonwealth graves including Villiers in 1988 in Northern France. A really humbling experience. Fine warm summer days with blue sky above.. just very hard to imagine at the time the mud, the rain, the bloodshed and suffering that must have occurred back then. The Canadian war memorial there still has the original trenches. My dad joined up in 1914 when was 16. He turned up in London to sign up and they asked him how old he was... "16 sir". "Well boy, come back when you're 18". In his words... "I walked around the quadrangle and came back to the same man. I'm 18 now sir." "Good.. sign here and here is your shilling for signing up." He was sent to France; to the Somme. At age 18 he was a Captain. He said it wasn't hard to rise through the ranks.. all the officers had been killed. In 1918 they moved him to India, to Poona to run the base dispensary. He came home to London in 1921.. a 23 year old man. Emigrated to Oz in 1923 and had me 30 years later. To all the service men and women from all the conflicts.. we owe you a lot and as a nation I hope we never forget. Mark

An afternoon off...

Today I had an afternoon off and Mark took me to the races at Eagle Farm. I didn't have a bet.. I don't know a lot about horses.. but I did enjoy dressing up and taking in the atmosphere. Also there I spent some time talking with Tim Nicholls our new State Treasurer and also Councilor David McLachlan and his charming wife Nicole. Was a magic autumn afternoon in Brisbane and I recommend it for a social outing. Debra

Spirit of Life Turbans

Hi ladies.. I have just uploaded to the internet, a video on how to tie our Spirit of Life Turbans. You can find it here. These come in a wonderful assortment of patterns and colours and unfortunately they are not on our current website. As soon as our new website comes along they will be there.

In the meantime please ring us for details (07) 3511 422 and we'll be able to take your order for one of them.

Debra

Changes to the car park at our shop.

After a refreshing holiday we come back to changes to our car park here at One Park Road. In her "wisdom" our landlady has banished all free parking for any visitors to the centre as of next Monday. As of that date, the "first hour free" offer will not apply. All people will need to pay $5 on entry. We have tried to reason with her.. but to no avail. This will be the only shopping centre in Brisbane with no free parking at all.Unfortunately for us we have spent a fortune on promotional material telling you our customers of the free parking. Now it is only fit for the bin!

So.. we ask that when you visit you boycott the car park. If you visit Park Rd outside of lunch time you will find free parking in the street without too much trouble. We would also ask that if you, like us think it is unfair.. then please ring centre management and tell them what you think. The number is 07 3368 3544.. and please.. don't hold back. Tell them what you really think!

Debra

Sometimes.. you need time out to simply "be still"

Hi there ladies. You know Mark often tells me that you need time out to simply be still. (Well that's what he calls it!) Recently he pointed out to me that we hadn't had a holiday where we could "be still" for over 24 years. You see our holidays usually involve trips either interstate or overseas to visit suppliers.. and if we're lucky we manage to grab 2 or 3 extra days to go sight seeing.

So imagine my surprise when Mark told me he had booked an eight day holiday for me at a resort where we could do nothing but lay around the pool. It was then that I realised that our last holiday was in 2010.. so it sounded great. We spent those 8 days just doing nothing.. or being still as Mark calls it. Turned out it was a great tonic. And of course.. there he was with the camera again. Me in the pool and his night shot of the treetops bar where we went for drinks before dinner. I highly recommend it.

Debra

There must be an election in the air!

Today we saw Tim Nicholls MP, Peter Matic BCC Councillor and Saxon Rice the LNP candidate for our local area at One Park Road. The event was the announcement that should the LNP win on Saturday week, they will provide funding for the Brisbane City Council to improve the street at Park Road. The idea is to make it more attractive and so attract more shoppers to the area. The local press where there taking photos of us all and I had the chance to spend some time talking with Tim Nicholls and Saxon Rice. It has to be good news for the retail environment .. but we will see who wins next Saturday.

Mark managed to grab a couple of pictures.. me in the crowd for the press photographer and at the front of the shop with Tim Nicholls and Saxon Rice. Our newsletter is meaning we are very busy at the moment with lots of customers taking advantage of our manufactures rebate when you buy 2 bras. Talk soon.
Deb.

Our heart goes out to the people of StGeorge, Roma etc

Sitting here safely in Brisbane I cannot begin to imagine what the poor citizens of StGeorge and surrounding areas are going through with these floods. Yet again! I was also saddened to read that people evacuated by bus could not take their pets. It seems to me that those who could not self evacuate and needed to use the bus would probably be pensioners. And to those senior people in our society, the family pet is a very important part of their lives.

I remarked to Mark that if I coudn't take my pets... Then I wouldn't go. Sorry Mr Policeman! If you are affected by the floods and you think we can help you, then please get in touch. We'll do whatever we can to be of assistance.