Hi all,
Isn't February one of the worst months of the year. Spring seems almost within our grasp but the weather can't seen to get any better. Just when the sun feels as if it warm the cockles of you heart a blast of wind that could freeze a penguin's winkle hits you straight in the face.
Still I shouldn't grumble, I have a half brother who lives in Finland and they don't get any nice weather until May and then it's down hill all the way from July.
My father, who passed away seven years ago, was born in February and, on his birthday, memories of him crowded my thoughts. He was the person who introduced me to fishing, a hobby that became a life long passion. If it hadn't been for him I would have been able to write several books on the subject.
He was also responsible for taking me and the rest of the family to Melbourne, Australia on an assisted package. I was was only sixteen years old, I didn't want to go but I thank him for the experience. Just recently I published a book, "The Reluctant Pom" which tells all about my time in Australia, a land that my father thought would be the place of our dreams, but turned out to be a place of poisonous critters. However, without my father there would have been no book.
Throughout my growing up years he would drill bits of information into my head, words of wisdom that would see me safe on my journey through life. Through the years I have been able to discard some of his opinions, but others I still cherish and indeed use them to ease my passage through life.
When I was an impressionable youngster, who still believed his father was the font of all knowledge, he was always drumming the same message into my head. The advice, he said, had been handed down from his father and would be invaluable to me on my journey through life. Here is what he said.
"Never believe what you hear, and only half of what you see."
I suppose these words sound like good advice, but be aware because they turned me into a cynic.
Then one day it dawned on me. If I'd followed his mantra properly, I would never have believed him in the first place.
By the way, if you want to check out "The Reluctant Pom" or any of my fishing books, more information about them and a free book offer is available on my website. http://www.shirewriting.co.uk/
George F Mason author, angler and artist
Tuesday 24 February 2015
Wednesday 11 February 2015
Monday 9 February 2015
The Reluctant Pom Photos
Hi all,
Just a quick post to let you know that I have added some photos of my time down under in Australia to my website . All you have to do is go to the home page click on any book and then click on "The Reluctant Pom" cover and you'll find the photos.
Here's a sample.
I was a sixteen years old when this photo was taken out side our house at 17, Carmichael Street, West Footscray, Melbourne. A fresh faced young lad who was dragged half-way around the world because my dad thought Australia would be the land of beer and money.
I recently went onto google street map to see if the old place was still standing but sadly it's been demolished and a new house has been built in its place. It is interesting to note that while I was in the area on my computer I had a good look around at some of my old haunts and it made me kind of sad. I may have been a reluctant pom, but Australia still tugs at my heart strings when I see it on the telly.
I met my first wife in Australia and we did most of our courting on the veranda of her parent's house at number 1, Dove Street, West Footscray. I popped along there on street map and found that it is still there and looks almost the same as it did 47 years ago. What a great invention street map is, to be able to roam about the streets where I grew up on the other side of the world is just down right amazing.
One thing I did notice, which was a bit of a shock was the amount of graffiti that could be seen on some of the walls in West Footscray. My memories are all of a clean and tidy place without rubbish or graffiti, but back then in the sixties perhaps I was just too young to notice.
Just a quick post to let you know that I have added some photos of my time down under in Australia to my website . All you have to do is go to the home page click on any book and then click on "The Reluctant Pom" cover and you'll find the photos.
Here's a sample.
I recently went onto google street map to see if the old place was still standing but sadly it's been demolished and a new house has been built in its place. It is interesting to note that while I was in the area on my computer I had a good look around at some of my old haunts and it made me kind of sad. I may have been a reluctant pom, but Australia still tugs at my heart strings when I see it on the telly.
I met my first wife in Australia and we did most of our courting on the veranda of her parent's house at number 1, Dove Street, West Footscray. I popped along there on street map and found that it is still there and looks almost the same as it did 47 years ago. What a great invention street map is, to be able to roam about the streets where I grew up on the other side of the world is just down right amazing.
One thing I did notice, which was a bit of a shock was the amount of graffiti that could be seen on some of the walls in West Footscray. My memories are all of a clean and tidy place without rubbish or graffiti, but back then in the sixties perhaps I was just too young to notice.
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