V is for Viral.

Which is hopefully where we'll go with this.

I do keep an eye on our statcounter off in the sidebar, just to see where our readers and participants come from, and it's also nice to see who is linking to us.

In the interests of privacy, I don't make any of this public, although I've been known to drop an email to Boy and Kae letting them know that we're getting a few hits from an unexpected source.

I'm just an inveterate stickybeak when it comes to stuff like that.

Anyway, I have noticed that we're getting some visitors from fora where you have to be registered. As I'm not registered, then I can't access them to see what's being said about this blog.

I'm presuming it's positive, and I did notice that someone in another forum has a link to us in their sig.

That is a Good Thing. :)

Word is filtering through the blogosphere, with many thanks to Andrew Bolt in particular, and many for those smaller groups who have picked up the ball and run with it.

I'm a big fan of looking after our own, and I'd personally like to see every member of our Forces serving in hostile lands to receive care packages.

The more word gets out, the closer that aim becomes.

For those who read and pass the information on, keep up the great work. Even if you're not in a position to send anything, that's not a problem. As Boy has said below:

We do this on our own. We do not come together at a central location to decide what to pack, or where to buy the ingredients, or to pack a pile of boxes as a group. We rely on self motivation to go and do it, and persistence and tenacity to do it again and again on a regular (or irregular) basis. We offer each other encouragement through our actions.

We have no central committee to keep things running. We elect no board, have no directors, have no Constitution and keep no lists of membership. We do not waste time on meeting and talking and canvassing opinions - we just do.

We pay for this ourselves. We seek no government grants or subsidies (apart from the free postage already on offer), or corporate support, and we seek no individual donations. We get no tax breaks or deductions. The effort to put together a box, and to earn the money to pay for the contents, is entirely ours.

We each choose how much to spend, and make no judgements as to whether a box cost nothing to pack, or a small fortune. You give what you can afford to give, and what you think would be worthwhile to receive.

We encourage others to do the same, but we do not hector, cajole or harass them into joining or complying. You do or you don't. What you choose to do is your business, and yours alone.

For our lurkers, in Oz and all the other countries reading us, keep up the good work.

It's bewdy, mate!

L is for lollies

Hot on the heels of the Pasta Pack comes the Lolly Pack. After buying this lot, I discovered that a $2 shop that we visit every now and then sells a huge range of lollies like this for less than I paid at a major supermarket chain. Arrgh!

Yes, that is a bottle of Tabasco sauce in the middle. I know that it doesn't quite go with the theme of a lolly pack, but you packs what you can sends.

Lollies are surprisingly heavy, so I filled out the empty spaces in the box with some ANZAC biscuits, a few chewy bars and some 2 minute noodles. There was no room for the bag of Twisties, so the kids ate them.

Soldiering is incredibly hard work - the guys in the field will be burning an amazing number of calories per day, so getting a face full of lollies is not an issue. If you can show me a soldier who comes back from Afghanistan heavier than when they left, I'll show you a cook. The rest will be so skinny, their pants will be falling down around their ankles.

Now that I know where to buy masses of lollies at a good price, I am going to pay a return visit and buy enough to fill a couple of boxes.

P is for Pasta, Anyone?

So I'm considering a pasta package. Sure, I've still got a couple to post off already, but each time I shop I get more ideas, like Boy on a Bike had his Tea and bikkies package.

I figure I'll throw this out to the reading public for feedback. Here goes:

Pasta - 500g bag of spaghetti, fettucini or spirals. Not sure what's more practical.
Tomato paste - Leggos do a 400g plastic squeeze tube which is truly wonderful.
Onion flakes - by the bag or by the jar.
Mixed italian spices - again, by the bag or by the jar.
Parmesan cheese - Kraft have their little shakers in various sizes, and it was always a staple in the pantry growing up.

Maybe some garlic paste to add to some bread for something a bit different.

It could work...

Thoughts?

Meat can be added to taste at a later stage.