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Blokes

Yesterday, for those who don’t know, was the Melbourne Cup.  If you are NOT Australian, you may not be aware of this horse race that, quite literally, stops this nation.

My cousin Em, holds an annual ‘race day’ at the property she helps run with her husband, which coincides with the Melbourne Cup.  It’s huge and colourful and FUN.  During it, she organises fundraisers for Men’s Health – especially using the Mo for Movember angle to get blokes to stop working (it takes a bit out here for that to happen) and get involved in a fun way. And while I want to pay tribute to the endless energy and goodwill of my amazing cousin Em, this post is really about someone else.

Let me explain…

Out here, men work really hard. Women do too, of course, especially the ones who work beside their men.  But the blokes are amazing – hard, physical, taxing work day in, day out.  Many don’t really take weekends, and often head out to start their days before most of us have breakfast, and are home well after dark.  On the whole, they love their jobs – it’s rewarding to see landscapes flourish, cattle in prime condition and content, baby calves on the ground safely.  But it’s exhausting and it can be heartbreaking.  Sometimes its the weather, the droughts or floods.  Sometimes its the animals, if there is an accident or if sickness sets in.  Sometimes the markets, over which the farmer has no control, that take finances deep into the red. And sometimes its the sheer distances they face to do ANYTHING.

My man is among this brave brigade of blokes who tackle the endless daily tasks, and deal with the unending list of challenges unique to this calling, to help feed his family… and also this country.  (You think I was joking when I chose the blog name for him, but really, I wasn’t).  He does it with a fair bit of pride.  My father and his father were (and are) the same.  I think they are all incredible.

In this day and age, bush blokes not only shoulder a mountain of real old-fashioned work, but they also have to be astute businessmen in technology-driven world, and meet a whole different set of expectations (than their predecessors) when it comes to being a father and being a husband.   It’s an-often precarious juggling act to make sure they fulfil all these roles.  And to keep their senses of humour too?  Quite the challenge…

So we all talked out boys into putting their work aside for a day, along with their razors for a week, and dress up for the Bush Race Day.

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Mr Incredible spent a few days growing this little beauty – I call it The Porn Star Handlebar – and he took out second prize on the day. (He was pipped at the post by my brother – what can I say, I am surrounded by hirsute menfolk!).  Dash even had an (eyeliner assisted) chin stripe to get into the spirit (you can JUST see it in this pic).

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That’s my brother second from the right.  (Our stationhand Lachy on the left, my cousin L and our neighbour D – Lachy and D didn’t attempt the moustache-growing… at least I don’t think they did!).  They are all great blokes (they can pay me later) but today I am going to embarrass pick on single out someone else.

Do you remember Em’s husband… J?

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You might recall this event in January?  (Check out the link – it’s a great example of what I am trying to illustrate here). J is an ex-rodeo clown and seriously does NOT seem to experience fear or caution. Which is fabulous if you ever need rescuing… I’d put good money of J being the man to jump in and save the day.

He’s a go-getter who regularly gives his wife and in-laws heart palpitations with his adventures (and occasionally resulting injuries!). His absolute fearlessness stretches to his ability to take the mickey out of himself…

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He and his mate had the crowd in stitches with his antics during the Fashion Parade. (Loving the lunch box and the socks-and-thongs combo, mate!)

But when it comes to his family, his three divine kids and especially his gorgeous, energetic wife, J gets pretty darned serious.

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He made a speech during the Cup Day yesterday that had one or two of us choking back the emotion… I don’t need to tell you what he said in paying tribute to his beautiful wife, as he asked those present to applaud her efforts.  I’ll just let you see the look on his face.

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Uh huh.

Bush blokes. 

They come in all shapes and sizes, but they are the best, baby.  Blokes like J and my husband. They may be hard and tough and wiry (and funny and wonderful), but they need to know how much they are valued as anyone.  I reckon a little positive feedback (in a world that often finds something negative to say) is the fuel that keeps them running, these amazing blokes.

I hope our bush blokes (whichever corner of the world they work and play) all know how important they are.

BB

22 Comments

  • Sal

    oh what a wonderful post. Fully understand just how special these guys are. Worth their weight in gold – that doesn’t even come close to just how much they are valued. Here’s to all of our Bush Blokes… 🙂

  • Margie from New York

    Very nice looking guys. There is just something about Australian men, I guess you could compare it with the American cowboy here. But then your men speak with their sexy Australian accents and all the American women melt! Shhh don’t tell the boyfriend. Australian men hmmm good idea for a calendar. 🙂

  • ellie k

    you sure have some good looking men around you, I am 66 and still like to see whats out there even though I have a great man and after 46 years plan to just look but keep the one I love.

  • UtahZen

    Sigh. Is it any wonder to ya’ll that American women just gush over Aussie men? We need a few more of them around here…Or i need to move Down Under. Either would work 😉 And what a lovely tribute this post is. And Kelly is right, Mr. I should’ve won! And your brother and those other guys are adorable! In a very rugged, manly way of course 😉

  • CeeCee

    My goodness that was a lovely tribute. I think we sometimes forget to tell our spouses how much we appreciate the little (and big) things they do for us and how very much we do love them.
    I love a good gushing tribute to a spouse, especially from a man. Sometimes we women need to be gushed over.
    CeeCee´s last blog post ..Beep, Beep!

  • Pencil Writer

    I have to “ditto” the comments above. Y’all do have some great men to “gush” over. We need more men (and women) in the younger set generation to work hard rather than “gather and protest” those who do. Kudos to you, BB and all the working Bush Blokes–and the women who love them!

  • debby

    You know, here’s the thing about Mr. I. He’s a person who is a hard worker and you could tell that about him right away. Since I am married to one of those, it was a trait that we respected about him right away. But another thing that we noticed is that he’s a business man, with a business man’s thought process. He knew the profit per acre of his property, which we’d never heard broken down that way. The other thing is that he loves his animals. He is a man who takes good care of what he has. His land. His animals. His family.

    Mr. Incredible is incredible. Oh. And I vote that he keep the mustache!
    debby´s last blog post ..William the lion-hearted

  • BB

    Deb, the winner is my brother! The bloke in the red stripey shirt in the second pic … as for keeping moustaches? Who knows. At the rate Mr I’s facial hair grows, it’ll be a Santa beard by next week!
    🙂
    BB

  • debby

    No offense to your brother and all, but his mustache…well…it’s okay, but its not thick. And it’s not bristly looking. And it’s kind of…at the angle of the picture, um…sort of…well you’ve got to squint to see it…
    debby´s last blog post ..William the lion-hearted

  • A Novel Woman

    Whoo wheee, what a post. Love those photos. That “fashion parade” shot with the knee highs cracked me up.

    What a good looking bunch of me. Like, real MAN men. None of this knotted scarf around the neck carrying a man-purse that we see here in Montreal.

    Okay, I’ll stop now. I’m having a hot flash methinks….
    A Novel Woman´s last blog post ..A "poetree" mystery

  • Audrey

    Your best post ever! Fantastic writing plus lovely ‘scenery’! 😉
    I’m married to a Canadian version of the “bush bloke” and yes, they are worth their weight in gold, twice!!
    Okay, then, off to find that Canadian bush bloke and remind him that I love and value him!
    Thanks BB, it was a tough day and this was just what I needed to be reminded of what’s truly important around here.

  • KAddy

    Beautiful BB! I too know a few bush blokes and they do rock! I am also married to an ex rodeo clown and he is the same too! Thanks for another great read!

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