Dec 28, 2010

Water on the road

Flood As we set off for 1770 the heavens opened and are North-bound trip was beset by rain.

As we headed further North the rain intensified and soon we were driving through sheets of water with lakes on either side of the road where they weren't before.

After a while potholes began to appear on the road and driving boredom decreased somewhat as we dodged around them.

There was a little traffic jam as we approached the first stream that was actually flowing across the Bruce Highway.

A Ute was hanging over the edge of the road on a bridge that we crossed.

Eventually we got to Miriam Vale and took the turn off to 1770. After five and a half hours of driving we were glad to be on the home stretch.

However the home stretch didn't stretch very far as 100 metres down the road it was sealed off with Road Closed and Water on the Road signs.

A few enquiries at the shops told us that we wouldn't be getting to 1770. There had been Big Rain and the creeks were all extremely flooded, and the two roads into 1770 were impassable.

We hastily arranged accommodation at the local Motel. Poor Matilda had to sleep in the car.

We went to the pub where we ate distinctly average but nonetheless welcome food before I walked Matilda, being dragged across the squidgy ground with the Frog Chorus going on all around me.

In the morning Nicole and I drive up the road to check the situation. There were three places where creeks cross the road and all were flooded.

When we got to the first one the flood stretched as far as the eye could see. We were told that the second crossing was two metres deep.

No 1770 today then.

Dec 24, 2010

Happy Aussie Christmas

Happy Aussie Christmas Happy Christmas to everyone, there will be stuff about our recent exploits coming soon... there just hasn't been time with one thing and another.

We have been stranded in floods, under the sea, on the road, on the beach, and frequenting shopping centres far more than is healthy.

Anyway suffice it to say that everyone apart from me is very excited about Christmas (bah humbug). Eloise has written to Santa requesting a violin, a pink teddy bear and a Nintendo DS.

Will she be disappointed or satisfied? Will we make it through the day in one piece? Will we need a surgeon with a needle and thread? Only time can tell.

Dec 9, 2010

Slimms Arrive. Heavens Open. End of School.

Impressions of Rain The senior Slimms arrived on Tuesday night.

I had Eloise almost asleep by the time they got here, after 8 o'clock, but they soon had her awake again and needless to say as usual I had to drag her out of bed at 8 o'clock in the morning.

I had to take the car in for a service, so after Eloise was delivered to school I toddled off up to the garage leaving the Slimms with a small task list, one point of which they achieved before falling asleep.

While the car was at the garage I went and saw a film. Skyline. It was crap.

I walked Matilda whilst Eloise was swimming. The heavens opened.

Today I have forced them to walk around Mount Coot-tha and we have taken it pretty easy apart from that.

It was Eloise's last day at school and her class arrangements for next year have been posted. Only one Prep D kid will be in 1A next year so there will be lots of new people for her to meet.

The day was devoted, for her, to a break up party so we took in half a loaf of Fairy Bread (that's the Aussie Treat where bread is spread with butter then covered in sprinkles and served up as a nutritious snack). Party food consumed all day meant manic Yoga and argumentative tea-time.

Deep joy.

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Dec 6, 2010

Wet

Wet Dog Smell Rain rain rain.

It's the Wet Season! And, unlike previous wet seasons here, it is... wet...

Warm and wet mind you, but it's raining intermittently most days, maybe just a little, usually at night. Sometimes a lot, in the day.

The garden has gone mental with the rain then sun giving the green stuff all it needs to multiply. Unbelievable amounts of garden waste awaiting munging in the compost bin.

Walking the dog is like dodging bullets, biking to school is an ongoing risky business.

It's forecast to continue for weeks. That should go down well with the visiting Senior Slimms.

But we've got it easy: storms have inundated parts of New South Wales.

Dec 3, 2010

Crescendo

Pliant We're beginning the build-up to the end of the year.

This means things such as:

- The Prep D End of Year Extravaganze where 23 little kids perform a Christmas play (Not the nativity) and sing songs. Very sweet.
- The Rehearsal for the Dance Concert this Sunday during which I walked the dog in the city for the first time ever.
- Birthday parties coming out of our ears
- Shopping for birthday presents
- Oh, and shopping for Christmas presents

We've got two birthday parties to go to this weekend and Eloise is to appear in two performances of the dance concert. Market tomorrow, although the skies here are grey and rain threatening.