December 18. Day 353. In too deep

In these days of social media many people (and yes I know I am one) can barely blow their nose without telling the world about it on one social networking site or other.
And with camera phones in every pocket it is almost as if it didn't happen unless there is a photo of it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Despite this and despite the fact that I have taken more than 60,000 photos this year there are really not that many photos of me out there (and that's definitely a deliberate choice). I am the one in the family who takes the photos and thus I appear in very few.
Selfies may be a current obsession but it is one trend I generally avoid.
Today I chose to make an exception because it was too darn hot to venture much beyond the swimming pool.
So this is what you get, me proving:
1) I can talk under water
2) It is a good thing there aren't that many photos of me out there
3) Selfies suck
So there you have it. Status update: Susan blew her nose. Under water. She's cooler than you are if you are anywhere away from water or airconditioning in Brisbane today.

December 17. Day 352. Stuffed and roasted

I had something of a sympathy for turkeys today mainly because I felt stuffed and roasted. Just add some gravy and cranberry sauce and I'd be right for serving.
According to the thermometer it wasn't especially hot today although 32 degrees is on the warm side in anyone's language. But it felt much, much hotter thanks to killer humidity. By the time I returned from my walk I was basted in my own juices, a somewhat less than attractive situation.
The wilted self was finding inspiration hard to come by and I'd almost reached my front gate when this gobbler presented itself and seemed to sum up both the day and the season perfectly. I swear that's a look of turkey terror on its face (although it is perfectly possible it was just down wind on me which would also explain the flight response).
The weird thing is that Christmas Day may well be a day just like today and yet we will be firing up the oven and roasting as we do every year. We are not a family that would consider cold meats or seafood even for a second. No matter how foul the weather there will be fowl on the table. We can all be roasted together.