January in review

January 31. Day 31. When I'm cleaning windows

Forget throwing stones, there are plenty of things people in glass houses should not do (even those with curtains).
The $200 I had to outlay for window cleaning today says clearly that people in glass houses shouldn't have children.
Don't get me wrong. I love all the glass around our house - the glass pool fence, the glass deck panels, the glass step panels. We have a fantastic outlook and a house that interacts with its environment but I have a sneaky suspicion that glass panelling was the brain child of a male architect (and one with no children at that).
As nice as it looks that's a sh*tload of glass to remove handprints and footprints (yes footprints) from and to clear of chlorine splashes from bomb diving. And that's before you start on the smears of what appears to be food and even the imprint of where the basketball misses the hoop and hits the deck glass.
One thing you can say about my extended family, they do a great smear job.
But I can see clearly now the smears have gone thanks to Ulick.
It's official. People in glass houses should have a credit card.

January 30. Day 30. Dripping

It is so true that if all else fails talk about the weather. Not only is it a "safe" conversation, it also a subject of endless variety and fascination. In short, there is always something to talk about weather you like it or not (pun intended).
Even allowing for that, this week has been a "special" case.
Cyclonic winds and driving rain and flooding and now the irony of a city facing critical water shortages because of flooding in the water treatment plants. Sigh.
But as things return to normal we can return to whinging about the heat and the humidity.
I walk almost every day and although my memory is short, today was one of the least pleasant strolls I can recall.
The humidity when I set out was 95% and even though the temperature was only in the mid 20s I was dripping.
When I stopped to buy water on the way home the woman in the shop even asked if I was okay. Clearly a "rosy" complexion with pouring sweat isn't my best look. Who would have thought?
Anyway, it's nothing a long, cool shower wouldn't fix if only there wasn't those water restrictions weren't in place ....

January 29. Day 29. Back to school

Only two weeks ago, my 16-year-old niece Scarlett  phoned me and begged me to look after 11-year-old Cleo “the most annoying little sister ever”.

Yet this morning Scarlett was patiently tying and retying the regulation bottle green ribbons in Cleo’s hair until Little Sis was satisfied that the bows were just right for her first day at big school.

That’s what sisters are for, right (Although I can’t recall either of my sisters tying bows in my hair. Ever. I’ll have to have words about that).

Hair was on the agenda at our house too today.

We have one more day until school returns for 2013 so it was official back to school haircut day.

The school’s haircut policy makes me laugh (not because of any particular clause but because of the level of detail).

Hair must be neat and tidy and off the collar and ears and out of the eyes. No undercuts. Only natural colour. No shorter than a number three blade. Nothing that will draw attention to the student. No sideburns. And that’s just the bits I can remember.

Anyway we are now almost ready for Year 10. A bit of spit and polish on the shoes and it will be all good. Here’s hoping for a happy and uneventful school year.

January 28. Day 28. Memories come flooding back

I got sunburned today. This is an insane situation because

1)                  Sun safety is a real passion of mine and

2)                  Brisbane is flooding and for most of my walk I was having to protect my camera (and myself) from rain.
Yep, this is a nation of extremes. It is so true that it never rains but it pours.

Oswald was nothing special as a cyclone but after being downgraded to a tropical low he really packed a punch. Belting rain and terrifying winds have been hitting Queensland finally letting up just a bit this morning.

So we went out for a walk and it was hard not to be immediately hit by thoughts of 2011 and the massive floods that hit the city. Then, like now, it was after the sun came out that the worst of the flooding hit from water coming down the Brisbane River from further upstream.

We are reassured that the levels will be nothing like what we experienced last time but everyone was talking about it. Today at West End along the river there was clear evidence of flooding. The Citycat terminal was under water, parks and roads were inundated and residents were starting to sandbag units in preparation for the worst of it from noon tomorrow. Water logged birds were emerging to try and dry off and get a feed.

My Mum is still without power and while the lights are on at our place there is no phone, no pay TV and (gasp!) no internet. While the teen considers the lack of technology to be an intolerable hardship we know how lucky we are. Our thoughts are with those who are not doing so well.

January 27. Day 27. Ants in my pants

I normally fantasise about having nothing to do and nowhere to go. So you'd think I'd be happy when the wild weather we have at the moment has resulted in an official warning advising against non essential travel (they even said that going to the video shop was not considered essential, What?! Try telling my teenager that).
Anyway, choosing to do nothing and being forced to do nothing are two completely different things. I've got ants in my pants. I would really like to head out for a walk but having been drenched yesterday I fully admit such action would be foolhardy. I also admit that whinging about being housebound is petulant when others are experiencing such destruction.
So I will stay put and eat chocolate limiting my travel to "essential" trips to the pool to release water as it starts lapping the edge.
This photo was taken near the pool filter during an essential trip. As I know nothing about plants I can not tell you what it is but the ants seem to like it as much as I do.

January 26. Day 26. Soggy celebrations

 Murphy’s Law. Last year the Australia Day Celebrations at South Bank were cancelled a day or two out because it had been bucketing with rain and more was forecast. January 26 arrived with bright sun shine. This year it was also raining in the lead up but they decided the show must go on. Naturally it the heavy downpours persisted.

There was a slight let up around munch time so I decided to do the patriotic thing and walk down. The crowds were thinner than usual but everyone was enjoying the activities – and then Sod’s law. The light showers turned torrential. Everyone got soaked. But the mood remained buoyant (especially in the bar, it has to be said). The kids were making the most of it jumping in the puddles. No-one was going to let a little (well a lot) of rain spoil the fun.

I confess I was transfixed by the kids dressed as cockatoos, echidnas and kangaroos blowing bubbles which were quickly blown away in the winds or stomped on by the eager crowds.

The stall holders at the markets doubtless have had happier Australia Day. Everyone else seemed determined that it wasn’t going to rain on Australia’s parade.