Today is lovely...not too cold, sun shining brightly and...no wind. The last few days it's been horrible, bitterly cold westerlies...strong enough to blow a dog of the chain. There has been havoc in New South Wales...one ship driven onto the beach and at one stage, there were three more in dire straits. They've had floods, people have been killed, one section of the Pacific Highway collapsed completely, sending a car and its occupants plunging to a horrible death. Trees down, the main street of Newcastle (a rather large industrial city on the coast) looking like a canal in Venice, but not nearly as picturesque, mayhem and chaos and a declared natural disaster area. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.Australia is a land of savage contrasts...if it's not drought, beaten farmers, dying animals and draconian water restrictions, it's cyclones, floods and raging torrents, plus there's the bushfire factor...yet we love this unpredictable country. We are patriotic to the utmost, waving the flag for any ceremony, memorial or national holiday...and anyone who denigrates Australia does so at their peril. I guess, at heart, we not unlike other nationalities around the world, are we?
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Darryl was rapt with his Jurassic, or Wollemi pine, to give the official name. We met for dinner (he'd already imbibed) and was burbling on about where he was going to plant it...and I was hanging out for a glass of wine. We had a great night, delicious food, lots of laughs and some lucky punters one of whom was my youngest daughter, some of you may remember her as Flossy when she used to blog. She doesn't have time now, with her new job in real estate, which she loves.
Anyway, on Friday night, she put her numbers on Keno and won $120 (this was before any of us had arrived). We all bought raffle tickets. Her number came up for a bottle of wine and while she was collecting that, the next raffle was drawn and she won that also...a $30 fuel voucher. I went off to play the pokies, after touching her for luck, and...bummed out horribly. As I had lost what I had allowed myself...that was it for me I don't believe in giving the casino all my hard earned cash.
Darryl had himself a whale of a time, but he always does. One of his gifts, given by a mate, was an apron with lacy bra, knickers and suspender clad torso and the words "Sexy Girl" emblazoned on it. No problems...he donned it and strutted around the place much to the hilarity of all the other diners. It was a good start to the night. Little Cooper found himself a lady friend and I turned around at one stage to see them cuddling and Cooper giving his little friend a kiss. Oh dear...like father, like son...they sure start early these days.
There was a guy with a guitar singing all Bob Dylan, early Beatles, Peter, Paul and Hairy...sorry, Mary, stuff and the littlies were dancing to the music...it was so cute.
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These last three days have been wonderful...no setting the alarm and leaving in the dark and coming home in the dark...I've been catching up with everyone. I know it sounds really strange, but I do feel isolated doing these full time stints...not seeing my daughters or my grandchildren, or my friends...I really don't like it at all. Yet, when the decision was made to work from home 75% of the time, I was told I would be isolated and it wouldn't work, blah, blah, blah...yet the opposite is true. I actually can't wait to throw in my two days in the city...only a year to go. I'll still work from home, because I really enjoy that, but not having to get up so early, drive half-an-hour to the station and be squashed into a train for another 40 minutes will be absolute bliss.
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There are heaps of kids tearing around outside at the moment. Jane and Fred are having a barbeque for Scotty's soccer team and the kids are out on the soccer field Fred set up, having a wonderful time. Just as well there's the room.
Plans are well on track for the pool...yessss! Saves me driving to the gym to use theirs...in the summer, anyway. The gym pool is heated in the winter so it's not such a shock to the system.
Right, I've rabbited on long enough. It's time to eat my ciabatta stuffed with salad and tuna.
Enjoy your weekend and I'll catch up with you all soon.
Ciao for now.
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12 comments:
Thanks for sharing what is going on, Robyn.
The catastrophes you describe are truly horrendous. It makes me realize the absurdity of me sitting her and complaining about the pollution and heat while elsewhere people are dying.
Hi Robyn, sure has been some wild and woolly weather around, glad to hear you had a good night out with family and that your stint of full time work is over.
I wish I liked ciabatta bread...my jaws aren't in that great a shape and I hate anything I have to chew real hard...but then again it may be softer where you are...
Glad you had a good time!
:)
It sounds like you're having a great weekend, Robyn and one well-deserved. I spent yesterday lunching with friends at their home...we, as usual, ate far too much...but it was all wonderful as was the champers and wine!
Today, I intend keeping a low profile and probably will catch up on a couple of tv programmes I've taped during the past week...call me "Lazy"...I will answer to it! ;)
Robyn, Thanks for stopping by tonight. We have had a great weekend and I will be posting more pictures. I just love my family as I am sure you do yours. I so hate it that you lost Oscar though. I have Simon at home that I want to kick to the moon. I wish that I could too. Take care. Sandy
Robyn,
I glad you enjoyed a family party in conjunction with the end of your full time stint. It must have been like a double reward for you. Your ebulent mood brought your daughter good luck too.
Climatic catastrophes seem to be the order of the day. Although I don't think they're anything new, they're sad and frighteneing all the same.
Insanity sauce is hotter than hot! a 1/16th tsp almost ruined a huge pot of chili. ;-)
rel
Hi Robyn ~~ Great post about all the weather trials we are having in Australia at present. I am thankful, neither of us are near the floods etc. We must be crazy to love this
country, but we do, come rain or come shine. Thanks for your comments on the Ben story. It was great to find such a good story. Sure Ben died, but how wonderful were those firemen.
Take care, Robyn, Love, Merle.
It sounds like you had a great time, robyn. I hope there wasn't too much of a meaningful sigh in that 'like father, like son' comment! Glad he liked his tree though.
We don't really get the extremes of weather that Australia has which is just as well as we don't cope very well with the slightest increase in hot or cold that we get now.
What alucky time for your daughter. I fear I would have had your luck had I been there. It's a good job we're lucky in other ways, isn't it?
Hi Robyn, N.S.W, is sure experiencing terrible floods and loss of life.gosh we need rain but not all at once. Im gratefull and thankfull were no were near the floods. but very icy weather today 12c brrrrr but its winter. bring back the warm weather. .
ggez you sound like you've been so busy Robyn, work can be tedious cant it. Sometmes fun but alot of hard and fast work too. Don't miss the medical side much now. Too busy with real estate lol. We have just finished house 5 and are about to start on number 6 lol. Just need to pop, hard to walk or stand for too long for baby is so bloody low down and freezing constantly too. Hope the mater is nice and warm lol. Take care for now and don't work to hard girl
xx
shona
In Belgium we are quite safe from natural catastropies, sometimes some overfloats but nothing compared to other countries. The only bad thing here is it rains a lot the whole year and when it doesn't rain for a few days they complain about dryness !
I picked up little Rosel but she hides under my night table hopefully she will get out and used in soon, my knees already hurt because I try to get her out ! Tomorrow more !
Be safe with the wild weather going on. You are in my thoughts.
D :)
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