We Are Getting Over It!

The big clean up of our city and surrounds is well and truly underway with thousand of volunteers from Australia as well as other countries pouring in to help.  Already businesses and houses are being rebuilt, people are remaking their lives and schools will be opened tomorrow.  Of course, there are exceptions with some businesses, schools and houses too bady damaged to be rebuilt or reopened immediately.  However, the indomitable spirit of Australia shines through as does the sense of humour.

Some examples.  A photo of our very swollen and swiftly flowing river showed a sign which said, "Missing since Monday, three goldfish."  Another showed a flooded street and a notice announcing, "Caution.  Wet surface", and still yet another example of the Aussie sense of humour.  Someone had piled all their damaged and broken belongings on the median strip to await council pick up, with a notice, "Garage Sale".  There were a lot more examples of humour in the face of adversity which goes to show that laughter is never far away and we really needed some light relief.

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On to other things...thank you for all the kind birthday wishes.  I had a lovely time and my family also took me out for lunch, which was delicious.  I just had an entree sized meal (I don't want to put on the weight I lost a couple of years ago!) of prawns and garlic sauce on basmati rice.  It was absolute heaven on the taste buds.

A very funny incident happened during lunch.  For some reason, we were talking about freckles (yeah, I know...we are weird) and Cooper, who is now four and a half, pipes up and says, "I got a freckle on my finger," and sticks up his middle finger in the age old gesture to show us.  Of course, he was totally innocent of what it meant...it was just us adults who fell about in hysterics of laughter.  However, because we were laughing, Cooper was laughing, too, but without really knowing why.

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You may or may not realise, but Jane and I go to the markets every Sunday morning to get our fruit, veges, meat and fish and anything else that may catch our eye.  So yesterday, as usual we casually confirmed that we were still going.   However, last night when I was watching the Australian Open on TV, a woeful Jane came over with her right hand all bandaged up.  She had pulled a hot casserole dish out of the oven (using an oven cloth) and set it on the bench.  She then checked a pot or something on the stove top, then turned around and grabbed the incredibly hot casserole dish...without the cloth!  A trip to emergency ensued and she came home all bandaged up and not very happy at all.  I'm going to pop over shortly to see how she is.  Poor darling...she won't be able to work or drive anywhere for a while.  I'll keep you posted.

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Margaret and I are planning a trip out west later on this year...during the Dry!  We are taking the overnight train, "Spirit of the Outback" out to a town called Longreach which is where our national airline Qantas started.  Qantas - an anagram for Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service.  We will also be taking a coach trip to see the Stockman's Hall of Fame, petrified dinosaurs and evidence of the footsteps of a dinosaur stampede, as well as a cruise.  This will all be first class and is at a good price.

Also four of us are planning a cruise up to the Whitsunday islands around August.  It's for seven days and six nights.  Toni and Darryl did that cruise last year and highly recommended it.  By then, I'll be ready for a break.  Gee, semi retirement is busy and I need to take some time out now and then...smirk.  Anyway, that's this year's travel organised.  Next year?  I have my plans and will post about those later.

That's it for now.  I hope you are enjoying your weekend.