Deluge

 It’s raining here and has been for several days. It may never stop.  I’m building my ark and have started gathering animals two by two, so far I have 3 rats (all female), 1 dog and 1 cat.  Clearly I’m not very good at this.

Due to the rain people are not complaining about the drought anymore, which is a relief.  However they are complaining about the rain. Sigh.

Our creek is overflowing and the Royal Adelaide Show has been rained on and flooded.

It hasn’t stopped people going.

 

We’re not going, we only go every two years.  That’s as much as I can stand.  This year is a good year NOT to go obviously.

That’s about it for now – it’s a slow news day at Bridget’s Flame. 

As you were.

Sunshiny

In true Autumn fashion we are experiencing schizophrenic weather conditions, one day cool and raining, then sunny, then wild winds and thunder storms, then dry but crisp, then warm but raining (ugh – humidity) and so on.  Yesterday was cool and raining, today is sunny and warmish.

Since it was nice outside I decided to put our Rattus Norvegicus girls out for a bit of air.  They were very excited with the fresh breeze and new smells and Jack was beside himself with joy to find them in such close proximity.

Apart from that it’s just washing and ironing and preparing dinner and other mundane tasks today.  I’m not complaining though, at least I’m at home.

Blissful sigh.

Feeling Autumnal

The weather is beginning to turn, it’s still in the mid to low twenties, so not cold yet, but wet and dull and overcast.  We’ve had some lovely rain and are having some more today with thunder storms to come.  My favourite kind of weather.  I love Autumn and Winter, I can honestly say those seasons are when I’m at my most contented and most….I don’t know…centred? At peace? Dare I say approaching happy?  Nah, let’s not get carried away there.  :-)

I had a wander in the garden this morning to check out the seasonal changes.  In a little neglected corner I found the first mushrooms of the season (we get lots) – already munched by small creatures.

The trees are beginning to turn…

...gold…

…and burgundy…

…and little raindrops are everywhere.

 

It was lovely. I came inside and sat in my office drinking coffee and listening to household sounds.  The  girls were playing a camping game and making Jack play with them.  He’s so tolerant and was quite happy to pretend to be their pet bear.  The washing machine was swishing gently, the clothes dryer humming and rain on the roof.  Such mundane and domestic sounds and yet soothing.

And then…before I knew it…I’d written a blog post!

The obligatory weather post

Things wouldn’t be ‘back to normal’ in my blogging world if I didn’t post about the weather and have a good old bitch about the heat.

As usual the Australian summer is getting to me. That will come as no surprise to you all, it always has been a thorn in my side and I’ve let you know it. However now there seem to be more extremely hot days (days over 35C) and they are lasting for longer periods – several days in a row before any relief – then starting up again too soon. This does not a happy Caitlin make.

My Northern hemisphere thermostat is designed to deal with this…..

Not this…………….

……….so that all you want to do is this……………

Stupid weather.

Spare a thought…

…and a prayer (if that’s your thing) for those lost and those who have lost loved ones in the terrible fires in Victoria and New South Wales.

The Premier has declared a state of emergency and defence force troops are being brought in to assist.

Many fires are still burning and being fought by the Volunteer Fire Services. Can you imagine how exhausting that must be wearing heavy fire fighting gear, temperatures of 45C+ and a blaze raging around you?

In Victoria arsonists are re-lighting the fires. There 66 confirmed dead so far (I say so far, because more are expected to be found), cars being found abandoned by the side of roads, occupants missing, whole townships wiped out, families, livestock, wildlife and pets gone.

It’s tragic, sobering, unimaginable and very, very sad.

Photos from ABC online http://www.abc.net.au/

Today’s weather report

It’s hot, I’m tired and I need chocolate.

Anyone got a problem with that?

The bureau told us it was going to be 40 tomorrow and 34 on Saturday. Now they say it’s going to be 43 tomorrow (only getting down to 32 overnight – sob) and 41 on Saturday. They are liars. Later I’m going to down to the bureau to punch someone on the nose.

Apparently the cool change will come and it’s going to be 25 on Sunday. That would be nice….but I’ll believe it when I see it.

In the meantime let be known that I am heartily sick of this stifling ‘record-breaking’ heat. I am a Scottish person…we’re not made for this kind of weather.

A change would be a fine thing

..don't you think?

I think I need a bit of a change, the blog needs an upgrade...I'm bored with the template and the banner (although I took that photo, lovely isn't it?). So sometime in the next week or two I shall do some blog housekeeping. I'm just warning you in case you click over, see something unfamiliar and click away again apologising profusely for the intrusion - like when you walk in on someone in the bathroom, or in a state of undress or whatever.

Not much other news today, took the girls to their swimming lesson (last day tomorrow), bought strawberries on the way home and now I have some work (real, paid work) to do. Which I am obviously procrastinating about...but you knew that didn't you?

One more thing...tomorrow.... look at the maximum!!! Yikes! I might expire.

Oh... another 'one more thing'...I have a follower...look over there on the right...

I feel special now.

Concerts and stuff

It's been a busy couple of days, although not nearly as bad as last year. The school concert last night went well. A few hundred parents relatives and friends crowded into the school hall and the children came in one class at a time and gave their performances (there just wasn't room to have all the children in the hall too). It had been raining off and on all day and shortly after the concert began it really started to rain heavily. The noise of rain on the roof was so loud at times it drowned out the singing...which may have been a good thing. By the time we left there was a bit of flooding round the classrooms and people were dashing to their cars in the downpour.

This morning was the last assembly of the year and Aislin's class were leading it. Because the children hadn't been able to see each others performances we were subjected treated to another round of their songs. Then parents were invited to a morning tea, frankly I think we deserved cocktails. I wanted to come home because I'm tired and have had enough of school, but that seemed rude so I stayed for a cup of tea, socialised a bit and managed to resist the scones.

Next week is the last week of school and then we have the long summer holidays stretching before us. Looking forward to that, as long as it doesn't start the way it did last year.

Cast away!!!

Cast away...bit of play on words there...cast....away....castaway....get it? Ahem.

Anyway, today was a big day, Aislin was back at the hospital to have the cast removed (we hoped). As it turned out that did happen although the doctor warned that the growth part of the bone may be affected but we won't know unless it gives her trouble so all is ok for now and she could have the cast off.

She was very nervous, wouldn't smile for the camera....she'd been able to hear the saw going from the waiting room and it was freaking her out.

The saw came out and the nurse assured her it couldn't cut skin and demonstrated by touching it then got me to touch it. I don't remember that being in the contract but I did it anyway. She began to cut and it was very noisy and Aislin was not happy, but stayed very still and quiet and didn't complain.

Then there were some big plier type things to prise the cast apart.

Then the cutting of the inner bandages......

.....and then it was gone.....

Apart from some funny looks from the nurse as I was taking photos (she obviously doesn't have a blog) everything went well. Aislin is limping slightly but that's more from stiffness and lack of use than pain. The doctor said she'll be fine in a couple of days.

She's now soaking in the bath, she's been longing to do that and has already been in there for about 45 minutes. I'm going to have to fight to get her out.

Tonight is the school Carol Concert. Every year we're encouraged to pack a picnic and sit on the school playing fields to hear the carols. Last year is was 35 degrees, 100% humidity and ended in torrential rain and a thunder storm. The year before the parents were all huddled in their picnic rugs it was so cold. Today it is raining and warmish with storms forecast. Should be a good night.

Stop, drop and have a gin and tonic

Today I had to accompany Aislin on a school excursion to the local CFS station. Something I was thrilled about as you can imagine. It's a 10 minute walk from the school but as Aislin is on crutches it was decided that she should be driven...normally the Principal or another staff member would drive her but that couldn't happen today so it was me. Hurrah.

The CFS* presentation was entertaining for the children, they learned all about the service and the different types of emergency they attend, then some fire safety stuff like 'Stop, Drop, Cover & Roll' and 'get down low and go, go, go' (personally I prefer the Macarena but whatever). They also learned how to strap someone into one of those rescue stretcher things and how to work the Jaws of Life.....all useful stuff for 5 year olds. The highlight was that the kids all got to ride in a fire engine.

While we there it started to rain....really, really heavily. The plan was to have a snack break in a local park then walk (except us) back to school. That plan was changed. I spent some considerable time ferrying Mums back to the school to pick up their cars, then we crammed all the kids into various vehicles and drove them all back. Normally this requires a special permission slip to allow your child to be driven in a private vehicle by another parent. Seemingly when the choice is to break the rules or get really wet, breaking the rules wins.

Once Aislin and her classmates were all settled back at school with their snacks I left to run some errands, I had some shopping to do and a birthday present to buy and some pharmacy items to purchase (you get the idea...like I said...errands). I got home with enough time to unpack the groceries and eat a bowl of cereal for lunch (cornflakes if you're wondering). Then it was back to school to pick up the girls and rendezvouz with my brother and sister-in-law for a child hand-over as we are looking after their boys this weekend. Now I'm home and hiding from all those children out there until it's time to go and throw them a dead Wildebeest prepare them a nutritious meal. It's going to be a four cocktail weekend I can tell.

*Despite my lighthearted comments I want to say that the CFS are some of the most incredible people in existence and they have my undying respect, admiration and gratitude for what they do. For those of you that may not know this, in this country the standard Fire Service only serves the metropolitan area, anyone outside that area is under the protection of the CFS (or other rural fire services depending where you are). The amazing thing about these rural services is that they are staffed almost entirely by volunteers....especially the firefighters...all volunteers. Did you get that? These people fight fires FOR NO MONEY AT ALL. Highly trained and experienced volunteers but volunteers nonetheless. See all those enormous Australian bushfires that you see on the news? Volunteers fight those...and volunteers from rural fire services in the various states and territories will travel to wherever they're needed to fight fires if necessary. Most of them have jobs and they take time off work to do this. But it's not just bushfires...if my house caught fire? CFS. If I was trapped on a cliff? CFS. If I was lost in the bush? CFS. If I had a car accident and needed to be cut from the wreckage? CFS (admittedly if all this really happened to me I think the CFS would be getting pretty pissed off). They do it all. Sadly there have been occasions that a CFS firefighter has lost their life doing this. And they don't even have to be doing it. They choose to volunteer and in doing so risk their lives for all of us.

The CFS is awesome.

NaBloPoMo

Well it's NaBloPoMo again and this year I'm participating. I don't know if that is a particularly spectacular announcement because I've been posting just about every day lately anyway. However, I'm committed and this month will go from just about every day to every single day. I was reminded of this annual event by Cathy and I love a bandwagon so I had no hesitation on jumping on this one. I'd sort of intended to do it last year but (conveniently) forgot. So this year it is.

It will be interesting to see how many posts I will actually fill with nonsense about participating in NaBloPoMo. I'll try not to do that. Honest.

Today dawned dark and gloomy. There was a thunder storm this morning and intermittent rain since then (God, I'm even starting to sound like a weather girl). It has not been a day for going outside really and it was the same yesterday so everyone has a touch of cabin fever and we are all, frankly, a bit crabby. It doesn't help that I'm still feeling the after effects of last week's migraine. Inspired by Z I am going to stock up on migraine relief just in case...it may be years before I have another so I guess I'd better watch the 'use by' dates.

I'm spending a lot of time today on stand by near the computer waiting for updates on the latest addition to the family. No, no more babies...not human ones anyway. My sister has a new kitten, a lovely little part Bengal girl...I won't give any more details as I don't think the name is confirmed yet and it's really not my news to give, but if my sister grants permission I will post a photo soon.

I think I might go and suggest to Tom and the girls that we take a walk. None of us really mind walking in rainy weather (in fact I love it) and it might be good to get out for a while (and will give me some fodder for tomorrow's post).

Today's weather observations

I'm a bit obsessed with the weather, particularly when it's hot because I don't like it being hot so I spend a lot of time waiting and watching for the cool change (which in the height of summer can be a long wait). I was quite outraged to hear that we were to have high temperatures this weekend, after all, it's only October! I am still traumatised by the heatwave we had back in March that caused Tom to replace our old air conditioner on short notice and right at the end of summer - the beginning of Autumn actually.

So, I woke today full of dread of the 37 degrees we'd been told to expect. It has been hot, I'm not sure it got to 37 degrees though. Instead we have grey, overcast skies and blustery hot winds. There is a change coming but so far we just have the clouds....not the cool breezes or the rain...it's looking hopeful though...

That's us down the bottom covered in cloud, we're in there somewhere. Thanks to the BOM for the image.

I finally finished my book today. I've been reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (by Sussana Clarke). It's a big book, 800+ pages in small print. I'm a quick reader but that one has taken me ages because I've only been reading in bed at night. I notice that it can be purchased in it's 3 volumes, my copy is from the library and one great, massive 3 in 1 tome it is too, very difficult to read lying in bed (aching arms). I was always worried that I'd doze off and it would fall on my face and break my nose....seriously, it's that big.

So, did I like it? Yes I did. I have to admit that that I was just coasting along with it for the first few chapters, it's an unusual book and her writing style takes a bit of getting used to - she uses footnotes, not something you come across often in a novel, and in the beginning I found them a bit distracting. However once I was hooked I enjoyed the novel, it's very detailed, covering a lot of ground and very cleverly and wittily written. The story is set between 1806 and 1817 and is about two English magicians, teacher and pupil, and their varying adventures (Strange provides magic during the Napoleonic Wars serving with Wellington) and their ambitions and rivalries as they attempt to revive 'English magic'. That description barely covers the story but it will give you an idea. She's a wonderfully descriptive writer and I particularly liked her descriptions of magic and the faery world - these are not your Victorian faeries by the way, there are no frilly, gossamer winged creatures here. In this book magic and the faery world are a much darker and more serious business than in some other books in this genre (excuse the clumsy grammar in that last sentence).

Anyway, I hadn't intended to turn this into a book review, I don't do those - not here anyway, but there you have it, a snapshot of my opinion of this book. Do I recommend it? If you enjoy your historical fantasy with a bit of meat on it's bones then yes, yes I do.

Well that didn't last long

After yesterdays blue skies and bees, today we have grey skies and cold.

See....

Compare it to yesterday....HUGE difference!

It's also raining.............on my weeds.

So indoor activities are the order of the day. The girls got busy making 'stained glass windows'.

A fish....

a flower....

and a dragon......

I have to say the dragon is freaking me out a bit, looks like it just emerged from the very bowels of hell. I'm not telling the girls that though, don't want to cramp their creative style.

Now we have to think of something else to do because the natives are getting restless and Aislin just blew a raspberry at Hannah then cried when Hannah said she was disgusting. We might have to pop out and buy wine first, because I feel certain Mummy's going to need her little helper tonight.

Oh for heaven's sake.....and some little boats

Yesterday I went to the doctor on a completely unrelated matter and she informed me that my fluey virus had now developed into a secondary bacterial infection of the upper respitory tract ....oh and I have sinusitis too. Nice. However I now have some antibiotics (sigh) and I'm sure I'll be fit as a fiddle in a few days. It does explain why I've been feeling so utterly miserable. Good to know there was a curable reason.

Tom was with me (well in the waiting room, I don't actually need anyone to accompany me into the doctor's surgery) because we were going to pick up the girls from school afterwards. For some reason they get a tremendous thrill when both of us arrive to collect them so we've been doing that all week. Anyway after the doctor we had some time kill and it was a sunny day (the first in weeks) so we decided to take a walk around a nearby lake.

When we got there I noticed a group of people standing by the water with little boxes in their hands, as we got closer I realised they had remote control boats and were sailing them on the lake. It all looked rather serious as a couple of them had clipboards and self-important expressions (the people not the boats). Anyway, the little yachts were beautiful. Once again please excuse the photos, they were taken on my mobile phone as I was not anticipating a walk so hadn't brought the camera. My mobile doesn't have zoom so they are a bit distant but try to imagine a peaceful stillness, broken only by birdsong and the sound of tiny waves lapping on the shore as these little boats cut swiftly through the water.

Aren't they lovely? Here's another lonely little yacht making it's silent way back to its owner.

And another, just having a little rest.

Look at those blue skies - it was absolutely freezing though, today the rain is back and outside is dark and grey (but I'm still not complaining - keep it coming I say!).

On my desk

Today, 'on my desk' is brought to you from the dining room table. This flu has finally peaked unpleasantly and add to that last night's insomnia* I'm not feeling up to sitting in the office today, so I've brought the laptop to the table - it's warmer here. I went back to bed for an hour after Tom and the girls left this morning and I'm heading back there again shortly. I'm not good for much else today.

I did consider blogging from my bed or the sofa but decided against it. It's a precedent I don't want to set.

It's quite nice sitting here, listening to the crackling fire and looking out of the window, watching the torrential rain**. If I didn't feel like death warmed up I might actually be enjoying myself.

So on my 'desk' today all I have is tea and tissues (and a few random papers in the background there)....

..did you notice it's the big, ugly 'comfort' mug today again? Whenever you see that mug know that things aren't quite right.

My busybody book diary - a wonderful thing with a column for each family member, very handy and I highly recommend it if you need to keep track of more than one person or project.

Fortunately (and unusually) we have a very quiet week ....

.....so although I could be working hard on any number of things, there is nothing so pressing that I can't rest and recuperate. Which is just as well really.

*I have previously mentioned that I suffer from insomnia from time to time. The last two nights I have been wide awake in the early hours. It's not nice. I did however manage to show some restraint and did not hurt my sleeping husband (as suggested in that post I linked to***).

**In the first 4 days of August we had more rain than we had in all of August and September last year. Fingers crossed it keeps up.

***Clumsy grammar. I'm sick and I'm tired. Try to ignore it.

It's not about winning (the hell it's not)

For the first time in ages we didn't have anything to do this weekend. No parties, family get-togethers or major shopping expeditions and best of all Tom didn't have to work. He's had a lot on lately and has had to bring work home so that he can meet the deadlines. It's tiresome for everyone, especially him. So with a whole weekend to spend at home what did we do? As little as possible of course. We played chess (yes, we are a whole family of geeks), played with Aislin's train set and built a whole town around it out of wooden blocks, baked scones and huddled round the fire to eat them, had a game of Cleudo (I won and Aislin had a tantrum because she wanted to win), napped and generally slothed around. It was fantastic.

There was some excitement when hailstones fell (see, geeks I tells ya).

All in all it was a lovely relaxing weekend.

We played lots of other games too, Go Fish, Old Maid, Snakes and Ladders - all the old favourites. The girls are very skilled at these games and they are sticklers for the rules. There was a lot of 'debate' throughout - card pairs were counted and recounted, spaces moved were checked and checked again. No-one was getting away with anything.

At one point T did raise an eyebrow when I thrashed Hannah at chess then did a demented kind of ecstatic happy dance about it. Ok, I realise she is 8 years old and I'm........well.... I'm older than her and I realise that I have decades more experience playing chess than she does and I realise that it's enjoying the game not winning that's important and I'm the Mummy and so I should set a good sporting example and be a bit more mature about it. But I WON!!!! What can I tell you, I like winning,

I didn't see him shrinking from the spotlight when he beat Aislin at checkers.

Yep, geeks one and all. Competitive geeks at that.

Nothing to see here folks....

..unless you're interested in endless rain and the sight of me going crazy trying to think of, then supervise, entertaining indoor activities while still getting some work done? No? Didn't think so.

The winter holidays are always a challenge, even if it's not raining it's cold out there and no-one really wants to be out in it for too long. Short bursts are about all we can take then it's back inside to destroy the house engage in more of those entertaining indoor activities. Sometimes (but not this time) we go to the family beach house for the July break, it's even colder and rainier there but that doesn't stop us staying out for hours then coming home to a warm fire and hot chocolate. Tom and I may or may not lace ours with whiskey, I'm not saying.

I'm not complaining about the rain, we need it desperately and I actually love a miserable, cold, rainy day (what can I tell you.... I'm Scottish). Also, South Australia is facing some very serious water issues and it's not an exaggeration to say we're in danger of running out unless our illustrious leaders do something. Scary stuff. So keep the rain coming I say.

Tomorrow the girls are off to their cousins' for the weekend. I've mentioned before the arrangement we have with Tom's brother and his wife. For those of you that don't like to follow links I'll recap - we have their boys for a weekend one month and they have the girls the next. It works well and means that both couples get a child free weekend every two months. When this tradition began we'd spend the first 8 hours wandering the house aimlessly, occasionally bumping into each other saying things like 'what shall we do?', 'I don't know, what do you want to do?', 'oh I don't know, what do you want to do?' and so on. Very tedious. Now that we're used to it there is no such bewilderment. It's more 'I'll pick up the takeaway, you get the wine' then we proceed to eat, sleep, watch movies and have uninterrupted conversations all weekend. Very grown up.

But that's tomorrow. Today I have to come up with some more holiday fun. I'm running out of ideas.

New and improved

Well hello there. Finally.... I have returned. I have optimistically titled this post 'new and improved' but really only time will tell. There is every possibility that this blog is just as old and crap as it always was so don't get your hopes up.

So what has happened since last I posted anything substantial? Well, first of all....winter came...we have had fog and rain and cold (I know you've missed my weather reports).

Then it got really cold....it was this cold this morning.

Brrrrr.

Apart from that it's just been me spending a couple of months stumbling around in a fog of melancholy and confusion. It seems that after quite a few years of having life a certain way I woke up and found that things had changed. They'd changed in a good way, but suddenly I had access to the person I used to be before I was a mother. Suddenly I had the time and space in my life to be the old me a bit more. Trouble was I couldn't remember who the old me really was or what I used to do (oh by the way, I'm still a mother - I haven't sold them on eBay, tempting as that might be). I won't go on about my recent experiences in this post but I can't promise I won't mention it again. Because it's been interesting (for me anyway) and as you know, the more trivial, self absorbed and inane a topic....the more I want to write about it. You're warned.

As well as not blogging, I've hardly even been reading my favourite blogs, so I'm now doing the rounds trying to catch up on everyone's posts - so you'll be finding a comment or two from me. I was reminded in an email from a blogging friend recently that one of the best things about doing this crazy blogging thing is the community that develops and the cyber friends you make (not to be confused with Cybermen - because they're just creepy and not that friendly). She's absolutely right. I didn't start this with that in mind, but it's been a bonus.

So I'm glad to be back, thank you to all of my cybermen cyber friends who commented supportively and also those who were supportive by email. I hope you don't live to regret it as I come crashing back into the blogosphere.

Photo credit BBC

Hot nights....

...and no, it's not what you're thinking. It's more about this and trust me, it's no exaggeration. 30!! Overnight!!! I consider 30 to be a hot day, but overnight it's obscene.

Then there's this other problem, one of those is close to us. Fortunately it's contained. These people should be sainted, they had 120 fire fighters and 25 appliances to that fire and contained it within the hour - in horrendous conditions, it's hot, it's windy and it sucks - and they don't even get PAID for that.

So here's Adelaide's Heatwave - the musical.

Good question..