Floods

So much destruction and so close to home! The flash flood that passed through Toowoomba at the beginning of the week is available for the whole world to see as is the major flood that hit Brisbane mid-week. The devastation and loss of life "down the range" in the Lockyer Valley and surrounding area is heart-breaking.  For so many people the trauma will continue for ages and, for some, forever.

The clean-up has begun and at least the rain has stopped for a few days. Thousands of volunteers are assisting friends, family, neighbours and strangers. I believe our governments, at all levels, have made genuine efforts to manage the crises, comfort communities and inspire individuals and groups but the continuing personal suffering of so many is, and will be, immeasurable.

For anyone who has faith in the power of prayer, now is the time to pray.

Seeing the grass grow . . .

... you really can see it!  We've had so much rain and while it has inconvenienced our family and caused disappointment, we are all grateful that we have been spared the devastation and heartbreak of the many thousands of people, particularly in central and southern Queensland, whose homes and businesses have been flooded.

Before Christmas were returned along the Newell Highway from three weeks down south. At that time huge tracts of land in central NSW were under water.  So very different from the same trip and the homecoming welcome we experienced twelve months ago!

Our trip to Wonboyn was a successful fishing trip but I didn't really enjoy myself as I was pretty housebound, due to the weather, and I got fed-up with being chief cook and bottle washer. I think we knew before we went that this would be the last trip there; it is such a long way to travel and John is now 87 so it is a huge responsibility to take him to a place so remote.  As he will tell anyone who cares to listen: it was 66 years since he first visited the lake for fishing - so it was a very significant trip for him.

While we were away I did read several novels and completed the hand-quilting on my "L" quilt so that was rewarding and I learned so much. Today I embroidered my quilt label and prepared the binding so it's almost finished!

The festive season has passed.  It was so good to have the girls here together plus our younger daughter got engaged shortly before Christmas.  All that's left is for me to take down the Christmas tree.  This time we really are going to dump it; a threat I have made for the last three years.  I feel quite sad because we've had it since the children were little and it's given us so many happy memories but it's starting to look its age (like a lot of things around here) and makes a lot more mess than it used to (also like a lot of things around here!)

I still haven't done much to sort my photos, and now we have a heap more!

OGP and dam ride

A couple of nights ago we watch On Golden Pond on television.  It made a wonderful change after some of the second-rate movies we've seen in recent times.  Mind you, Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda didn't look as old as they did to us back in the early 1980s!

Early this week we went for a ride to inspect the dams after October's rainfall and the top-up that Cressbrook Dam has received from Wivenhoe Dam. It was great to see Cressbrook looking better than it has for some years. It was a perfect day for a picnic at Crows Nest National Park and we agreed that we should keep the bike for a little longer. We've always had bikes and guess that we are not quite ready to end that era of our lives.

The spring flowers around Toowoomba have been replaced by summer flowers.  Jacarandas were starting to look beautiful (until today's heavy rain) and the perfume of star jasmine is everywhere. They are such hardy plants. This one was planted in our garden about 25 years ago and has been totally neglected and has survived all extremes of weather.

Disruption to Plans

This week is not going to plan but is rewarding in a different way because I am having to rearrange my planned activities!

Last week was just lovely.  I caught the bus to Brisbane, went to the Valentino Garavani exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art, had dinner with my daughters, slept over and spent the following day at the Craft & Quilt Fair before coming home. The facilites and infrastructure at Southbank are magnificent and I shall return to enjoy them some more.

Over the last couple of months we have been making an effort to walk each morning and we set off bright and early (5.30am!) on Sunday.  I was chattering happily about my trip to Brisbane and demonstrated the "Valentino model walk" - for a very short time only because I hurt my hip doing it!  I'm sure I looked funny but some sympathy would have been appreciated. So: no markets, no gardening, no yoga class, no walking for a few days. I'm sure rest is the best thing but it is hard to turn over in bed at night and I do confess to being grumpy when I don't sleep well.  However, I have been able to attend to a few things that were further down on my "to do list" including writing on my blog so I am feeling good about that. Plus the pain is lessening.

We've had some busy times. After some wonderful rain our block has sprung to life -  you can see the grass & weeds growing - so that has demanded some attention. We have appointed several new staff members and, somehow, that ended up being my job ( and I'm supposed to be retired!)  The QCAT case continues after numerous adjournments over the months although we don't get as upset as we did initially. During August we had a couple of wonderful weeks away at Wooli where the weather and fishing were so fantastic that my reading and sewing activities did not eventuate as planned.

Since then I have attended the Toowoomba Quilters annual retreat at Perservernce Dam and was delighted by the progress I made there.  My "stack & whack" quilt top is completed, although the quilting has yet to begin.  I found our 2010 exhibition (see previous link to blog) very inspiring and have taken advantage of the strong Aussie dollar to buy fabric from the USA with vague plans in mind.

I count my blessings. My poor sister has had her life thrown into turmoil by the earthquakes in Christchurch, NZ, where she lives.  It seems to have dropped off the news radar here but even in the past week they have experienced strong aftershocks.

My next sedentary activity (when it's my turn to use the computer) will be to organise the many photos I've have taken in recent times.  I may even get to load some to my blog. I should also change my profile picture: I have just noticed my red hair, and I've been blonde for over a year now!

Swan Lake

On Friday Night I saw the Queensland Ballet perform Swan Lake at the Empire Theatre.  It was absolutely fantastic.  I have long been a fan of the work of Francois Klaus, the Artistic Director of the Queensland Ballet, and this production with its divertissements was amazing. It was also great to see a full house at the Empire Theatre, a venue we are so lucky to have in Toowoomba.

End of Financial Year, and other things

Welcome to the beginning of a new financial year and the accompanying work. 1 July is our wedding anniversary and for the first time ever we celebrated by going out to lunch! I was sooooo surprised to receive the invitation although I chose our wedding date as I thought I was a good investment and R might remember the occasion because there was some association. We had a lovely lunch and I can hardly wait until next year!

Our posties of 20 years left us on 30 June because Australia Post decided not to renew their contract. Now they can take a well-earned holiday together but they will be missed by people in our area.

Another business that we will miss is Walsh's Nursery which closed down at the end of the financial year. A sign of the times I guess.  Where will I go for the sort of expert advice that they have given to me over the years?

Goodbye Trees, Hello Winter

It saddened me to have to get two of our big gums chopped down but one was dangerously decaying, as in likely to drop even more big branches and cause damage, and the other had put its more recent energy into lifting the pavers at the back of the house.  The result is not as horrendous as I anticipated and has, in fact, inspired me to establish another small garden bed when the weather warms up.

Winter is finally here after a magnificent autumn. I took this photo of our coral vine one sunny autumn day. It's a plant that comes up every year and never gets any attention.

Another plant that is continuing to please me is my tomatoberry.  Even at this time of year I am able to pick 12-20 small tomatoes every day although the bush is starting to look a bit sick.  It's a variety that I've never grown before but I will be looking for it next next summer.

And, the winter solstice has passed! It's a date I always seem to note.  The temperature may continue to drop but the days will start to get longer.  There never seem to be enough daylight hours for me and I've become 'not good' at getting up in the dark.

It's not often that I am there when our two daughters go out together. Rachel was a bridesmaid recently and Emily was at the wedding.  The other bridesmaid was the bride's sister and she was Emily's friend at primary school so I was delighted to get a photo of the four girls together.