The All Clear

 Laura got the 'evacuation warning' during the night eg "Prepare for evacuation".   The good thing about their flood is that it was a creeping event, although you would not take your eye off it. Once the cemetery went under which is not far below them then it was really getting serious. However the all clear came and what took four days to start lapping at the door, all went away in hours, leaving a lot of mud.  I have some short videos of the last few days.

Wet Weather Woes

It is getting more serious with  rain here as long as there is no problem with plane flights then we will make our exit. It must be the fourth day of continuous solid rain.  Asher is a 7:00am visitor to our room and we have made porridge each day in the microwave. We have a small bowl and a teaspoon which is all she needs. Throw in a few grapes and breakfast is done.  

Now this picture is almost live

Evie turns one

The birthday party had a wet atmosphere about it but went on regardless. This group of one year olds are well practised by now as there have been parties on for the last few weeks. The whole thing was kept indoors as the water was rising at the end of the street. Laura had no idea that Asher was hiding in the living room when she came down from her shower.  We had gone off to get the cake and balloons and brought back a few extras. 

Comfort Inn

It seems because of widespread flooding, the rooms we had reserved here are no longer available. The people in them have not been able to move to their next destination, so we have been given a different area where we have to climb an internal staircase. The skylight here is dripping. I remember Daffy Duck trying to get to sleep and the tap over the sink was dripping but by the time the drop hit it turned into a bomb that exploded every few seconds.  I can hear bombs going off now. It is a two storey drop for these bombs  and they are making a continuous din.  No phasements.  The pre party cleanup continued earlier today with mopping, wiping  and sponging as well as decorations being hung.  The outdoor marquee has been cancelled and the party will be indoors only.

Emporium Stay

 The weather has closed in even more here. Last night we used The Terrace restaurant. I can recommend it even if you are not staying here. I had a medium sirloin which was perfecto.  This morning we have been forced to stay indoors. The pool is an absolute wash of wind and rain so we ordered room service breakfast for one and had half each.  We are moving hotels today so will just hunker down until exit time.

Typical Brisbane Summer

Even the Lifts are a light show

Preparations

About  a year ago I used a hand push mower to cut the very small grassy patch here and it did not go down well for my elbows. A year later with the wipper snipper it was a better option. Debbie and Laura took over after that and spent another two hours getting the whole yard area in birthday party shape.  We were a week late with Rick's birthday presents, however in the photo below you need to look closely at the bench in the background for the scene depicted in wood.  A Debbie birthday genius moment.

A man and his dog

 

∞ and beyond

We got to use the pool this morning before the rains came. This time of the year if it is not raining it is overcast so the 20 minute pool was good with only one other person. We walked down Grey St to the Mantra where we have had breakfast previously. It poured while we were inside but good timing for us. Debbie is now getting a scratchy throat but the RAT says she does not have anything like COVID.  This room is fully electronic. We found the TV somehow projecting from within the mirror.

Tricycle

 We got back to Nundah for an afternoon evening birthday session. There was a lot more present opening and I had time to fit the tricycle together. Later it can convert down to a bicycle but both options do not have pedals. Evie has taken to it already pushing it around.  Debbie made another great lasagne so Evie was very satisfied on her first birthday. Back at the hotel now we have just come back from the rooftop infinity pool. It has some good lighting for night time but we have not gone in as yet.

Trike me lucky

Night Time Infinity

Emporium

This is a posh hotel. When we opened the door everything turned on and the curtains parted for a view of the Brisbane River.  I don't recommend flying with a clogged up head. My ears are still popping an hour after we landed. We made a flying visit to see Evie and get one or five presents opened but it was soon time for her afternoon sleep so we have come over to the Hotel.  I think the TV is hidden in here somewhere. Debbie is in the supermarket which is in the arcade below as we need lasagne ingredients for a cookup.

My first helmet

Doll Smuggler

 I have had a box of dolls here for sometime that need to get QLD.  I am going to disguise them in a shopping bag from Jeans West.  The weight is 2.5kg which I think would be OK inside my case but the ceramics could end up in pieces.  I will have a back pack and a mask so they will not recognise me even if they do figure out I am smuggling dolls.  I have been leaving things behind of late, probably becuase I am out of practise with a suitcase so that part is happening now.

TeleHealth

 I put in a phone consultation with the doc.  I came straight out and said some antibiotics would be good. I have had all the usual symptoms, achey, phlegm, runny nose and I am flying to QLD tomorrow.  He spent 10 mins trying to talk me out of going.  I said I had the RAT which says I don't have COVID. He says he doesn't trust that test.  I said well why are they selling it too us then.  In the end he gave me the pills. It is the first time in years I have been given some anti biotic. They are cracking down on handing it out.  I said there was just no way I cannot get to this first birthday.    We tested out my breathing with a slow beach walk this afternoon.  I only brought up some gunk once. (Too much information!)

Mid Week Feb afternoon

5 Stones

 I am walking around like a zombie again. Not sure who gave it to me this time but I am supposed to be flying to QLD on Wednesday so this had better start clearing up. Back to the topic.  Aroundabout this time of year the 5 Stones craziness takes hold. This goes back to school days where two captains pick sides. The stones can make a stackable column and the idea is that when one side knocks them over, the other side has to stack them back up.  In the meantime the stackers have to deal with a tennis ball that is being thrown at them. Simples!  Elyse charges in to get them stacked. I have never seen her run as fast.

60th in the Park

 We made it to the park at 3:30 pm for Tim's birthday do, but both the covered rotundas were taken.  We had a table so set it up under some shade trees however the breeze meant we were looking to sit in the sunshine. Julie's catered food was very good and lots of it. The sausage rolls were good and my pick were the crunchy rice balls.  The playground was a ways off but these kids are happy enough with lots of space, a few sticks and a beach cart.  There is nothing better with cheap rides all round, by pulling half a dozen kids at a time along in the beach cart.  I have some video which I will work on today.  

Hmmm food noises

Sammy uses muscle

All aboard

Mini Olives

 I left the olive tree out of yesterday's garden update.  I have had a few questions about how the olives are going. I know Anna is keen on the harvest this year.  I notice the majority of the olives seem to be under developed. eg much smaller compared to others. It seems those ones are grouped in bunches so maybe they just need more time.  Olive picking is not for another two months and the feedback last year was that leaving it later so that the crop is of the riper dark purple kind, was a better tasting result.  Hopefully the mini batch will grow to the bigger size. 

the big and the small

Garden Update No 257

A touch of coolness today. Feb is supposed to be a hot month but the garden seems to like it. I took out another tub of strawberries this morning and some good tomatoes as well. The back garden bed wall also has an anchor point for our clothes line. It looks like a yardarm with staylines attached but is made of wood and is starting to twist and break in the weather and no doubt the weight of our clothes.  This needs attention before it breaks. We had a girl ride up the other day asking if there are any lemons available. People are making requests now. We have had this sort of thing before.  There are another batch on the way but she will have to wait.  

Strawberry Friday

clothesline is also being invaded by the lemon tree

Get back on

 It has been a month or so since we could do a simple bike ride around the neighbourhood.  Previously I had an elbow problem which is almost unnoticed now but it was the stubbed toe issue stopping me from getting into the bicycle shoe. There is always something. We did get the bikes out due to a rather cloudy even spitty rain day.  We took our usual but shortened route. The new train shed is progressing and even has a roof now. No other buildings so far.  Looking across to the You Yangs is the standard photo school scene.

Photo School

The Fountain

 I walked passed the party rubbish again yesterday so I just had to go back this morning for a quick 30 min pickup of the remainders. It was mostly small stuff, bottle tops, ciggy butts and lolly wrappers.  There was a lady there (Jill) who I was talking to the other day.  She has been in Clifton Springs since 1978 and lives near the fountain.  Now that fountain has always been curious. Anyone who has visited here would have driven passed it and back then it was working beautifully and proclaiming Clifton Springs.  Seems it was turned off for drought reasons and flowers were put back.  There was a push to get it working again 10 yar back but not even a dribble.

No water to spare

Sunny Beachy

 Went across after lunch for some beaching time.  We had it mostly to ourselves for the couple of hours we were there. Mid week school days are the best. We started with a 20 min snorkel and it was a good swim with similar fish schools from yesterday and a very large ray.  I have some video on the end of long extension arm which I poked right up to a jelly and thru its tentacles. Will have that ready for tomorrow's post.  Otherwise it was some intensive repotting of plants this morning with quite a few going out on the nature strip.  The 20 or so lemons went within a day. They were high quality.

No one else allowed

Confessions of a BeachComber

 Finally got my new lenses today after 10 days of not quite right viewing thru old glasses. This did not stop me finishing this book by EJ Banfield. It was the one I got from the bookstore in Koroit two weeks back. It was written about 1904 and records his observations of life on Dunk Island.  He was a newspaper man in Townsville and his health deteriorated from tuberculosis. He leased 320 acres on Dunk Island for 30 years and spent the remainder of his life there with his deaf wife. Maybe that is why he used so much detail in describing his surroundings so his wife could read it.  The text is the flowery stuff of the time.

"There, 4 miles away, lay the island and close at hand the turtle were ever and anon rising, balloon-like, from coral gardens to gulp greedy draughts of air, which not even the salty essences of the ocean could rob of its perfume." 

This guy decscribed the internal parts of the island, plants, animals, birds and aboriginal sites. Also the shoreline, the reefs and the fish. He observed the aboriginal activity and how they did things. There were other books as well but one of these is probably enough. 

The house that EJ built

Clear Water

 One day later and the water conditions are 100% improved. There were a few clumped floaties which you can avoid,   The best viewing was at the end near the rock groyne where a large school of large fish were swimming around me.  I have seen these before, each one would be say a half metre.  Earlier there were two rays. I have the first ray and the school of fish recorded below.  Back on the beach a cleanup is required after yesterdays party antics. There are many lolly papers, wrappers and bottle tops.  

These might be Wrasse

Murky Depths

 I timed the beach for high noon which was also high tide but the North wind was stirring the grasses today and I did not like the colour of the water. So no snorkel swim today. There were other factors like the girls birthday swim party complete with birthday cake. They were all massing in the water just around where I would start my swim.  It was quite warm in the twenties so I went further down and across to the Dell section of beach.  I had to shuffle my feet thru the turbid stuff. You would not want to turn an ankle on an unseen huge grass ball.  I sat in the water for 5 minutes got out and went back home for lunch.

What! that's not an Ice Cream Cake.

Brown Water

Lemon Plenty

 The garden has been seemingly abandoned for the last month including the lawns. We were otherwise occupied. Nothing that four hours work can't fix.  Thrown in for good measure is the annual cutback of the lemon tree. Now that is a prickly job. At the same time a huge collection of huge lemons was required. There must have been 30 budding green ones cut off but there are many still to get.  Not sure what the neighbours may have thought when Debbie crossed over to retrieve some branches but then started overarming lemons back into our yard. They are hard as cricket balls to catch and much bigger.  The strawberries are also plentiful along with the tomatoes. We do have a large toothed tomatoe hog gnawing at them. 

Weighty Matters

 Around the end of last century I was approaching 100kg, actually 96.6kg and did not want to get to that magic marker.  So I tried cutting out some stuff I was eating and stepping up the exercise. Back then I went down to 87kg in a year.  I thought I would try it again, as since that time the weight has slowly increased again and as of last Friday is currently 94.5kg.  I can remember in the first few months last time,  it was good progress but slowed at the end of a year. I can't remember exactly what I did. This time around my exercising is way less. I am going to try leaving out fizzy drinks eg Bourbon and coke, also trying smaller meal sizes and maybe using the seniors meals at pubs etc. I will report progress in a month's time.

Rapid Antigen RAT

 I have never heard of Diarrhoea being a symptom of COVID before now but for some reason I suddenly have to get a homestyle COVID test going before the third shot and this is happening 10 minutes before the jab.  Now it took us weeks to find this packet of tests and I didn't want to waste one becuase of watery poo.  However when we read the instructions it takes 15 minutes to get the result and we only have 10.  The chemist says it will be next month before the next free appointment so that's it we left the test on the bench with five minutes still to wait but the first 10 minutes showed it was negative.  In the end I think we got the Moderna shot this time around. 

I feel Weak

 There's no use sugar coating this, that was a night to forget.  Both of us getting up to run to the toilet. We had a toilet each. And this morning I have continued with some nasty work in the upstairs one.  For some reason I gave Debbie a 15 hour head start and then at 7:00pm last night it started for me.  I have to drag myself around with slow shuffling steps, as walking is hard at the moment. Attached to this problem is a bout of heart burn, so whatever we ate, we did a good job of upsetting the body clock.   Tomorrow we are supposed to get our third COVID shot so we have until then to clear this all up. 

From the Mouths of Babes

 We are having a rest day here and we need it.  Debbie has had a night of diarrhoea and feeling bloatudinous. (New word). We have been postponing going across for some more beach therapy and it is a perfect day and now going onto 3:00pm.  I know that stomach feeling.  Lots of water and not much food have gone into today's recovery. We did decide to go for a late walk yesterday around 8:00pm, to walk off the spahgetti and meatballs. Maybe she got a bad meatball. I have worked on the weekend video though.

Estelle Hugs a Horse

 More Hotel room juggling this morning but I got Debbie to Estelle's house by the required 8:15 am. Getting back to the hotel was tricky as I had to take a new route due to incredible traffic snarls.  I made it back in time for Evie's nap. We had to wake her an hour later as the plane waits for no-one.  In fact we had time to spend 30 minutes in the lounge area.  I went back to Estelle's house and got there at Midday.  The afternoon was a standard play time although i did get an hour's nap on the couch despite the builders racket inh the backyard.  If Estelle can do it so can I.  She is getting smarter by the day. Both Evie and Estelle are properly clapping hands this weekend.

Horse Play (everything soft gets a cuddle)

90th again

We got to Estelle's house around 10:00am after juggling a microwave and a few available plates at the Hotel for breakfast.  It was Evie's turn for a sleep as soon as we got there as Estelle vacated her cot.  Trying to get them up at the same time was tricky.  At 12 noon Asher arrived so all three cousins were together again.  Brendon and Cathy came with Nana Beryl and the group was all ready to sing the 90th birthday song.  James and Heidi did a good job of hosting everyone considering they were half way thru adding a huge deck onto the back.  Many photos were taken so we should get a few good ones with babies turning every which way. 

Women

three in a row

New Deck

Evie's quick visit

This girl is going to be a jetsetter with parents who work at  the airport.  Just passing thought I'd drop in. Heard that Nana Beryl had turned 90 so here I am. It is complicated with moving from Hotel room to Hotel room.  We tried to get the family room which has more rooms and maybe a kitchen.  Next time we think a serviced apartment will work better like the one we had in North Melbourne when Asher was born. We gave Nana Beryl a short 1 hr visit but when its baby nap time and sleep time then Evie decides the schedule.

Close Up

Beach Inspection No 236

 We got onto the council as soon as we saw the storm damage washing out the beach approach. This was earlier in the week and the council have been quick to get digger down there and scrape a whole heap of sand back from the bay to fill in the ditch that was created by the storm.  Debbie left a message telling them it was a good job. We still have a few open cases with them so everytime it works make sure to tell them. It also means we will have to do another clean up sweep as the sand has been churned bringing up more cigarette butts.   At least the beach is whole.

Before

After

Beach Therapy

 I went to the dentist for some dental therapy.  He says they are basically ok except the two bottom front and centre incisors are loose. Great.  I was previousy told I was long in the tooth but he says they still seem stable enough just don't press so hard with the brush.  It seems there is a brush that will tell you if you are using too much pressure.  Debbie had some back therapy where the realignment did not work as well so we settled for some beach therapy. Cures all ills.  Calm water, slight breeze and no clouds.  We were trying to film a dive bomber. Each time he hit the water it was further away or I was looking at the wrong bird. Still good therapy.

small fishes

small jelly