So much to tell you

Oh my, how can it be over a month since I last posted. As I type we have rapidly sped through the school holidays, with less than two short weeks left of the lazy mornings, evenings outside and dinner being late on the table.  AND NO LUNCH BOXES. Anyhow, the last few weeks of 2014 were certainly quite jam packed, so lets catch up shall we? So much to tell you.

School Breakup

The last time we shall have THREE children at our tiny school’s school breakup concert. Kate reached the end of year six. Doesn’t time fly, it really is true.

The Husband’s brother and wife (Kate’s godparents) and their kids travelled from the coast to celebrate Kate’s “graduation”.  The kids had a wonderful evening with their cousins.

Santa of course arrived in style.

The kids put on a short musical concert showing off their skills. To be honest, I didn’t really get to enjoy the night as I spent it flat out either serving drinks or food, or clearing away food.

And then school was over, with a last day pool party to celebrate.

McKenzie’s birthday

We also celebrated little cousin McKenzie’s birthday. She likes Peppa Pig. Her mum can ice a mean cake too.

City “break”

Mum has been in the city having treatment, staying in the wonderful Leukaemia Foundation units near the hospital. We went and “cared” for her during the first week of the holidays. We took her out for some fresh air most afternoons, and to run some energy off the kids.

Our shift staying with mum came to its end, and thankfully she was feeling a lot better by the time we left (the tail end of treatment week has her feeling unwell we have discovered) and we departed, fully loaded, handing back over to my aunt.  Kids wondered how we would fit the load of groceries in amongst the other shopping, but hey, like someone else said, if you don’t have to unpack the beer carton and stick them in one by one, you have heaps of room.

RAIN!

It rained whilst we were in the city, the biggest fall in how long. Very excited phone calls were received.  It feels so old news now, but the elation when it does finally rain, puts you on a natural high. Sadly, now some weeks after the event and little other than random showers since, has meant that elation was short lived. Concern that we won’t get any more still sits in our minds.

My sister in law took these photos.

Georgie FINALLY got her ears pierced 4 long months after her 10th birthday. As expected, she didn’t even blink.

And that catches us up  - until Christmas at least!

When the Wet Finally Arrived

I won't get pre-emptive and say the drought has broken, but we FINALLY got a lovely heavy wet fall of rain last night. Proper stuff, not just piddly drizzle and showers. There's been rain and storms about for a couple of weeks now but we've been feeling like always the bridesmaid. 

Last night 60mm fell here at home in two wonderfully heavy exiting falls, starting around 930pm. In between  - when I should have been in bed - I went out wandering outside with a torch. Checked the rain gauge, checked on the animals. Found some very loud frogs with puffed out chests on the lawn in my torch light. Sat in the lounge chair with a wet cat on my lap and listened to the rain fall again, then into bed when another wave of heavy rain and lightning came over.

Even more excitingly, although can't tell how wide spread its been, the Prickle Farm's remote monitor has recorded 120mm over the past two nights.

Mum and Dad's place only registed 27mm (having been the 4th bridesmaid for the past few rain influences, and still wearing that apricot taffeta number, along with my brother in law's place). But the inlaws picked up at least 47mm - the gauge being somewhat sheltered by the house, they think they had a lot more. The dam - which had just 5 feet of water left in the excavation, has filled back up the level where it will last at least 12 months (has room for plenty more water).

So we are a bit excited. We might have a bit of a wet season after all.

Some images from the rain....


Imagine above - there was only just a little puddle on the far left of the screen. This is the House Dam at the in laws place. Whilst they have now a bore at the house, as soon as the water settles, they'll be using this to water livestock and the garden again.
A very flukey shot of lightning induced daylight in the middle of the night, as I peered out my window at the pouring rain. Husband wasn't quite so excited about my enthusiasm (snore, snore, snore) 
Its been a fair while since water laid on the vacant block next door.  The poddies and the horse went to school today, locked into the area that was the old tennis court - as its the highest bit of ground that isn't water logged at the moment (and is covered with fresh urocloa and button grass, which they were very excited about).

With the showers earlier in the week, and last nights big fall, we have now totalled around 110mm for the week. Not nearly as much as friends just to our east and friends just to our west but we are not arguing about that. More rain that we received in all of 2013 I think!

 

Muddy Puddles

We finally got enough rain to lay some water here the past few days (an inch and a bit falling here at home this week, and 65mm in one fall at the prickle farm!!) and the kids were excited. First water to play in for the summer. Yes, the WHOLE summer holidays not one muddy puddle.

So they decided to make the most of the bit of water in the gutter, and splash through it on their bikes.

   Which, of course you will not be surprised to find, ended up like this:

And isn't it amazing how soft focus and clever angles can make even my daggily rustic (that I am always casting the evil eye at) front gate seem a bit Country Stylish!  

home and away

I was going to NOT postpone dentist appointments come hell or highwater (and with or without husbands) so late Sunday afternoon, after a birthday party and feeding the poddies, we headed to the city. On reflection the birthday party with lollies and cordial wasn't a good choice given the hi-jinks in the back seat, but a bit of bawling when Dad hit the roof never did anyone any harm before ;-)

We drove through the fire area, smoke billowing here and there (but all under control). We did the dentist thing (feeling poorer for the privilege) and visited a sweet little newborn baby girl. All of the kids got to have a cuddle of Isabelle Grace, who belongs to my lovely friend Mel. Mel, despites some misgivings about lack of maternal instincts, seems to be coping just fine (the fact that her husband is a nappy changing machine may be of some help!) Ah, the adventure of ones first child! And you know what? I loved holding her, and snuggling her little body close to me, but certainly no clucky or pangs to have some more. They've plumb worn me out ;-)

We managed to squeeze a visit to the Rockpool for an early morning swim. I decided to spectate..oh the thought of wrassling into my togs in the sticky morning (oh the humidity!), and then sticky and salty and damp in the car back to the unit...The kids and dad loved it though. I enjoyed the very slight breeze and the view.

Going to town means one gets to wear ones pretties, and I brought a few of them out to play. And of course, one cannot do so without sharing on Instagram!

I'm really really loving wooden beads at the moment, and I had some time at Spotlight (and a whole lot of fun!) to gather some supplies to have a play making a necklace or two myself, and get some fabric to recover the cushions my cane tub chair on the front verandah (I bought some other stuff earlier but have repurposed it for another job). Although after wandering around looking for something that I really didn't know the name of (still don't) it sometimes really IS easier to shop online at home!

Speaking of cushions...holy moley. Priced new cushions for our 9 year old, sturdy metal outdoor setting....nearly the price of a whole new setting!!! More research is required.

AND HOT OFF THE PRESSES: in most exciting news, as I type....rain on the roof. Now I won't get too excited and say the wet season has set in, but hopefully even a few showers might offer some relief against the fires in the National Park that have been bothering the men over the past few days...and if its offer, we'll take at least an inch or two of the wet stuff to freshen things up til the Big Wet arrives. And purely selfishly, just the drizzle we've had this evening will do my garden no end of good!

With that, and the sweet sound of heavy raindrops (albeit slow drizzle) on the tin roof, I bid you adieu and head for bed. Is there ever a more relaxing sound (and accompanied by thunder is nice too, the lightening tonight seems to be all sheet which is nice to look at and far less likely to lead to more fire fighting escapades!)

and OH! hello Megan! ran into a lovely old friend in the shops this morning...haven't seen her for a couple of years, but she tells me she feels like she kept right up, reading the blog. Love my mates who read and comment verbally ;-) And mates that don't ever seem to age (slightly depressing that part). xo

Rainfall report tomorrow. Having to resort to old fashioned rain gauge instead of new fangled weather station which apparently has gone into shock at the thought of rain and refuses to register any precipitation. Do hope the kids haven't filled the old style one with the hose! ;-)

more

I really don't think we'll be heading east

that ripple in the water is the road bridge....

a quick page

A quick digi page that I plan to print, add a number 4 thicker to that empty space, stick the whole lot on some cardstock and call it done. Love it.

Its been raining up here in the north, nothing of biblical proportions in my area, but some big flooded rivers between me and the city, for which we are meant to be departing before 7am tomorrow for the FINAL (please god) round of dental appointments. However, I have a feeling that I might be cancelling those appointments later on this afternoon, as I can't see this being down by then...

there is a bridge 2.8 metres UNDER that water (you can JUST see the other side).

Such is wet season in the north!

rain drops

we had some lovely light rain overnight and this morning when feeding the animals I wandered about with my new camera drinking in the freshness that rain brings. Well, to be fair, I squelched  about, but I am not over the wet just yet to complain about it ;-)

I am very excited to report that I noticed a huge flower bud forming on the water lily...watch this space! (tis exceedingly hard to photograph something that is underwater. I did try)

Today has that rainy, laze about, wet weather feel about it. We've been waiting it for to happen for awhile, just some enforced downtime. Dad and the kids are laying about in front of the TV, playing legos, watching a movie, and sleeping. All at the same time :-)

afternoon excitement

Storm approaching around 5pm caused no little excitement in this house, with lightning, thunder, hail, wind and around 70mm of rain in a very short period of time. And I think we were on the edge of it!

(FYI, that blue colour under the storm on the right hand side, it isn't blue sky. That is rain and hail, and gosh when you see that coming you start taking the clothes off the line, battening down the hatches and getting yourself inside pretty smartly!)

not faring too badly!

Woke at 3am with strong winds, went back to sleep.  The winds have increased from about 6am, with some, but not MUCH like predicted, rain (just quietly, we were looking forward to a couple of inches of rain!).  According to the B.O.M, we are within the area of "damaging winds" but apart from a lot of leaves on the ground, and a few broken branches, we are not feeling it too much! (apart from kids going stir crazy already! I have just allowed them to don raincoats and scamper over the shed to play with the puppies...)

So, for those map loving folk, here are the details:

I feel for some good friends of mine, who live on stations right about where that big 2 is right now!  Remember we are west of Charters Towers, near Hughenden, so we are within that nice pinky coloured region at the moment.  Winds are gusty, have long periods of strong wind and driving rain, but then it almost calms.  But nothing too scary, or unlike a normal "storm" apart from the length of time is has been going on for!

It certainly has picked up speed since jumping over the coast last night, travelling very fast now.  Hopefully as it passes we might get some more rain, currently barely enough rain to even water the garden!

I'll take some photos later on, but really, there isn't all that much to see!

Starting to Get Busy

and taking things a little more seriously...just in case! Battening down the hatches, as much as one can - picking up crap, things that might blow away and so on.

The cloud mass doesn't seem quite as wide in this image, but perhaps its tightening up a little.  Anyhow, off to wander around the garden and see if there are any other things that need putting away, husband is busy on forklift shifting all of his accumulated CRAP, lord knows he has much metal stuff that could be deadly if indeed the wind does get here.

I'll come back again later with a report from the now WARNING zone! ;-) 

I'm not worried....yet...

I live in part of the orange area, west of Charters Towers. Normally a cyclone doesn't bother us too much, with the buffering factor of the Great Dividing Range blocking up most cyclones - normally we western folk don't mind a good rain bearing cyclone! However, due to the sheer width of TC Yasi...well even if it just touches the coast, they expect it be felt inland. Look at her spread in the satellite image. (hey does this picture remind you of that movie with Dennis Quaid and the big snow storm and he had to trek into New York to rescue his son sheltering in the library?...or not!) So we have done a few little things to get prepared, although not having had to deal with cyclonic winds ever before, I am not sure quite what we can do.  My list includes: take down fairy lights (don't want them blown around and wrecked, they are new!) relocate mini-pig cage when and if the wind picks up, and re-arrange the shed so both vehicles can be parked properly inside. Push the kids trampoline up against the side of the shed - and maybe tie it there.  And as for the wind worthiness of house and outbuildings, well we shall see if it gets to that stage.

I guess I am a very laid back Aussie with the "nah, she'll be right, won't get here" attitude, however Council and Education Dept are obviously in slight panic mode - with school being cancelled for the next two days! (never mind that we are not meant to have any affects at all tomorrow!  so the kids could at least be at school then!) but they are overjoyed at the bonus two days off school.  Oh well, they can help run around and pick up their crap so should we get a bit windy it won't end up a missile.

I'll update with more exciting BOM pics tomorrow, for your cyclone tracking enjoyment!

and the storm clouds gather on high

of course you would all recognise that line from an old Slim Dusty song, wouldn't you? ;-)

Sunday evening, from my back yard. Thought the end of the world was nigh.

It didn't make it here.  Nary a drop. Same thing every day this week - big, scary thunderous clouds all round...and they keep going AROUND. But at least my washing is getting dry!

Its Raining Its Pouring

The old man is snoring (that would be my husband on the couch, "watching" a movie!).  It pretty much hasn't stopped raining here since around 10am this morning, getting heavier and gustier as the progresses.  We've had about 3" (75mm) of rain for today, a good portion of it since late this afternoon.  (the further west, the heavier it gets).  This is why:

We are somewhere under that mass of cloud, probably towards the eastern side of it...whatever the case, my washing isn't going to dry on the line anytime soon!