Brisbane flooded

Maybe my blog is for sad times, as these are the times I only seem to turn to it. This week I came to write about out floods. Last monday it rained and rained nothing new it had been raining for weeks. Harder and harder until the rain coming down the hills was like little waterfalls, and drains blocked with water that we drove through.

At home we watched the TV in horror as cars floated down the main street of Toowoomba and people were stuck on top of houses in their haste to escape the water. My girlfriend rang frantic because she had just left her son and daughter in a small town nearby the night before. I calmly said to her they will be fine as I watch the news flash up they are about to evacuate that town. (inside not so calm).

Brisbane will never flood as bad as 74 again, there is a dam to stop the water. Stay at home all the TV's announce, don't go out and if you live near the water leave now. Richard and I get a frantic text from his brother Help sandbagging NOW. It is unclear whether his street went under in 74.

I had to go to the chemist to pick up a script, and the city is eerily quiet, all the small shops are closed, I have to go to the next suburb to find a chemist open. So I snuck down to a known local flood area to take some photos, which is the photos below, this is our local skate park, the road is non existent , and still a strange quietness over all the people around, not quite believing that there is so much water and wondering when it will stop rising.

After it seems an eternity but really only 48hrs the water leaves as silently as it rose , and the cleanup begings, we went to a local suburb , Rocklea to help this first thing I noticed when I opened the door was the horrible smell, and tonight again after the rainstorm its around again. Like raw sewerage but worse if thats possible. Next is all the dead earthworms in the gutter.

Finally is the overwhelming amount of people that have come out to help, with brooms, water blasters, bob cats , trucks, gloved hands. And Food and drink everywhere. It was amazing and heartwarming to see and made my whole family proud to be apart of it.

On a sad day !

A person I met once, but shared thoughts and times with on email and blogs, does it make them a friend ? an acquaintance, a BFF, or just someone you know.

Does it make it any easier when you read they have lost a pregnancy ? no it doesnt, it tears at your heart and makes you shed a silent tear, for a lost loved one. I took these photos on a day that was fun and happy but they seem to reflect the feelings of the day.

Nearly a year

Nearly a year has passed since I have written here. Whats changed , mostly we finished off our house renovations. Yippee!! Some friends marriages have broken up and one has a new partner. Jeremy has joined scouts and Zoe netball. I have some photos of some gorgeous pelicans than congrate down at Paradise point waiting for the fishmonger to throw out his scraps.

Whale Watching

This school holidays we went whale watching at Hervey Bay we were lucky enough to stumble apon a beautiful mother and her baby who allowed us the pleasure of watching us and not stealing her baby away.

The fact that she was comfortable enough to let us stay nearby was amazing as when I went years and years ago well 1994 to be exact the only mother we saw took her baby away so quickly , it was a blink of an eye. So we felt really privileged to be with her. I also found out that whales will often use a midwife to help their baby to the surface after birth and that the calf will average 80kg a day weight gain.

Anyway enough of the biology lesson here is some photos to enjoy.
Baby Breaching out the water

Mother with baby on his belly

Tail view of one of a pod of 5 males hanging out together

The stick family

My Stick Family from WiddlyTinks.com

By the cats whiskers

Sometimes and somehow I finally fluke a photo that I think it perfect. I wish I knew more about my camera to do it all the time.
This little bush in my garden is aptly name cats whiskers,
and today with the sun shining through it you can see the beautiful purple tips.

Moments in life where

WTF is the only "word" to use. The carrying on outside our house over the last few weeks has been nutty , firstly we thought it was possums until we saw the dark shapes flipping in and out.

Two large beady eyes could only be seen in the photos until I ran it through an auto correct programme where we see the culprit.