Post script….yes I know they normally come at the end but the sheer magnitude of everything going on in the world right now demands that I cannot write about the minutiae of my life whilst such sadness, disaster and fear ravage the planet. It’s easy for us here in Australia tucked down at the bottom of the Earth to shut ourselves off from the happenings in the rest of the world but in this age of technology and 24/7 media we are all very much immersed in the horrors going on in Ukraine, unbelievable in this day and age that we haven’t evolved past blowing up innocent men, women and children in the name of territory. A flagrant misuse of power from Putin and now young men from both sides lay dead, entire cities are demolished and the threat of “worse things to come” linger in our heads. If the thinly veiled threats of nuclear or chemical warfare come to fruition it would mean that Europe and their allies would be forced to join in and that would mean a World War. Surely he wouldn’t do that? Unfortunately he is the kind of man that when pushed into a corner plays the bully and goodness knows what he is capable of doing then. How can humankind be so evolved in so many ways yet still act this way? The world has responded by sending as much help as it can, food, clothes, blankets, medicine, some military equipment and many heartfelt wishes to the people of Ukraine. Putin bans Facebook and Twitter from Russia so they cannot see what the world thinks of them or indeed what he is actually up to and effectively shuts the average Russian Joe out from the rest of the free world. Not that social media is the only form of media information but I presume their newspapers and television are already heavily censored or like the BBC have packed up and gone home. Some poignant pictures have emerged that are reminiscent of WW2 and the reminder that at the heart of this human beings like you and I are just trying to keep their families safe and escaping with hardly more than the clothes on their backs and a favourite teddy….

It seems trite to write of our life here at such a time but the very thought of us all being involved in WW3 makes me want to make the most of life all the more (while we can??) but with such sadness all around nothing is being taken for granted. We are profoundly aware how lucky we are to be able to live like this even if it is in a country that experiences such harsh weather events on a regular basis. Hopefully it will transport you to somewhere different even if it is only for a few minutes!

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After two weeks of being busy in Tassie I was looking forward to coming home and getting stuck into the garden, walking the dog and doing some Spring cleaning (even though it’s Autumn) which involved washing all the curtains and washing the house down – white weatherboards are picture perfect but show every speck of dust from our non sealed road when you look closely. All of these tasks have been impossible and I’ve been ‘forced’ into day reading with countless cups of tea and my dining room has turned into a makeshift laundry. It’s perfect weather to bake but then I’d just have to eat it so I’m back to tidying cupboards! Luckily I have squeezed in a morning walk with the pooch every day as the rain seems to clock on at around 9am every morning for which I am grateful!

I have no right to whinge when you see how badly the people of Northern NSW and QLD are faring. It has been a truly rotten couple of weeks for thousands of families and countless animals caught up in the biggest floods in 100 years. What next seriously…it is very biblical going from fires to plague to floods, all that is left is famine! Whole towns are under water, some rivers flooding over 14 metres and inundating shopping centres and forcing people onto their rooftops to escape. Imagine the sludge, the smell and the mould that will be left once the water dissipates, all your furniture and possessions ruined and a house no longer fit to live in. Even if you were one of the lucky ones who could afford flood insurance (most can’t as it’s ridiculously high) it will be a long hard road to recovery. Getting trades to come will be nigh on impossible…imagine the demand! For the sick, the elderly and families with babies and toddlers it is even more of a nightmare. Therefore I will not bore you with my overgrown garden, mouldy outdoor furniture and overflowing washing basket and I will count my blessings.

Despite the rain I enjoyed a lovely birthday lunch at The Blue Swimmer in Gerroa, a little blue weatherboard cottage that sits almost on the beach and puts out great breakfast, lunch and dinner for locals and visitors alike. With the rain pouring down our watermelon margaritas and fresh seafood went down a treat and we rounded things off with their signature haloumi doughnuts – sounds weird, tastes amazing!

Needless to say the animals have been struggling in all this wet weather. The local cows have had their feet underwater now for over 2 weeks which apparently makes them get various foot problems such as foot rot, ulcers and heel cankers; our chickens are looking very bedraggled even though they have a dry coop to roost in at night; we have had a couple of drowned rabbits and the usually happy kennels at the top of our lane is a mud bath. Wet Dog smell is pervading our house and I cannot wait for the sun to come back so we can give her a bath! We thought that we may have had some sort of lawn grub when we saw these patches scattered over the property but it is actually where a rabbit lies overnight and nibbles all the grass all around itself!

Despite my veggie patch being mostly under water and almost all the veg dead, my ‘tropical corner’ is doing amazingly well. The ginger plants are taller than I’ve ever seen them and my newly planted turmeric has blossomed with the warm damp conditions and even bloomed to let me know it likes it there! Apparently once the flower dies I can harvest the rhizomes and have fresh turmeric to cook with. It is a wonderful anti-inflammatory and you can freeze the tubers and grate them into your food when needed. I shall replant a few to hopefully get another crop next season.

The other animals who seem to be a bit put off with all this rain are our micro bats. We have found them sheltering in our raincoat pockets and under the rainhood and this little one somehow found it’s way into our hall light – a hanging pendant with an open top. Although exhausted after trying to get out all night he lived to tell the tale and hopefully their sonar will be working better once these conditions ease. They are harmless and not carriers of disease like the fruit bats but they are noisy little critters. We have two families – one in the loft of the garage and one in the roof space above our bedroom. They enter via the smallest gap under the eaves and are like teenagers coming home at dawn and we can hear them settling into their sleeping spots and chattering – a bit annoying at 4.30-5am and we are considering relocating them if I can find the right people to do so – not as easy as advertising for someone to catch a possum though I imagine? Watch this space……