Whaa? I think I missed that!

Someone has so kindly pointed out that it's back to work next week. And I haven't even had my holiday yet!

Monday it was still raining. We planned to see a movie today. Ah well. We'll only get wet from the carpark to the cinema, right? MOTH came too, and babysat the umbrella while we watched Tangled. Loved it! There were some funny one liners and a teary bit *alright, I won't admit that was me, but I'm sure SOMEONE would have cried*

It didn't rain while we were indoors apparently. Typical.

Tuesday was ... ... ... rain. Yep. MOTH and I had doctor visits. It was MOTH's scheduled post op check up. He had to negotiate a new way there - the road he would normally take was cut. He sent me a text to let me know he'd arrived safely. I didn't get the text until after he had returned from the appointment. He told me he'd sent one. See? Not there. I reset the phone. And hey! There it is! Stupid phones and carrier services.

It was sunny Wednesday morning. Amazing! We stayed home. Nowhere to go really. The park would still have been a swimming hole and roads to anywhere are still cut due to the flooding. Another boring day.

Thursday was payday and we decided to take a chance and see what the shopping situation was like. We had heard stories of people panic buying and leaving nothing on the shelves. I hate that. I totally hate the selfishness of panic buying. Not a thought in their heads, they head off to buy whatever they can fit on their pantry shelves. Which leaves nothing for anyone else. And the most likely scenario is that it goes off before they can use it anyway. Or they lose power themselves and it all spoils. Stupid stupid people. There were plenty of stories of empty shelves and closed supermarkets because there was nothing left to sell.

We headed to our local supermarket and to our surprise, there were people everywhere. Most stock was plentiful; the only noticeable shortage was bread, eggs, milk, and tinned goods. Plenty of tinned asparagus though if you wanted that!

I overheard someone say that she could get to the shops in a nearby suburb, but they were all shut. Including the big supermarkets. That could explain the number of people at ours - they were coming from other places.

Reading over my work emails from home, I notice the University is closed until 19 January. I'm missing all the excitement - I'm on holidays.

Friday web updates lead us to believe the highway has opened again so we will travel tomorrow. Rabbit seems less than impressed.

Saturday is not raining either. Been a sunny last few days. Last minute tidy up, close the windows and off we go. We're not sure of some of the local roads - they've only just opened. One is still closed so we are forced to find a detour. We go slowly and the devastation in some areas is shocking. High water marks on buildings metres above ground. People are cleaning up and roadsides are lined with debris. Signage tells us the toll for the tunnel is waived, so we take it.

Wow. Might have to consider getting a pass for that one. We're across town in about half an hour. Well done!

Somewhere out on the highway we are tailing a car with something *a jacket?* thrown over the passenger seat. We can't quite see what it is. It looks like club colours. Black something but we can't make out the rest. We laugh as we pass - the bumper sticker says sponsored by Centrelink.

The rest of the journey is uneventful. Until we reach Gin Gin. Uh oh. A flat! It's sunny and very hot. There is no shade near the car. Luckily it's a rest stop so we send Rabbit, #1 and #2 to wait under the umbrellas. MOTH is doing it tough - the spare has to go on the rear, and the rear replaces the one on the front. It seems our full size sedan only has a 'toy tyre' for a spare. They call them space savers. What a laugh!

I'm worried that MOTH is going to hurt himself and I decide to help where I can. I've never changed a tyre before. Things get a little interesting toward the end. The saver is on and we are working on the front. Just lift the tyre into place and the car rolls off the jack! Luckily no one was in harms way and the car stopped as soon as it left the jack. Close call! It must have been on a slight slope. The car is auto, so the handbrake wasn't engaged. It was after that, let me tell you!

80km an hour after that. Slow going. But #1 and #2 behaved themselves the whole way. Very well done.

Sunday we spent the afternoon visiting with Ma and Pa. The weather was hot and humid.

Monday we spent some time with Ma, the Teen, Skywalker. The Elder joined us later. Wow - she looked amazing. She was handing out some resumes and had really made an effort. Hair was pinned off her face, a hot pink tailored blouse, black skirt with shoe print and pretty pink high heels the same colour as the blouse. Wonderful!

Mouse lent me her car to drive while MOTH checked out repairing the flat.

Roast rolled turkey breast for dinner and boy was it nice! Apple and cranberry stuffing. Might do that for myself one day.

Home yesterday with two cats in the car. This trip was uneventful. Sheldon spent quiet time in the cat carrier. Jerome cries constantly in one of those so he wears a lead and harness and rides in the passengers lap. He doesn't travel that well, but at least he's quiet that way.

Home to a power cut. It's very hot and humid. At around 8pm we decide to see what's about and head up the road. Hey! They have power! And here was I thinking nothing would be cooking. We certainly weren't! We buy a couple of sausage rolls and head home. Wolf them down and off to bed. Nothing else doing really. It's so hot!

This morning power is restored. And Ma calls to see if it's back. Over the course of the conversation, she reminds me that there are only a few days of my holiday left. Oh no!

And I haven't even had a holiday yet! How depressing.....