Weather stops the move

It was a typical day here yesterday although the summer sun was shaded by thick clouds and heavy rain. I love days like that, knowing that the rain will pour down, making me feel cosy and safe. I rose at 4am and checked the blog.  Nothing much to be done there so I had a chance to look in my Reader and go visit a few of my favourite bloggers. Emails were waiting too I answered about 10 of them then realised I could be there all day, so I went to the kitchen and put on some oats for breakfast. While they cooked, I went outside, talked to our blue parrot boarder Chiko, fed Hettie and then, with umbrella in hand, walked out across the wet grass to let the chooks out. They went a bit mental when they saw the umbrella - so I put it down while they ran passed me, then collected an egg and walked back inside.

Remember that parched backyard I took a photo of a few days ago. Well, this is it yesterday afternoon.

I love stirring food at the stove. It is a quiet and slow activity that allows me to think. I stood there stirring the porridge and thought about the rain falling on our roof, how it was cleaning out the creeks and rivers, filling up tanks and dams and how much we all rely on rain to keep us alive. Meteorologists are predicting increasing severe weather events due to climate change. There have been catastrophic summer floods here for the past three years. So as I stood there stirring, with the rain pelting down on the roof, I made a silent vow to cut back on everything that isn't necessary and to encourage others to do that too. With the hot porridge in a bowl, I poured on some milk and honey, made a cup of black tea and enjoyed my breakfast. Hanno was still in bed listening to the flood updates and enjoying the sound of rain on the roof.

This is our creek, it went from almost empty and stagnant, to this overnight. We can usually walk around where you can see the water. The bottom of the photo is at the level of our backyard so if it rose another couple of feet, we'd be flooded. Luckily, I can't see that happening.

We've had 421mm/16½ inches as of 3pm yesterday afternoon. Certainly enough to fill many rivers and dams and here, our tanks are full, the grass is turning green in front of our eyes and it's a magnificent boost for our fast approaching main vegetable planting. We had wind gusts overnight that sounded like freight trains rushing past. I hope it settles down today and that everyone to the north and south of us are safe.

And now my exciting news! Kerry, Sunny and Jamie are moving back here to the Sunshine Coast. Yesterday was to be the day, but it was too wet and dangerous to even think about it. So the move is on today, I think. Kerry has lined up a couple of friends to help pack the hired truck and Jens will help at this end. Hanno will travel down to the Gold Coast on the train this morning to help Sunny with her car. She's not used to driving on the highway and with Jamie and the wet conditions, Hanno offered his help to drive her here. So if all goes according to plan, the truck will be packed by about lunchtime, Hanno, Sunny and Jamie will drive up in the car and Kerry will follow in the truck. The'll all come here for something to eat and drink, unload some of their gear here in our big shed, then Kerry and Sunny will take the truck and car the few kilometres over to their new home. They're renting a house from a family friend about 15 minutes away. Jamie will stay here with us for the afternoon while Kerry and Sunny get everything settled in their new home.  :- )

I am so happy they'll be close. No more 400 km trips when we want to see them. We'll be able to help with Jamie if we're needed, they'll be there if we need them and we'll be close for Sunny while Kerry's away at work. He's working away two weeks on and two weeks off. We won't be living in each others' pockets, none of us want that, but we'll be close enough to offer help in the difficult times, to have family lunches every so often and to see Jamie grow up. And I'm sure all the other grandmas and grandpas will know how that feels.