.... and relax

THE Queensland flood tragedies are reminiscent of our early days in Australia. Although our tragic circumstances were fires, it's been widespread news that floods can do equally as much, if not more, damage to the communities they hit. And hit hard.

And the same way Ozzies north and south rallied around to raise cash for Victoria's bushfire victims almost two years ago, it's now time to send dollars up north for those affected by the torrential floods that have destroyed lives, homes, crops and incomes.

The weather these days is, as my boys say, "freaky." Hearing stories from UK over the past few weeks and how minus 20 is having to be endured, I can only shudder at the thought of bearing those temperatures. Never, in my 40 odd years in the UK, can I remember jaw dropping temps like that. I remember moaning a few months ago, in the height of winter here, how cold it was and how I longed for summer days. But a winter's day of 7C is nothing to be a whingeing Pom about and it seems now, I have nothing to complain about.

We're now in the height of summer down here in Melbourne although we've been getting temperatures of 28C, overcast and a bit gloomy. But today, after work, we met friends down at the beach and watched the boys dabble with their snorkels while we watched from the shore with a beer. Sunday is promising a 40-degreer so I envisage nipping down to the sea as soon as I finish my 7am-3pm shift after spending most of the day in the air con at work.

But before I do that, I have to transport youngest son half way round the state to take part in a basketball tournament. From Friday night, the wee fella is down to play seven games before the end of play on Sunday. I've just finished finalising a car share with another little player's mum and I think we have it sorted. Not that I'm exactly looking forward to cruising up and down the freeways in search of sport stadiums all weekend. But I have to remind myself that this reason is one of the many why we decided on moving out here anyway.

Sport features highly on the kids' activity lists these days and I'm glad. I'm also glad we have fantastic beaches and scenery right on our very doorstep that's accessible as soon as we're done with our running around. It makes it all very, very worthwhile...