Water Water Everywhere

X tropical cyclone Seth has given us a lot more than we bargained for!

Some places received 640+mm of rain in 24 hours - that’s more than a year’s worth of rain one day!

Right now, Maryborough and Gympie are waiting for the rivers to peak.

Best Cousin In The World, who has a farm on the Mary River at Gundiah, is surrounded by water and the river is the highest it’s ever been and the closest to her house it’s ever been!

This is what it usually looks like …

This is what it looks like today …

Scary huh?

All roads to their property are flooded so there is nowhere to go.

The Gypsy who lives in Dallarnil, west of Childers, had a river of water flood through her property washing away the veggie garden and and all the potted plants. The small town was damaged …

The bridge to Howard (20 mins from here) is under water.

We are fine here. No flooding and the rain has gone.

It was quieter than usual in the shop today. I well and truly passed my happy minimum but the weather certainly kept people away.

It was a pain in the butt when I was at my busiest, I experienced a blackout that lasted about 15 minutes. I had three people waiting to be served and no internet for the transactions!

Aggie came for a quick visit. It’s been a few weeks since we caught up so it was nice to see her.

I’m now looking forward to a couple of days off, maybe a swim in the pool and perhaps checking off a few things on my “to do” list.

Again, we’ll see.

Nite all.

Down She Comes!

Beautifully delicious heavy rain soaking into the ground as we speak.

I’m a bit concerned that my training room may have very wet inner walls by tomorrow morning.

As expected, the weather contributed to reduced sales today, but my takings were still fabulous - just half as fabulous as the other days of the week.

I met lots of new people today including many workers from the medical industry. One lady who has just been “sacked” from an $80,000 pa health industry job for refusing the vax. 

She told me that 50% of her family work in the health industry - nurses, doctors, lab workers, dieticians, physiotherapists, counsellors - a wide range. Of the twenty one family members, all but three of them have been stood down for refusing the vax.

One of the three, her daughter, was vaxed against her better judgement and while in tears, but she had a new house mortgage and she couldn’t afford to lose her job.

She said they all refused the jab because they’ve seen the results and have cared for the many injured in hospitals in QLD.

Nurses, including her daughter, are currently working twelve hour shifts because of staff shortages and they’re talking about bringing trainees in from the universities to help.

We had a long chat. It’s always interesting to hear other people’s stories.

Another young woman from Gympie hospital who only has one senior RN above her now and needed a break after working double shifts for 3 months due to staff shortages.

An older woman who lost her “carer” job for not getting the jab but has been called back to work because so many of those that were being cared for had to be put into hospitals and other facilities because there weren’t enough carers left in the work force.

Apparently exemptions are now being offered to bring carers back but they need to be tested daily.

I had a really nice visit from one of my neighbours this afternoon with her own story to tell. The division in the community is brutal and we are all hurting because of it. It’s not going to end any time soon.

I’m looking forward to finishing with the shop and withdrawing into my own little world where I can focus on our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. I’m going to avoid the world until all this is over … it’s going to be a long time.

Vaxed or unvaxed, it seems that everybody is over all the BS.

In NT the Premier just announced that the unvaxed are no longer allowed to go to work! They are not allowed to exercise for one hour each day either. They are only allowed to buy groceries or medications within a 30km radius of their home, provide care and support for family members who cannot care for or support themselves, and they can leave their home for their own personal medical treatment.

That’s it.

I have a feeling that the same rules will be brought in for QLD next week.

We’ll see.

I’ve enjoyed sitting back with my feet up, watching telly and listening to that lovely rain. It’ll be nice to fall asleep to the sound of it too.

At least I’ll be ready for sleep a lot earlier than the last few nights!

In fact I am yawning uncontrollably so I think it’s time.

This is the rain we are experiencing right now!

Nite all.

I Made It

I finally made it to Tinkerbells to pick up my new jewellery.

The green one is a raw velvet malachite. It's one of the most powerful transformational crystals for the heart and will encourage changes which will compel us to move forward in our life but first it helps us to recognise and deal with what’s not best serving us.

Ideal for my current situation.

The other two are Ocean Kyanite, found in central Australia and helps with forging a new unique path, improving psychic ability and helps you connect with nature. It assists in creating new neural pathways in damaged areas of the brain.

While we were in The Bay, I got some more carry bags from HBW for the shop and then stopped at Harvey Norman to print a photo for a customer.

We almost had to cancel the trip in again because at 1.45pm there were still six people in the shop, but we scooted the last customer through the door at three minutes to two and were driving out of town at 2.10pm which was good going because we dropped the money tin and some meat at home before leaving.

It was another crazy busy day but I didn’t have a chance to tally up sales before I left the shop. I doubt that it was as high as yesterday because the value of each sale was, on average, lower than the last two days.

At least I had a chance to eat lunch and drink an entire cup of tea!

I had a couple of visitors but couldn’t sit with them for very long because of those pesky customers.

Tonight, we are awaiting the arrival of X-tropical cyclone Seth. It’s forecast to arrive sometime around 5am and Higgins Storm Chasers have warned that there may be water spouts, strong damaging winds, heavy rain and possible hail.

Adoring Husband and I spent time this evening moving some of the pool furniture and cushions into the store room and outdoor kitchen. We wound down the pool umbrella and then moved some of the furniture in the alfresco area to a safer spot closer to the house.

Hopefully, it’s all for nothing, but the BOM shows that the low is intensifying as it gets closer to land and our 2013 experience with the tornado makes us a little more aware of the possibilities. Better to be safe than sorry!

It’s now well after midnight so I should sleep!

Nite all.

Holy Cow!

What a crazy day.

I smashed my sales record.

Once again my brain hurts from calculating.

I had an appointment in town at 2.45pm and didn’t even leave the shop until 2.35pm so that was canned. I’ll try again tomorrow.

I was so busy, all I had for sustenance was half a cup of tea all day.

I found even more stock in some cupboards. Coffee cups, coasters, hanging hearts, silver chains, shawls and scarves, so I priced and displayed them.

Food was my number one priority when we arrived home so I hit the kitchen immediately. I made tuna and sweet potato cakes which were delicious served with salad and kimchi.

After that, it was nice to sit down and put my feet up.

Now it’s rapidly approaching 11.30pm and I need to sleep!

Nite all.

Beginning Of The End

First open day of January.

First day of 30% off sale.

My brain is very tired from calculating 30% off!

It was incredibly busy and if there wasn’t 30% off, I would have well and truly broken my sales record.

Lots of sad faces and conversations full of disappointment that I’m closing - by both locals and regular tourists.

It kind of feels good that I’m leaving on a high.

I’m not closing because of poor sales.

I’m not closing because I’m being evicted.

I’m not closing because I’m sick of the shop.

I’m not closing because my classes failed.

I’m closing on my own terms and my community is disappointed that I’ll be gone.

Once I get past the guilt, that’s a nice feeling.

Today I chose my word for the year.

In previous years my words have been INSPIRE, CREATE, EASE and last year was FLOURISH.

I think this is my eighth year of choosing a word, instead of a New Years resolution. 

This year I choose “RISE”

I’m going to RISE out of the ashes of my shop.

I’m going to RISE above all of this covid crap.

I’m going to RISE to meet any challenges that life is going to throw at me this year.

This is going to be a good year.

Time for sleep.

Nite all.

Kyle's vaccine complication

Another unproductive day.

I had a shower and smell much better for it!!

I folded some washing, did another two loads, tidied up a little and then binge watched series three of Cobra Kai.

Our Coles delivery arrived mid morning. There were a couple of items out of stock so they replaced them with something similar, which was ok. I think we’ll shop that way more often. It’s easier and works out cheaper because we are not walking past yummy things that we don’t need but buy anyway!

It has been three days of hibernation for me and I feel like it was a wasted opportunity to get stuff done but I definitely feel rested and ready to take on my closing down month.

It’s almost 11pm so it’s sleep time for me.

Nite all.

How many more adverse effects have been covered up during the trials? - ...

Today, I found on Netflix, a series called “Cobra Kai” which is a follow on from “The Karate Kid”, a movie made in 1984. It has all the original actors from 38 years ago and I have to say, they all hold up well!

I am really enjoying it and have spent the afternoon and evening binge watching it. We have three shows left of the second series and there are four series.

So obviously I didn’t get any of the things done that I’d hoped, but there is always tomorrow.

I do know one thing for sure … I need to shower! 

My sustenance today consisted of lemon water, chicken broth, anti-inflammitea, a handful of corn chips and one rice paper roll filled with pork mince, onion, celery, carrot, cabbage, garlic and mushroom. 

Adoring Husband had last nights leftovers for lunch.

On Friday, I grocery shopped on-line and it will be delivered tomorrow between 7am and midday. 

This is the second time I’ve done this. I think the first time was almost three years ago.

So it’s nice to have three full days at home without having to go into The Bay - having said that, we have to drive in on Tuesday afternoon to pick up a pendant from Tinkerbells and have a photo printed at Harvey Normans.

It’s 11pm so I’m off to sleep.

Nite all.