Tropical Cyclone Anthony

Last night we hunkered down for our first cyclone of the season. Cyclone Anthony crossed the coast at Bowen, it was only a category one, so just a big blow really. We got loads of rain though, and the river is very full now.
We went to our spot at the harbour to check out the sea. They have closed the ports so all the ships have skedaddled. It was waves all the way to Round Top Island. When it rains with one of these storms it really rains.

The real worry is the big ugly sister forming off in the ocean off Vanuatu. They reckon that will arrive on Thursday..

A Prawn for Dinner

As you know, KISA and I are watching our weight, so the other night we had a prawn for dinner. Just the one.
It weighed 80grams after it was fully shelled and deveined. So I made it into 9 wontons, and we had Wonton Soup with it.

Yum Yum Yum..

Happy Australia Day

Happy Australia Day! We had a quiet day and in the afternoon, put on our glad rags and went to the Australia Day Awards at the MECC as M was getting an award. She won the Volunteer of the Year for all the tireless work she does for the community. Here she is getting the award from our Mayor. Sorry about the quality I only got one shot and it was rubbish. She made a great speech, though I know she hates doing that sort of thing! Don't we all! D and M showing off the award. We came back to ours from some drinks and nibbles to celebrate. We are all very proud of you, Congratulations!

On on a side note, Happy Bloggaversary to me! Today it is 2 years since I started this blog!

Finally we get the car home

Yesterday we drove the car back home. Two weeks later than planned! But better late than never and with all the excitement of the last couple of weeks, that is a good thing! KISA landed from Newcastle on Friday and Son 19 and I collected him from the airport. We went back to TBS and loaded up the car fridge then headed to the Sunshine Coast. We stayed the night there with Kand G and family and made an early start the next morning.
It was an uneventful trip, and when we got to the south of Rockhampton, we started to see some of the devastation left by the water, which lay around for nearly 2 weeks.
All the grass was dead and covered with river silt. Still some water laying around, it smelled awful.

The now famous roundabout that featured in all the news reports, the water came up to the top of the plinth the bull is on.

There is a park on the south side of Rockhampton, on the outskirts of town. This is how it looks now.

This is the river from the main bridge in the centre of town. Still very high, a week after the water went down.

Photos from Fairfield

Son 25 and the Divine Miss R live in Fairfield, a suburb of Brisbane that was devastated by the flooding. Thankfully, they live in the higher bit, but only just. This photo they sent was taken of the intersection about 6 houses down from them. There is a Coles supermarket in there where Son 19 works doing nightfill. This is the house on the corner, 6 houses away. A bit too close for comfort for this mother! But they said it was kind of exhilerating in a terrifying then relief sort of way!

Next week I will get to talk to them and hopefully get the full story. Until then due to power issues, there have been texts and a short conversation. We tried to drive to them last Thursday but the police were not letting anyone into the area.

More Brisbane Flood Shots

Yesterday afternoon, after the flood peak, I sent a couple of junior reporters out into the danger zone with my camera to get some snaps. As editor that is my perogative! S and I stayed home and watched Matilda on the DVD.
They did very well, and the photos follow. The first few were taken from the cliffs at Kangaroo Point where the TV crews had established themselves.

The coffee shop where the TV crews are must have made an absolute fortune, with the 24 hour coverage by the news and all the sight seers. The next few shots were taken at the Riverside Centre after the water had subsided a bit.

The next few are streets in the CBD. I don't know the area enough to name them, maybe a reader will let me know.

Cleaning up. This is the worst bit as there is no end of nasty stuff. Son 25 says it really stinks, the mud left behind.