Itchy Feet

So, here I am in Sydney Airport. The predicted temperature is 39 C. Back in Toronto, they're being buried in snow.

This should prove interesting. Especially since I didn't pack my boots. Hmm.

Great holiday, btw. Caught up with the family, spoiled my nieces rotten and had a great send-off BBQ last night. Love you lot so much.

Just since communication has been tricky this weekend - I'm at [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]'s house, have been fed, tea'ed and my bed is made up and looking comfy. :) We have a Plan to get me to where Mum's staying (she and some golf friends are at the Australian Women's Open this weekend), with a Backup Plan should the first one fail and another Backup Plan should we be late. ;)

Tomorrow is driving back to Wodonga, which takes about three and a half hours, time with the nieces and then Catching Up With All The Things Online. I may even post about my trip so far. ;)

Oh, and organise dinner with my auntie Leanne, uncle Phil and my cousin Aden, before I leave next Sunday. :)

Plane's starting to board, so time to close up shop. See you all from Australia in 22 hours. ;)

In the process of reading about Lego's new 'girl' range (ugh!), I saw mention of Lego dinosaur sets. My niece Zoe loves dinosaurs. So I thought, "hey, why not see what's around for kids her age?" and hit Google. Results turned up the most amazing Duplo sets, basically zoos with dinosaurs, which was just perfect. Except...

Except these sets are incredibly rare, largely not in stock any more and incredibly expensive (we're talking around $250 here, so I'm not being cheap). So I have the perfect Christmas/Birthday gift for Zoe, only I can't get it for her. Bah.

I think I'll still get her the zoo set, maybe the one with the baby animals, since she loves animals too. But still, totally unfair, internet, to dash my hopes so. :P

Given certain news from the roomie's family viewpoint (it's a locked post and I don't know who's on the filter, so I'm keeping vague), I'm probably going to be a bit stressed and out of sorts for a bit. There's good news in the form of the roomie getting the job he wanted today, but there's still plenty of bad, and it's going to be tough for us on Bloor Street West for a while. Especially since the roomie's family is kind of my adopted Canadian family and I'm trying to cope with my own reactions as well as support folks.

So if I get tetchy or annoying, that would be why.

So, having talked to my folks at last, I have a rough plan for Christmas. That being, I'll be spending the actual holidays here, and visiting Australia mid-January to mid-February. Probably about three weeks' worth, which will give me time to see my family, coo over the new baby, play with Zoe and visit the Aussie peeps. That way I get two Christmasses and don't wind up spending a fortune on airfares.

To do:

1) Book tickets before September 6;

2) Book leave with work (it's far enough ahead I shouldn't have an issue);

3) Renew passport before December;

4) Collect gifts of various sorts between now and January;

5) Organise tribal type gathering - anyone up for a party? ;)

I got an early morning phone call from my brother, to let me know that Eva had the baby at 6 p.m. their time. I'm an auntie again! Another little girl, this time named for Eva's sister and mother: Mia Alona (apologies for spelling, I haven't seen it written down yet!). Mum and bub both doing well after a nice short delivery. Mia has a little bit of fair hair and again the Howard curled over ear like me; Eva says she looks like Dad. 3.8 kg (I think) and as long as her sister was - my brother and Eva are breeding a family of giants!

Any way, pics when I have them. :) Welcome Mia!

Edit: And here she is!

I had a Skype call with my parents over the weekend, while they were taking care of Zoe. She's so big!

Her hair is exactly the same colour as mine is naturally, only thicker and wavier. She's a little chatterbox, says "please" and "thank you" and loves dinosaurs and wants a little sister.

I don't want children of my own, but damn, my niece is awesome. :)

I've been asked by a couple of people about my family and the flooding; they're not impacted, being largely in Victoria, but I appreciate the concern.

I've spent part of the morning catching up on the news, much the same way I did during the bushfires last year. It's mind-blowing, when you see some of the footage. Cars and houses just floating past on a wave of reddish-brown water. Stories of people calling out for help from their roofs and from inside those houses floating away. 78 people are missing, with 10 confirmed dead. It's just boggling, especially when not so long ago, this very part of the country was under crippling drought.

C., my new lawyer, has family in the Lockyer Valley, one of the areas worst hit, and spent most of last night confirming they were okay. Brisbane is looking at flooding as the Brisbane River rises 4.5 metres above its normal levels. I'm hoping that the people I know in Queensland are safe and well and that they can let someone know that's the case.

For those with family in the effected regions, here's some numbers that might help:

Emergency hotlines

Info for relatives, friends on Toowoomba flash floods: 1300 993 191
Lockyer Valley Council emergency line: 1300 005 872

Those wanting to donate money to help, there's a donation button on the top right hand corner of the Queensland Government site. The site also has a lot of good information and updates on the situation.

For those wanting to keep up with the news story, the ABC website has a lots of stories, videos and photos.

At the going down of the sun,
And in the morning;
We shall remember them.

Lest we forget.

This one's for my dad.

This one's for my grandad