Hot!

Well, the summer heat waves and fires that plagued the northern hemisphere have certainly continued Down Under!  Around Melbourne it has been over 40, which is 104, consistently and headed that way here.  Outback stations are reporting temps of 45 and higher.  The national weather service had to add new color bands to their forecast maps as the predicted temps in some inland areas are going to be ABOVE 50C!  These are Death Valley CA temps people!  Unfathomable hot.  Fires have been torching Tasmania.  There is even a picture going around in internet of a grandma and her grandkids taking refuge in the lake clinging to the pier with smoke so thick you can hardly see the people. Grandpa took the pic just a couple of steps away.  They lost their home, but everyone was safe.  Many have lost everything in these wildfires in Tasmania and other Australian states this week, with no end in sight.  Locally there are several fires of concern and the air is quite smokey smelling and slightly hazy, but nothing like Wenatchee was last summer-fortunately for us here.  Brisbane hasn't hit such crazy high temps as Melbourne, but it is trying.  The high so far has been about 95, but indexed for humidity and such feels more like 102.  I'd prefer the low humidity desert 102 to the sticky one any day!  But on a positive note, have finally found an underarm deoderant that actually works!  Nivea has a loyal user for the rest of my days for sure!  Keeps this sweaty person smelling sweet all day long!  That and wearing as little as possible.  Ian has been running around in his knit boxers, Annika in not much else and Alex in string tanks and bike shorts.  Me, I wear flowy skirts with tanks and indecently short, light dresses.  Along with everyone else!  When in Rome, right?

2 1/2 weeks of summer holiday left for us poor saps here.  Swimming starts back up next week and I plan to have the girls swimming most every afternoon to relieve the heat if nothing else!  May have Ian in lessons for those 2 weeks as well, but his session is in the morning.  Bet they'll let him hop in the pool in the afternoon for a quick dunk to cool off though!  He will for sure be back in lessons for term 1 of school in addition to whatever swim schedule they work out for the PE time!  He loves the water now and I am so glad!

Alex now has all of her school uniform elements and school supplies and is ready to go.  The other two fit their stuff still (have I mentioned how I LOVE school uniforms?)  I will be selling Alex's stuff to friends and to the uniform shop for their second hand racks to get a bit back as well.  I'll post up the traditional 1st day of school pics as school starts Jan 29!

Australia Day is Jan 26 (their 4th of July) and the official public holiday is on Jan 28.  Lots of patriotic Aussie stuff going on sale this time of year.  If you have any requests, I can most likely find it!  I plan on scoring beach towels and a plastic backed picnic blanket this weekend!  Fun, Fun, Fun!