back to the land of the living

No more talk of Larry or the zombies, I'm so sick of telling that story. So what else has been going on? Well I've had this week off work too and have spent most of it schlepping about the house in my p.j's.

Lacey-t her husband and baby have been visiting this week from Adelaide, and we've spent lots of time together catching up and getting to know her baby Ickelberry (don't worry, I did get dressed on those days). The pressure has been on this week to kick myself into gear and get the quilt I've been making for Ickelberry finished once and for all.

Taa Daa! I can't believe I've actually finished something finally. Hopefully this will start a "finishing roll", and all those other things in my pile will get tended to.

It's been great having a week at home. Of course it went MUCH faster than I expected, and I didn't get even half way through my list of to-do's, but at least I feel slowed down and refreshed.

During the past 6 months of manic work I was starting to feel like I hardly lived here at all, it's going to be mighty hard going back to work next week. But I have a big weekend planned to make the most of the last few days, including the 2nd annual pong-a-thon ping-pong challenge for Henna's birthday tomorrow.

Lastly, I couldn't not share with you the newest member of the blue family. More of a consolation gift to myself rather than a souvenir from our holiday. They are tea-light candle holders. One now lives with my blue fish in the bathroom, and the other one of these babies is going to Ria (one of my closest friends from Uni) for her birthday tonight.
Birthdays, birthdays all around at the moment! Paaaarty.

last one, i promise

NOTE: Sorry for dragging this story out. It’s been so dragged out that I’ve kind of lost interest myself now. I’ll try and wrap it up quick so we can all move on.

Where we left off was the storm had come through that morning, and now it was heading into late afternoon.


Still no power, no shops open, no ATM’s (cash), and the roads out of town cut, and the airport closed. People were prepared with lots of drinking water, but had not planned for the shops to remain un-opened. A couple of restaurants opened, but were only serving wine or beer. The town was quickly filling up with tipsy folk with empty stomachs. By night time everyone in town was out on the streets looking for food.

Eventually Mr You and I found one restaurant who had taken the initiative of firing up a gas barbeque to cook up some basic food. The kind staff were letting people in, apologising for not having the proper set up and explaining that if they had enough food they’d certainly feed us, but they were likely to run out after a while.

An otherwise fancy restaurant, the place became anything but. They lit candles on each table for light, there were no plates or cutlery, and we ate with our fingers. The mood was grateful and jovial.

Eventually the smell must have wafted far enough that everyone in town was lined up outside, hoping to get in.

Mr You and I found this place early, and were thankfully fed a sandwich each. By the time we left the sky was dark, I’m talking pitch black, the walk/stagger home through puddles and over coconuts and branches, trying not to crash into other people, was so similar to a scene from a zombie movie I can’t explain. We couldn’t see an arm’s length in front of us. We made it to the beach and followed the waters edge as a way of guiding us home.

The rest of the stay was the same, but with less food. The power didn’t come back, people were hot and very hungry, then we heard another cyclone was on it’s way and due to hit in a few days. It was not at all relaxing.
Eventually we were transferred to Cairns (a small nearby city) who had power.

Have you ever watched Survivor? Think of when the couple wins that award challenge where they get to go and stay at a resort for one night…

Okay, so we hadn’t been sleeping on the ground for 40 days, but by God we were funky and hungry. We got to the hotel, dropped out bags, didn’t even check into our room before we dashed down the block into the first café and in no time were scoffing cake and hot coffee. After that we came back to the room had hot showers with soap and shampoo and got clean and fresh. The rest of the week we ate so much food I’m now having trouble getting into my jeans.

The rest of the week got much better. Many of the roads were still closed, so we couldn’t do too much, but we still managed to have fun. By the last day I was having a great time! The weather was still patchy, but the next cyclone did circles and stayed out at sea. I was relieved.

We went to a nearby island and went up a mountain on a 1900’s style train, and saw the best waterfall I’ve ever seen in my life, (made me feel like I was in Africa for a moment). We had fun, but let me just say I was soooo happy to get home. The End.

Of course thoughts go out to those poor people who's homes are smack in the middle of it all, and still have a long way to go before getting back to normal.

Photo's of the nice bits here.

monster storm

My Illustration Friday attempt for "monster".
Larry the monster storm gobbling up all in his path.

larry moves in

We were told it was due to cross the coast in the early hours of the morning, but nobody knew where. We were told to pack our bags and be ready in case of evacuation. We were told we may lose power for a couple of hours. We were told to stay inside.

That afternoon was clear, sunny, humid, with not a breath of wind. It was eerily quiet. The locals were buzzing, taping windows, stacking sandbags, roping things down.
We went to bed in the hot stillness and quiet.

I woke at 4.20am to a ferocious unwavering roar. I was wide-eyed and very awake, but this time there was no excited curiosity, only fear. Two minutes later the power was cut, the ceiling fan slowed to a dead halt and so did its gentle rhythmic sweep. All ambient light vanished. The assault outside carried on.

I curled up on the floor in the hallway with my pillow, afraid of lying in bed next to the window, and attempted to go back to sleep.

Flashes of sleep, flashes of wide awake, fear, and an ongoing roar.

As the early morning light began to glow through the thick cloud cover, I ventured to the window a couple of times to steal a peak through the curtains. The wind didn’t dip and undulate as normal wind would do, this was almost mechanical in its constant force, like a jet engine or giant vacuum.

The real force started at about 8am, lasted till about 9am, than had died down to rain by 10am. 11am it was all over, clear and deadly still once again.

People stared venturing out, keen to breath in some fresh air, and escape the hot rooms. There was no great damage, just an enormous mess and hundreds of coconuts impacted into the ground. Nowhere near the plantations yet there was a strong sweet smell of sugar cane that lay thick in the air on the streets. Trees were thinned of their leaves, barged into a steep lean, and some were even peeled naked of their bark down one side. After worrying about them during the night, I was glad to see birds and even butterflies in the air. Ants were busy once again cleaning up and rebuilding, as were the locals. The people on the streets seemed invigorated.

Mr You and I took the camera and went searching along the beach, hoping to find some creatures from the depths of the sea washed up on the shore. We only found one jellyfish, a wasp’s nest and lots of mess.

It was almost exciting, that is until hungers started to rise and night began to creep in...

who invited larry?

Last week we went on holiday to Far North Queensland, a beautiful region with catch phrases that tote “Beautiful one day, perfect the next” and “Where the rainforest meets the reef”.

The Daintree Rainforest; ancient, thick, dense, green, moist, humid. It harbours odd looking endangered species of plants and wildlife, most of it still unvisited by humans.

The Great Barrier Reef; the only one that can be seen from the moon. Vast, brilliant, vivid, spectacular, fragile.

The two meet where mountains plunge to a ribbon of narrow white sand and lapping, clear, aqua water.

I spent my childhood in this region and have many exotic curious memories. I’ve only been back twice since we left when I was 11. Much has changed, the isolation has given way to tourism, and the rainforest and reef (although still incredible) have suffered. But there’s so much about being there again that ignites long lost sensations, and gives me a feeling of welcome.

This time the welcome was tested, shoved aside by feelings far less comforting.

I’d love to be telling you about how wonderful and idyllic our holiday was, about how calm and relaxing it was, and how rejuvenated I feel. After all, that was the plan…

The 2nd morning we were there Larry roared into town just south of where we were. Who’s Larry? A tropical cyclone, category 5, the strongest in over 90 years I hear. It was stronger than Tracey who decimated Darwin in the 70’s, I’ve also heard claims it was stronger than Katrina. We caught the edge of Larry, thankfully only category 3 winds. As you can imagine his full force wiped out more than I can comprehend.

I remember cyclone season as a child. I remember being feeling awake and wide eyed with curiosity. I even remember being thrilled at being able to lean into the wind with my Dad as one approached the coast. Thinking about it now I wonder when that wide-eyed curiosity faded and when I acquired fear. Like enjoying the taste of broccoli; something you would never even dream of as a child, it builds with age and one day you realise you’ve acquired a taste for it. It becomes an everyday normality.


to be continued...

feet

I'm back from my beautiful paradise beachside holiday with one hell of a story to tell.

In the meantime, while I'm trying to find the words to best describe it, here are some sandy beach feet; a very late submission for last week's Illustration Friday - "feet".

phew

Taking a much much needed break. Back next week. I'll tell you all about it then. Enjoy your week.

tattoo

My Illustration Friday attempt for "tattoo". Mr Blue Bird on my shoulder.

disclaimer

I'm really worried that yesterday's post sounded really conceited - gulp. That's not how it was intended. The intention was to highlight the irony. I'm a complete hack really. AND just WHEN am I going to finish anything I start???!!!

I also wanted to thank the lovely White Crayon for making me feel so cool that day.

link giddy

I had a cacophony of reactions when I discovered this on the White Spaces blog, too many to re-enact so let’s just describe it as pure astonishment (which is a much more ladylike way of saying ‘I spat tea across the room’).



It’s amazing, I’m really really flattered, but I also feel like I’ve been tossed in the very deep end with the big kids, to learn how to swim. Someone chuck me some floaties! ...please.

P.S. As far as I’m aware Danielle isn’t a member of my family, and I haven’t paid her a large wad of cash ...yet

P.P.S. Mr You asked if this means I have “made it” and can now retire. Teeheehee.

pixel time fun

Here stands a much younger more chic pixel version Flossy, in a model like posture that would surely cause pain to replicate for too long. I could spend all day playing with this. In fact, I'm thinking of printing out a few different hairstyle versions to take to the hairdresser next time.

And here jives a slightly older more 'fond of dancing' Simpsons version of Mr You. Become a Springfieldian or a Shelbyvillian, or whatever takes your fancy, here.

Both links kindly shared by Johanna.

After that slight narcissism I want to draw your attention to some amazing art and blogs. My favourites are sorted into folders, each folders list of links stretch higher and lower than my monitor, much scrolling is required. To share them all would wear you all out. Instead I'm going to point out a few of my fondest at the moment:

* Johanna I mentioned above
* The beautiful eye-lidded folk of Shoofly over at Darn Knit
* Roz Foster's wonderful large earred oddities
* The lovely Red Button Tree
* And one of my warm fuzzy favourites, ClicketyClick

I've also updated my obsessed, inspired and imaginary side bar links. Go forth and frollic!

woollybug

My Illustration Friday attempt for "insect".

Look closely. Insects are usually hard to spot initially even though they are often bright. When I think of insects I think of defying gravity and legs, lots of them (even though technically there should only be 6). The yellow striped footy-sock legs on my insect are inspired by a bug I saw this week that had very cool yellow stripy antennae.

This one didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. He looked better before I added the woolly body when he was all just legs. Oh well.

blame the blue on portugal

If you've ever been to Portugal I'm sure you'll understand why I've become so "drawn to" blue painted stuff. I've never before been to a place filled with so much pattern and colour. It's vivid, and I was enchanted.

Houses are covered on the outside with tiles, footpaths are mosaiced with different motifs, and buildings are cloaked in hand painted murals called azulejos. Even humble homes not covered in tiles have a modest mural on the front of their house, like a painting hung outside for all the neighbours to see.

Certain eras have popped all over the cities, leaving behind the architecture of their day with Baroque and Art Deco buildings that proudly remain, squeezing out any continuity of time. Many left to decay revealing layers of colour and texture that only add to the visual richness. It's a sensory saturation. One that I've not been able to shake, hence my fondness for the blue.

Click Click - Snap out of it! I told you I was enchanted, sorry for the fluff. I'll stop now. Maybe you should just look for yourself. More photo's on my flickr.
(Please note some are photo's of photo's so they're a bit dodgy).

blue in the kitchen

Blue in the kitchen could go forever. Seriously I only just recently got some placemats that were not blue, after having friends around for dinner and struggling to set the table in a way not to cause a serious case of 'retinal colour exhaustion'. We had blue placemats, blue dinner plates, blue salad servers, white bowls with blue stripes, it all looked very un-appetising. But I've got it sorted now, the ridiculous blue saturation has calmed right down now, we can eat safely without smurf-like flashbacks. The new table setting (with only blue accents) features these great stenciled tin napkin rings, from Ikea believe it or not.

Apart from the blue tin I posted last week, the kitchen "blue tour" features plates, bowls, and a complete tea-set in this amazing Lotte design from the 70's. I was lucky enough to be left it by a flatmate who moved overseas, (she left me loads of stuff from her glory box). She never liked them, I love them. It's a pity we don't have a quicktime VR thingo going, otherwise you'd be able to see the cute man on the other side of the sugar bowl with a moustache and checkered pants.

Finally we come to the finale of the blue tour with these blue painted tiles all the way from Portugal. These were a very touristy souvenir purchase on my behalf, but something I wouldn't have left the country without. I made sure each one had washing hanging in it somewhere; seeing washing hanging in the most inventive and unexpected places was something about Lisbon that I found completely charming.
One of my funniest memories was turning a corner in a small cobbled street to come face to face (or pant) with a makeshift line hung across the footpath at head height. The line had a modest load of intimates hung out to dry - giant white undies, hankies and socks.

Consider these mini tiles a nifty segway to the real thing. Soon to follow...

blue in the bedroom

Working my way through the house, (on the tour) we come to the blue elements of the bedroom. A blue Asian landscape canvas I made years ago, this is when the blueness was Asian influenced, now it's all about European blue. But I'll get to that later.

There's also a pair or earrings my friends bought for me for my birthday on a girls weekend away last year. We spent a Wintery weekend listening to music, eating homemade soup and scones, and wandering through antique shops. (Note to self: we should do that again, it was fun). These earrings aren't exclusively blue, but it's more about the painted porcelain and antique look. I love love love them.

Plus a strange little thing that I think is a candle holder, but it could also be a little olive oil jug. I'm really not sure. It also came to me as a gift.

blue in the bathroom

The title of this post makes it sound a bit like something forlorn has occurred in the tiled room, but no, it's just a wee fish in the colour of blue. A happy little fish that I've had for so long I can't even remember how we first met. This continues my blue theme.

Mr You thinks my use of the term "Blue Obsession" was a tad dramatic, he could be right, it's not like our entire house is blue filled. Perhaps I should downgrade the blueness; after all I'm not completely obsessed, I'm just terribly fond of, or incredibly attracted to, or largely drawn to.

Maybe I'll follow Picasso, Yves Klein and Brett Whitely and lable it my "blue period"... Just don't be expecting me to stamp my blue painted naked body onto big sheets of canvas. Okay?!

*(Yves Klein's 'Anthropometrie de l'epoque bleue', 1960)

kitchen tin in blue

I picked this tin up at a "Trash and Treasure" market. The lady who sold it to me told me it was Dutch, other than that I don't know very much about it at all. It now lives in my kitchen, it has nothing inside, it's only purpose is to look nice.

The blue Dutch tin sits next to a giant empty olive oil tin. I wanted to start collecting big olive oil tins after I came back from Greece, where I had noticed them being used as plant pots. Clusters of plants in tins; all rusty with relics of text and pictures from underneath the foliage. The trouble was that it took us soooooo long to get through the first tin, that I gave up on the quest, and now it stands as a type of trophy to the copius amount of grease we consumed.

tea bag

My Illustration Friday attempt for "tea".

I was going to do a normal illustration this week with pencils and pen and paper and paints... but I just couldn't resist making a tea bag!

So here is another soft illo that is on it's way to becoming a bag. I'm thinking a book bag, because there's nothing better than curling up with a good book and a lovely big hot cup of tea.