The Long Lost Summer
This week we're all sick. Mim came down with a virus last week that gave her high fevers and red cheeks that rivalled the heat and redness of Mars. At least I think Mars is the hot planet, right? (Likening her cheeks to the sun seemed a little over the top..) She has also had bad cold and flu like symptoms and as I watched her streaming nose and eyes, and as the house filled with used tissues and the coughing began, I knew it was only a matter of time before the rest of us succumbed.
Jonathan came down with it on the weekend, and the rest of us followed suit. As we propped ourselves up against the side of the cubby house yesterday, trying to catch the last remnants of afternoon sun, him sneezing and me totally sleep deprived, he said: "I think what's making me feel worse is that we hardly had any summer."
You see we were staring at our modest backyard pool, that in the last six months became the local area's favourite bird bath. In our general moroseness, that abandoned pool seemed to sum it all up. I grunted (one does that when sleep deprived) in agreement. Yes indeed. What happened to summer? There were hardly any hot days - the kids, usually living in the pool through the hottest months, hardly dipped their toes in. As I packed up the summer clothes and got out the jumpers (months ago it seems like now) I couldn't believe how much of it hadn't even been worn. Ah the waste.
So, amidst our sneezing, snuffling, headache medication and cough lozenge sucking, I thought I'd revisit last summer's hottest day. It'll cheer me up, and maybe you too.
On arriving at the markets, we discovered that in our rush to get there, we'd all forgotten our hats. Great. First 20mins was spent therefore combing the numerous stalls for cheap and cheerful headware that would keep the sun off - and be wearable after the day (not that that turned out to be necessary, since the sun disappeared on January 27 and hardly came out again..).
Anyway, on the rainy trip home from the school run this morning, I saw this winter's first budding magnolia tree. Woo hoo!
See, for every rainy cloud (of which there just has been way too many) there is a magnolia coloured lining..
Jonathan came down with it on the weekend, and the rest of us followed suit. As we propped ourselves up against the side of the cubby house yesterday, trying to catch the last remnants of afternoon sun, him sneezing and me totally sleep deprived, he said: "I think what's making me feel worse is that we hardly had any summer."
You see we were staring at our modest backyard pool, that in the last six months became the local area's favourite bird bath. In our general moroseness, that abandoned pool seemed to sum it all up. I grunted (one does that when sleep deprived) in agreement. Yes indeed. What happened to summer? There were hardly any hot days - the kids, usually living in the pool through the hottest months, hardly dipped their toes in. As I packed up the summer clothes and got out the jumpers (months ago it seems like now) I couldn't believe how much of it hadn't even been worn. Ah the waste.
So, amidst our sneezing, snuffling, headache medication and cough lozenge sucking, I thought I'd revisit last summer's hottest day. It'll cheer me up, and maybe you too.
Mollymook Beach Markets - Australia Day, 26 January 2012
temp: approx 38 degrees celcius
(cooler in the shade, but unfortunately there wasn't any)
On arriving at the markets, we discovered that in our rush to get there, we'd all forgotten our hats. Great. First 20mins was spent therefore combing the numerous stalls for cheap and cheerful headware that would keep the sun off - and be wearable after the day (not that that turned out to be necessary, since the sun disappeared on January 27 and hardly came out again..).
Eleanore's hat took the prize for best price ($2) and super stylish (in a space shippy sort of way)!
As soon as we'd bought the hats, I had to distract everyone from moaning about wanting drinks and iceblocks, so everyone chose a toy from the junk toy stalls.
Jesse and Eleanore chose bow and arrow sets (which started to break straight away, but still got plenty of use in Lord of the Flies holiday games) and Mim chose a whirly flower (so her!), that is still adorning our garden back home!
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| Vintage cars are a feature of the market - this was our favourite |
The weather went hazy in the afternoon, clouds were bringing rain. But for the duration of the market (a yearly highlight/tradition) we enjoyed the sparkle of the sea while slurping iceblocks and watching the crowds of people and sea gulls.
See, for every rainy cloud (of which there just has been way too many) there is a magnolia coloured lining..
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