24 Hours after...

One exit still not passable...

Huge gouges...

Condamine in Warwick is still very high...

Went out today and here are a couple of photos of what things look like now... So much debris it is not funny... Will take a while to clean all this up. Hate to think of all the fencing that has been damaged.

Then again we were lucky I believe and can only think of places like Chinchilla and Dalby and up north that have had it so much worse than us... My prayers are with them all...

Cheers Damaris

Deluge...

Park near the Creek...

Entrance to the Creek

Our Bridge totally under water...

Like allot of Queensland at the moment we have had our fare share of rainfall in the last 36 hrs. We ended up cut off from everyone for about a day, yesterday...

Amazing how a little rain (in comparison) can have on land that has already had so much rain... This has meant that The Cunningham's Gap has been closed again. Where they had been working on it (the huge hole I showed you in a previous post) has moved and taken most of the road with it. It will be closed at least till the end of the week if not longer. Waterfalls that have been created up there are not helping much either and are loosening large rocks... More detours through poor old Toowoomba who isn't coping well either.

Allora is also in trouble with Dalby totally cut off still. We were lucky really, we could see all the water down below and in the distance over the other side of the highway. Creeks that don't usually exist you could hear rushing through closed windows. Am so glad that we are on a hill. One entrance is still cut off but we are able to get out via the main bridge. Amazing thing is that a week ago we were having a picnic there and 24 hrs ago it was completely under water.

My car was stuck in the driveway so these great photos I thank my friend Carly for. :) Thanks for the great piccies Carly :)

Today we all went into Warwick and you could see the deluge that was left behind there. Still allot of flooding and many shops along the Condamine had been flooded... The debris is just everywhere along the Highway as well. So many parts of roads that we drove along even just this morning are a complete mess... Government and Local budgets blown now for sure... Just amazing what a little rain can do...

Pantry is all stocked up again which is good too as we are supposed to be getting more rain by the weekend. Best get some washing on the line. lol

Cheers Damaris

Christmas Celebrations, Mark 2

Joshua performed his Diabolo show twice. :)

My Dad reading a Christmas Story...

Last week we spent the afternoon with Russell's family. Yesterday was my family's turn. :)

We all met at my baby sister and her hubby's house. Thanks Lis again for putting up with us all. You and Phil did a fantastic job hosting Christmas... Lots of presents were given out but nothing was overdone. Just right. :)

We had lunch first with my Mum and my Step dad. Then in the afternoon it was Dad and my Step mum's turn. We got there a little early and stayed a little late. Was a wonderful day. Great chance to catch up with everyone and to make new plans of when to see each other again...

Some of us siblings will be camping for three nights in a week so can't wait for that. Just hope the weather doesn't wash us out...

Great relaxing day was had by all... :) Oh, what a glorious day it was... Even got to visit with my sister Tina in Hospital for 1.5hrs hours. Thanks Russell for looking after the boys in the car during that time. :) Love you xo

Cheers Damaris

Celebrating Christmas with Friends...

Dylan and Joshua...

Beautiful spirited James...

Determined blowing Timothy. lol

Two great friends and their wonderful kids :)

My present from Margaret, she knows me very well :)

Went to Brisbane yesterday to see my Doctor. I only see her when I really need to now as she is 1.5hrs away from me but oh she is sooooo worth it. :)

So while I was seeing her at 3pm I made sure that I was able to see my dear friend Margaret and her boys Dylan and James (as well as housemate Ken). We ended up spending just over four hours there and oh we had so much fun.

I love talking to her on the phone but it is nothing like seeing her face. I love that girl. :) She makes my heart sing. Over the years we have been through allot and one thing that is always a reassurance for me is that she is there for me if I need her to be. :) I love her dearly and her two boys as well. :)

Thanks again Margaret for a lovely time. :)

Cheers Damaris

Craft Group Christmas Morning Tea :)

Even Boule was played :)

On Tuesday the boys and I went down to one of our parks. The one near the creek. There is a lovely walk you can take there where a group of people back in the 70's made the trail. Even plaques are there... There is a large platform as well, under cover and Tuesday was the only day in a about a week where the weather was fine.

We all brought presents for each other as well and names were drawn out of a bag by Santa, aka Joshua. Timothy handed out the presents to everyone :)

The boys had a ball at the creek and I loved to mingle with the rest of the group. We got together about 10:30am and the boys and I left just after 1pm. Was a wonderful way to spend a chunk of a morning. :)

Cheers Damaris

Pretty Nails...

Cute Christmas Tree, How clever are you Tiffany :)

And a snowman :)

Thanks to Tiffany at Flavio Nails and Spa in Warwick, I am looking pretty for Christmas. :)

Cheers Damaris

Wild weather...

Some wicked weather...

Amazing cloud formations...

Smaller pieces of hail (15mins after they fell)

Last Thursday we had one hairy day. It started about lunch time and the first storm came out of nowhere... It came at us from the back of the house, which is very unusual... The rain was horizontal and the rain even got the top of the windows... Have not had that before here...

Then we got an onslaught of hail... They came down in all sorts of sizes. It was terrifying for Timothy especially. Joshua did such a great job trying to calm him down. Needless to say all blinds were shut for the duration. That lasted a good 10 minutes. Now there are more dints in the roof of my car...

Then we got another storm with huge amounts of wind as well as very, very heavy rain. That lasted another hour or so...

And you would have thought, Enough already... But there was another one in store for us. This time it was all talk and no action but the lightening lasted till 3am all the same...

Russell had a nasty time getting home but made it in the end which was good. We did lose power but only for about a minute. Just as well as I had a Chicken Roast in the oven. What a day to chose to make a roast. Me, I did it for Russell as he was coming home and know how he loves to eat it... But at least the power cooperated... In Ipswich where we used to live they were not as lucky and some friends got power back only at midnight... Not that it would have bothered me if we had lost power... I have the generator at the house now and would have been easy enough to crank it up. Glad though that I didn't need to...

Saturday again showed us that rain was on the agenda again and we didn't get any reprieve. About 50mm was dumped on us and our already bursting tanks were crying under the pressure... Needless to say the boys loved having a long, long bath that day. :)

Cheers Damaris

Pool time :)

Indoor swimming area...

Timothy in the foreground...

My busy day while they were swimming...

Joshua's hands at the end... :)

Chilling at Lesley Park :)

Yesterday the boys and I had to venture into town. Must say I don't like to at this time of year as it is madhouse wherever you end up going. I had a 9am appointment with the Optometrist though so had no problem getting a park. Even undercover. :)

After our appointment had to get a couple of things and then we spent a good 4.5 hours in the pool. Our local pool in heated and under cover. Run by the Council and very, very cheap. Boys cost me $3.20 to get in :) :) Gotta love that price. :) They have it all there... Normal size pool for laps and diving, rapids, baby wading area, deeper pool but not diving depth and a huge spa. :) Needless to say the boys had a ball combing the whole area, many times. There were nowhere near as many people there as I thought there would be. Then again most probably were shopping. :) Good for us either way. :)

They had a ball in the water and I stayed out as I have just had my piercing done and has not completely healed as yet. So with some Scratchies that I scored from Russell's Mum for Christmas on the weekend... I cashed them in ($17) and got myself an Earth Garden Magazine. My winnings also paid for the boys to go swimming. :)

I sat there happily watching them from the Cafe area which has huge glass panels so you can see the pool area but without all the horrible chlorine smell... Was very happy about that. :)

Joshua made a new friend, Cooper and we hope to see him after Christmas. :)

In the end the boys were soooo wrinkly that even the tops of their feet looked like 'old man's feet'. Was very funny to see...

We also spent some time at Lesley Park which was nice. Was nice to sit in the sun... The shade was rather chilly. :)

After that we went and got milk on the way home and got home just before 4:30pm. Long day but the boys had a ball and were rightly exhausted... Not much arguing went on that night. hehe

Another fantastic thing that happened yesterday also was that our 6 little solar panels produced 8 kWh and 6 of those went into the Grid. Gotta be happy about that :) :) :)

Cheers Damaris

Christmas Get Together...

Joshua doing his Diabolo show for everyone :)

Family watching Joshua intently :)

Mum taking in her family :)

Russell, Victor, Alison and Mum, Her three kids :)

Timothy, Mum and Joshua :)

Joshua and Uncle Bob mucking around :)

Yesterday was Russell's family's Christmas get together...

We only see most of them once a year and was nice to see them all in one go :)

Russell's sister Alison is getting a new car soon and said she would come up and see us. Can't wait to see her as I love to spend time with her... Oh and the car too. lol

Few things have changed this year in every one's lives and was nice to see Jason's kids growing up and getting taller... People said the same about Timothy and Joshua as well. :)

Loved watching Russell's mum sitting at the table and listening to the conversations going on. Think she might have been in her element... Was also a great opportunity to get some family photos done. :)

After my Brother in law and his wife move into their new home, Mum said that she would like to come and stay with us for a week. The boys and I can't wait. :)

Was soooo lovely to see everyone. :)

Cheers Damaris

The Boulders are coming Down...

Big shipping containers there to hold the force of rubble back...

Many trees have been sacrificed...

Bridge going in??? One huge hole...

Many rocks lying against the barricade...

Since last Monday, The Cunningham's Gap has been closed during the hours of 6am to 6pm and down to one lane in one part during the rest of the time as well...

Currently they are removing bit by bit, two 100 tonne boulders that are threatening to come down with all the rain that we have had. There was work done on it earlier in the year around April but that was only a bit of a Band-aid job really by the sounds of it. Now there has been some much needed funds injected into the project and they are getting rid of the boulders.

Couple of weeks ago we had seven mudslides that people in charge thought might have an affect on them as well. Only one was affected and then only a little. So am rather happy that they are going. With all the rain that we have had this week though I doubt very much that they will be finished by the end of Monday this week. That only gives them today and tomorrow.

Then further down the mountain another crew of workers seem to be building a bridge??? There is one side of the road totally blocked off and the hugest hole in the ground and down into the embankment. Is amazing how big the hole is actually. They are reinforcing everything at the moment and looks like it will still be a while also. Many more delays I fear...

We went through The Gap Friday and last night and they have a long way to go by the looks. They are making huge progress though. :)

In a way I can't see Authorities keeping it open forever. I believe that they will have to find another way over the mountains somehow, be it Spicers Gap maybe??? Time will tell... Just too many things go wrong on The Gap... Glad I don't have to travel it very often at all these days...

In saying that I do hope that The Gap is open on Thursday as I have to go to Brisbane for an appointment. Plus I have to deliver Christmas Presents... :) :) :)

Cheers Damaris

Dermal Piercing... Redone :)

Little new addition :)

The other one that I had done in June had to come out. That sorry story I have told before. Well last Saturday I just happen to be in Toowoomba so off to Cosmetics Plus I went and Jo took care of me. :)

She did a fantastic job... She put it right where the old one was. This time it did hurt just a little more than the paper cut of the other one but boy was she good. :) :) Very happy with the end result.

I have not bruised and I have not had any redness at all. There is a little dried up blood still around the wound off course as it is very early days. There doesn't look to be any signs of rejection either. Yay!!!

So at this point in time am very happy with it and will keep on putting on the Band-aid so that I remember it is there. No more knocking it and it half ripping out... :(

Cheers Damaris

What a beauty :)

Better dead than alive...

So glad to have this fellow or lady actually squished... For the last couple of weeks we have had some monsters around here. All that rain and sudden rise in temperature has brought out the hugest mosquitoes and flies you have ever seen.

This mozzie was not so lucky as to keep drinking from my blood. She had had me the night before on the couch and then again while sleeping last night... That was enough. Must say she is the biggest one I have ever seen...

Sorry had to share. :)

Cheers Damaris

Singing in the rain, or sunshine in this case...

Love listening to him sing. :)

Timothy loves to sing. He is great on the Sing Star as well. :) And he loves to let everyone know that he has excellent scores on it as well. No one can beat him, or so he says... I have come very, very close but yes for now he is the champ in this house :)

On Monday he was not on the computer as it was No Technology Monday so joined Joshua and I in the kitchen and started pelting out some tunes instead :) Joshua and I also helped him along, off course :)

Cheers Damaris

Joshua and his Diabolo tricks...

What a cutie :)

'Arm with one'

'Gaining speed'

'Leg'

'Tightrope'

'Elevator'

'2 Diabolos'

Ready for '2 Diabolos' move

'Tennis'

He has been practicing very hard. He has put on shows for the family here and he is taking it on the road... Nearly :) I love it how he explains each move too. So clever...

Tomorrow we have Barbara come out to our home for the day and he is putting on a show just for her. Then when we go and celebrate Christmas with Russell's family on Saturday he is also putting on a show. :) Then on Christmas Day he is doing it again for my side of the family...

He has been practicing so much and is getting sooooo good. Well done darling :) The pictures above are some of his moves. :) :) :)

Cheers Damaris