Wednesday - Saturday, December 21 - 24 2011 (diary)

A monsoonal trough in the Arafura Sea (between Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea) has been cause for alarm this past week, with the likelihood of a cyclone developing (cyclone "Grant") this weekend. Darwin is on "cyclone watch" at present, while the North coast farther to our east is on "cyclone warning".

As a result the usual shopping rush this time of the year has been twice as hectic as normal. Not only Christmas shopping but also stocking up on long life milk, cans of beans, candles, water, etc.etc.
I have also purchased a small camping gas stove and a portable radio, so hopefully are well prepared. Will my cabin be safe enough in a cyclone ? I have no idea but the main house and two large sheds on the property certainly are, so that should be OK.

Back in 1974 cyclone Tracy totally devastated the city of Darwin over Christmas, so there is some déjà vu apprehension although everybody is very calm. The NT building codes have been strengthened considerably since those days and Darwin is well prepared.

As I write this the sky is overcast but there is no wind at all, so the bad weather may well pass us bye.
In nearby Coolalinga there is a Christmas market this morning, where I will get my seafood laksa for lunch.
In the mean time I wish all my Blog reader a very Merry Christmas!

Later :
The Laksa stall was not there at the markets today, so I will have to miss out on that. However I bought lots of nice goodies, to celebrate "Heilige Abend" (Christmas eve) to night, including some mini Ricardonnas (Asti Spumante) and an Arrogant Frog bottle of muscat desert wine. Very curious how that will taste.
Ever since I was a child Heilige Abend has always been the highlight of Christmas, with Christmas day the boring bit when all the families came to visit.
In Australia everything is closed on Christmas day, with all the sports action (cricket, Sydney to Hobart yacht race) starting on Boxing day (Dec.26).

Sunday - Wednesday, December 21 - 24 2011 (diary)

After all the drama of the approaching cyclone, as it approached it gradually turned east and eventually hit the coast about 180 km East of Darwin. So we had an uneventful Christmas with quiet pleasant weather.

Not so farther to out south east, where cyclone Grant caused some damage to remote settlements and produced huge downpours of rain, up to 385mm in the Edith River catchment area North East of Katherine.
This caused extensive flooding and washed away parts of the Stuart Highway and also the railway line (derailing a goods train in the process) between Katherine and Pine Creek. As a result all road and rail access to Darwin from the rest of Australia is blocked for the time being.

I have had a lovely quiet Christmas, eating ham with cranberry sauce, French cheeses, antipastos and drinking champagne while watching the cricket test on TV between Australia and Melbourne in Melbourne. It is a fantastic and very tight contest and after three days of action still undecided. Tomorrow will produce the outcome one way or another.

Thursday - Saturday, December 29 - 31 2011 (diary)

Yes, there we are again, after a full turn on the Merry-Go-Round we have reached the end of an old year and are about to start a new one.

The overwhelming mood for me this year has been one of consolidation and tranquility. Consolidation of my life here on the farm surrounded by nature, giving me peace in my mind and tranquility in my heart. In other words, a very good year.
In just a fortnight I will be reaching the semi-milestone age of 75. And at such an age one should be in a mind set of both being content, or rather prepared, to die, but also very grateful to be so lucky as to live on.

But my mind set is firm on life next year. In mid May I will travel to Europe again and am looking forward to it. The Australian Dollars is as I write an incredible 78.9 Euro cents, an all time high for our dollar, and perhaps it is set to go even higher. We will see.

I have very much indulged my introvert nature this year. I have been writing, reading and thinking to my absolute hearts' content, for what better place to do that than on this quiet farm surrounded by green trees, lawns, bushes, birds, kangaroos. I have really loved it. To assure myself I am not altogether removed from the rest of the world I have attended regular bridge sessions 3 times a week and been also very active in teaching, keeping me in touch (at least to some extent) with humanity.

I must stop writing now, the iconic Dinner for One is on SBS TV shortly and I can't miss that. The champagne (Riccardonna) is cold and the fridge is over full with cheeses, hams, and all sorts of deliscious nibblies, so see you next year !