This is the first 'Do Something Different' for 2011, and seeing it's January, it's always something completely different when I come around to writing this one. I didn't start off this year with a bang like I normally do; instead, I had such a quiet New Year's Eve that I nearly missed it because I sat around the house and watched dvds until midnight, called Mum down the coast, then gave Little Miss Stevie a cuddle and went off to bed after all the fireworks around the place settled down.
I did plan to get a lot of writing done; and with the rain that had been bucketing down since the beginning of school holidays, I had plenty of time to do just that; as well as a lot of reading. So, there was one thing I got myself into.
I also wanted to get myself in Brisbane City more; but that would have to wait for a few months seeing our poor city underwent some big changes thanks to Mother Nature. Once Toowoomba had an Inland Tsunami - which took out the Lockyer Valley and some townships between there and Brisbane - well, there wasn't anywhere for the water to go but here. So, along with flowing downstream along the Brisbane River - with the floodgates of one of our main dams open - Brisbane was in for one of its biggest floods since 1974! This flood destroyed, displaced and took with it plenty of homes, businesses, cars, boats and anything else that happened to be in the way; this included a popular restaurant which was - ironically - called 'Drift'... because that's exactly what it did down the river on its barge and pontoons; coming to rest where everything else did at Luggage Point.
This flood peaked at 4.6 metres and the clean-up began; and as I write this, is still going on. People are still trying to piece together their lives and finding it harder as a lot of them lost everything except what clothes they had on their backs; while others had time to pack precious belonging and move them to higher ground.
Well, on a lighter note, we celebrated my cousin's daughter's first birthday at Mott Park, Holland Park and everyone had a great time. The day was hot, sunny and windy and the kids were enjoying all the home-cooked food. A pinyata was there to be smashed open by the kids as lollies fell out onto the ground... lots of fun by them. The birthday girl enjoyed meeting new people and eventually got that glassy, tired look all kids do when it's nap time; and her Mum took her home while the rest of us tidied up the shelter; putting it back to its former boring best for the next lot of people.
On the same day, I went off to Rockaways and scored myself two vinyls that I had been looking for: The Eurythmics 'Revenge' album and INXS KICK in limited edition red. Very cool; and both in vinyl! I got home and had baked beans on toast for dinner as I had eaten way too much food that day.
Australia Day was very much a special day for all of us Aussie this year; especially Queenslanders due to the flood. I spent a day and a half at Thornside with some friends celebrating a Pre-Australia Day... a bbq by the pool there and some drinks and staying up late chilling out. It was great. I had a lovely swim in the huge saltwater pool and loved every minute of it. Then, the next day, I had an allergic reaction to Hot'n'Spicy Pringles and that was the end of me for about two days... I actually suffered a full-blown hangover; something I've never had in my entire life of partying. I was dizzy, nauseous and very off-colour for about half the day. I really didn't feel good at all. But then, at dinner, I made myself a good pasta dish and pushed myself to eat as much of it as I could and the next day I felt good. The one main problem was that I forgot I had a morning shift at that the Logan Art Gallery; and I had to call in and apologise for not showing up due to my ills that morning. They said it was just as well I didn't show.
And now this brings up to this weekend. Just last Friday, I went out to the chiropractor and he put all my 'usual bones' back into place; and I went to Rockaways again and found myself two more vinyls to play on my turntable. 'So' by Peter Gabriel and 'Good Vibrations' by The Beach Boys. Both great bands/artists and I can't wait to play them on my stereo. Then, I dropped off to Mum's house and she gave me a book to review (a request really by a family friend to help get her son's name out there; I was more than happy to do this for him). Then, Mum showed me three more books she was going to toss out and I picked up another two of them; yep I added to my collection when I vowed to keep my collecting under control this year... to read only what I've got in this room.
Well, this is what I've been getting up to this month. So, what have you been doing that's regarded as something totally different to your usual routine? Feel free to leave a comment and let us know. Until my next post, keep safe and stay dry.
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