Elation, Deflation

So much for having a cooler summer this year.

During the past fortnight temperatures have seldom dropped below thirty degrees, even at night. Today, at thirty eight degrees, we're having a cooler day but tomorrow it's back up to the forties as summer strikes back with a vengeance and Australia's most severe heatwave in over a century continues.

My folks arrive in Melbourne in the morning, having left a freezing, snow-bound Britain. I doubt whether they'll have ever experienced such a climate contrast in their lives. From zero degrees to forty plus, it'll be a massive shock to their systems. I hope they cope alright.

We had a nice break from the furnace-like temperatures of Australia's interior last week as we headed for the south coast of NSW for our first 'Aussie' holiday.

We stayed in the resort town of Merimbula and it was quite nice. We didn't do an awful lot really, the girls just played in the hotel pool, Pauline did some reading and sun-bathing while I mooched around the area on my bike, stopping off for a bet and a beer every now and then.

My thoughts during the holiday were dominated by events back home. Just prior to us leaving we had the fantastic news that Aunty Lyndsey, or the Colonel as she is lovingly known, has all but beaten her illness. Although, as I understand it, she's not totally out of the woods yet, things are certainly looking very positive and we were cock-a-hoop to say the least.

Less than an hour after recieving that news our joy was tempered somewhat when a phone call from my dad told us of our son Cory's latest misadventure. He's made some very poor decisions of late and is causing us major concern. Hopefully he'll see the error of his ways before he makes a total balls-up of his life.

While we rejoice for the Colonel, we fret for our boy.