And thats what I have on here in my office. It's 4pm on Friday afternoon in Brisbane, thunderstorm just passed through.
In the immortal words of Something Happens, its been a long time, been a very long time, been a very long time indeed. I guess we're only back just over 4 weeks but I swear it feels like forever. As always, leaving home was not easy. I'll say no more.
Have to say though, it was sad to see the country in such a state economy wise. Whilst at times the Celtic tiger bred just a little too much greed and turned some normal day to day punters into would-be property magnates, it's fair to say that the Ireland of 90's and early noughties was a better place than that of the dark 70's and 80's. That said, it's not like we grew up experiencing it, but its now you can feel a little more for our parents that had to put up with the crazy mortgage interest rates, petrol crises, and outrageous tax levels. Though I actually often wonder if the constant violence and murder in the north that covered our media at the time further contributed the overall aura of poor Ireland at the time. Remember 'self aid'? Christ. A nation so lacking in faith in the ability of its own corrupt money laundering government we had to resort to a charity gig to raise money for ourselves. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad. At least we've come a bit of a way down the track in that now the government actually seem to try to give a bit more of a sh&t. Try raising $6bn at a charity gig.
Anyway. We're not even close to being over it it seems. Yesterday, my old employer Virgin Blue hit the headlines with an announcement that 400 jobs are to go. In some shape or form. Got a few comments from people in our office, along the lines of 'glad your outta there?'. Ye know what, I am.
It sometimes seems difficult to talk about other things when the whole world is so pre-occupied with all this economic turmoil. Guess it could impact on so many. Already touched the lives of friends of ours here. Maybe its right that people go through a couple of tougher years to appreciate what they've got. I say 'they', but include myself.
Anyway. We move on. I can safely say that when we got back, the first week was.... difficult. We got to a point with Emma where we just had no idea as to what to do with her to get her to sleep at night. Alissa and I were living off 3 or 4 hours sleep. Max. Not easy. so we resorted to paying 50 bucks for a half an hours worth of advice from a nurse consultant thingy. Best money ever spent. 3 days (and not a small amount of screaming) later, we had a new baby. Sleeping through without a sound, and in good form. Would have helped if she'd slept in Ireland a bit....
You'll probably all have seen a bit about the Victoria bushfires here. It was strange. The one editorial i saw in the Irish Times was written in a very detached manner, almost immediately critical of the authorities. Little or no empathy. Given how fresh and ongoing the event was at the time, I thought it inappropriate and very very disappointing. Pissed me off a bit to be honest. Obviously being here, I've seen plenty of coverage and in a nutshell, it was bloody awful and quite breathtaking how quickly it all took place. I think its the whole image of how people die in such circumstances that gets us. Our friend Rachel was here with her fiancee John last week, and it was interesting to hear how Victorians are taught from an early age as to how to deal with bushfires and they all have woollen blankets ready to hand. Queenslanders are taught how to deal with the dangers of water - waves, currents, rips etc.
And all the while it's flooding in northen Queensland.
And emma has taken a solo step. 9 months old. God help us.
As for Aibhe. Well, the headcase is swimming like the proverbial fish. And the weather's been beautiful enough for her to use the pool pretty consistently. Constantly asking to visit the friends she made in Ireland. Cute.
But sad too.
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