Well what a week we’ve had.  Poor old Brisbane just got slapped right in the mouth.  I mean, where did that come from?  One minute we are minding our own business and the next we are covered in water and mud, losing everything.  I just can’t believe it – when I drive down the road to our local shopping village at Rosalie it looks like a bomb went off.  It just makes you wipe your eyes and wonder who spiked your coffee.  Can this really have happened?

The water rose to the bottom of our street overnight.  Jason and I took the dog for a walk on Tuesday night and by Wednesday morning half the street was under water.  I kept saying it was like being stalked – a silent hunter – turn your back and BAM another metre, turn again and another one.  It was really scary.  Jason was supposed to fly out on Wednesday morning and I just made him stay here with me to face this.  I had to move my mother from her home to stay with a friend, we lost our power and phone and we had the potential to be cut off from the outside world. There was no way he was going – over my dead body (no matter what he said he would bring back from duty free).  But we were one of the lucky ones.  Our neighbourhood, on the other hand, not so lucky.  We have been trying to help – we have been cleaning and sweeping and schlepping rubbish to the curb – but we can’t make it better.  I just don’t know what to say but my thoughts are with you all and I hope we have been able to help just a little bit, to make it seem less daunting, to start putting your world back together.

And out of this nightmare comes the most amazing, wonderful thing – from near and far people came – they rolled their sleeves up and put their backs to it and cleaned up the river’s mess. There is still so much more to do but the people came and came and came.  They rolled into town with their buckets and hoses and brushes and asked “what can we do?” and then just went about and did it.  You are all amazing – thank you so very much.  I love my town right now.  I wrote on my Facebook page that we are going to make Brisbane sparkle like a diamond – and even though she is a diamond in the rough right now – it won’t be too long before she shines!!!  Shine on Brisbane.

Waiting…waiting…hoping…praying

And here she comes – like a snake in the grass.

It was just a wall of water.  Unbelievable.

This shot is priceless – I just can’t believe it!

And the water still rose.

The clean up begins.

This pile of rubbish was gone within 24 hours – you guys are legends!!!  I love my town!