Byron bay Christmas hospital rain a New Year

6am in downtown Coorparoo.No daylight saving, it's been light since 4.30.Done the rowing run, Al will be out on the Brisbane river, maybe tipping himself out of the scull, as he did yesterday. Nico hasn't been seen for days, he's out in the wilds of BP park (everywhere has a BP park) at Samford, helping on a Venturer leadership camp,(can you do Venturers as a career?, Nico would like that). It's muggy and overcast, we slept with the aircon on, and I dreamed guiltily of global warming.But Raphie and Phoebe are blissfully asleep, and the aircon has saved us from crappy holiday cartoons, as they sleep through the first 3 hours of Qld daylight.

• ......but backtracking, school finished with Nico doing well in Chemistry and art for part A) of year 12, Alex socialized(and rowed a bit), Phoebe danced 3 concerts over an intense driving , makeup , and tutu weekend, and Raphie cut pasted glued and generally created,happily and creatively leaving mayhem in every indoor and outdoor space. Phoebe and I saw 'The Nutcracker" by the Qld ballet in the gala opening, as our Chrissy present, and the next morning we headed south for 2 excellent weeks at my real home, Clarkes Beach. Flash new luxurious cabin, great sunny showery windy surfing walking reading kiteflying sleeping weather. Al tried to boing out his left eye with an occa strap hook as we packed to come home, and we saw the inside of the ambulance, BB hospital, and now know the eye clinic in Bris intimately. But he is a very lucky boy, and still has 2 good eyes.

Just the 5 of us saw in the soggy New year on the deck, as Bris has had rain and cool, after years of hot and drought, and now we are travelling through sleepy January into my birthday tomorrow, then finding booklists, covering school books, etc. etc. and our new exciting year.