weather

Ah, this is all very pretty.   But that was hours ago, and the weather has been distracting all day - causing the curtailment of a two-period class half way through (and the discussion was going great, too), and making me wonder if I'll ever manage to get on a series of planes heading to Northern Queensland, where there seems to be a tropical cyclone waiting for us (Australia? in January? ah - reports will, or should, follow, from the Australian Victorian Studies Association Conference in Adelaide, plus a few diversionary days in which we'll start to celebrate Alice's upcoming Significant Birthday).   So nervous am I about getting everything done, sleeping properly, headaches, etc etc that I've completely sworn off alcohol the last few nights.

This has possibly not been a good idea.   I poured myself a couple of glasses of water just now, and fretted hard that the water pressure was low.   Frozen pipes?   Panic.   Then ten minutes or so later, the phone rang - the local police, saying there was a major water main break, and that all water needs to be boiled until further notice.   Ummmm ....  Maybe I should try some Absolut Citron as a prophylactic against giardia?