NEWS!

I have been very, very slack with my little blog.  However, I've had a few very good reasons:

1. I started a new job right after the Brisbane floods and had to spend a ridiculous amount of time getting the office spick and span after suffering so much damage in the floods (hence no time to blog).
2. My husband and I went to Melbourne to celebrate our 6 month wedding anniversary.
3. Oh yeah, I'M PREGNANT!

That's right, I'm pregnant with my first child (who we're calling Jellybean, possibly until their 21st).  Unfortunately I have suffered really bad morning sickness (read: not being able to get out of bed, eat anything, or go to work.  I have also ended myself in hospital for a few days) but it has all been worth it, especially when I saw the first scan of my little Jellybean yesterday.  I was supposed to be almost 11 weeks pregnant but found out that from the size of my little bub, I'm only just over 9 weeks (argh, another few weeks of vomiting to go!) and Jellybean is due on 3/12/2011.  Everything seems to be ok, and I just happen to be one of the lucky women who suffer morning sickness 24/7 for 12 weeks (although my doc warned me that most women who have really bad morning sickness in their first trimester usually have it all the way through their pregnancy.....way to psych me up, doc!)

I will post photos of my scan tomorrow if I'm feeling up to it :)

Hope everyone's doing well, and I can't wait to catch up with everyone's blogs after being AWOL for so long.

Brisbane Rosalie flooding

This is my work, about 3pm yesterday afternoon.

This morning it's completely underwater. I'm not completely sure how much water has gone through it as no one can get anywhere near it unless you have a boat. My boss has been notified that they probably won't be able to get into it until Sunday at the earliest, so the hard work will begin then.

I have friends who have been evacuated from Paddington, just around the corner from the video. Their house is probably ruined....and they've just finished renovating it. Friends of mine also live in Westlake and Jindalee and are overseas right now and have had to rely on people notifying them of the damage (which is extensive since they both live on the river/lake). I also know a newly married couple who have bought their first house in Ipswich and have had to relocate to an evacuation centre as no one could get out of Ipswich into the city.

Other friends have been evacuated from Auchenflower, Toowong and West End, but just as a precaution as they wouldn't be able to get out when the flood waters rose.

Stories have come out that there are now 13 people confirmed dead in Ipswich and Lockyer Valley. My heart goes out to the families affected.

This crisis is completely devastating.

If you can do anything to help, please contact one of the following:
Volunteering QLD Register here
The Premier's Flood Appeal - information for donations here

Brisbane floods - part 2

I just saw my work on the ABC news.  The reporters are literally standing right outside our door.  It's about to go under.  The school has already gone, along with many houses.  My favourite coffee shop is waist deep in water.  This is a beautiful community village, about a kilometre away from the Brisbane River and Brisbane City. 

This is what Rosalie usually looks like. Source: Tourism Qld

I love seeing that people in the area are out, trying to help save houses and businesses, but it's a small positive.  It's upsetting that I can't get over there to help because I'm cut off.  I have to sit here, watching the news and keeping my fingers crossed.  It's upsetting that we'll lose most things, despite our best efforts.  The water has already risen this morning - at 4am this morning it was starting to spread up our street; now it's waist deep in places and steadily rising.

Milton State School yesterday

Milton State School this morning

Around Suncorp Stadium

Suncorp Stadium

I've got my fingers crossed that everything will be ok for all of my friends and students in the area.  My heart goes out to you.

Queensland Floods

Brisbane is preparing for the apocalypse.  We're preparing for Watergeddon.

Seriously, it's getting pretty bad here.  I luckily live away from the Brisbane river but there's a fair bit of flooding in our area.

This is the flooding from the creek behind our house.

Fitzgibbon Chase - a new housing estate behind our house.

Beams Rd, about to cross the bridge.

Beams Rd bridge from the other way.

Roghan Rd Taigum, getting close to going under.  This is on the other side of our house.

I didn't have to work today and Mr L was told to go home at about 2pm so we decided we'd better prepare ourselves in case our electricity is cut off.  We wanted to get the basics just in case we're cut off from the shops (as we have been once before). 

This was what we saw...

Source: couriermail.com.au

This is what my city is doing right now.  After everyone was warned to go home at lunch time, it was a ghost town.

Brisbane river from Southbank towards the city.

Eagle St Pier with water lapping the buildings.

 I'm supposed to go into work tomorrow, but as that suburb is on the river and is already going underwater, I don't think I'll be able to.



Milton State School



See what I mean?

Brisbane and Ipswich are supposed to suffer from king tide tomorrow, with the worst to come on Thursday.  If you live in a low lying area near the river, please be careful.

I feel for all the people being warned about possible flooding in their houses.  As the devastation of Toowoomba and North Queensland has shown us, there is no such thing as being too careful.  My thoughts and prayers are with the people who have lost loved ones.  Stay safe everyone.

Good links for updates:

Queensland Police facebook page

Road Closures