This hot weather is useless for drawing (and not much good for sleeping either)! We're having a little respite tonight, which is a welcome change, but apparently the heat is coming back in time for Australia Day. These 43 Celsius temperatures are tough enough, but thinking that this could be an average lower temperature in 50-100 years (even if we do manage to reduce emissions) doesn't bear thinking about. Apparently, there's still nothing more important than making money for our Government, who are doing their absolute best to scuttle the Kyoto Protocol (which they and the U.S. Govt are still trying to pretend doesn't exist).

Last night the winds rushed in, promising a change that didn't quite come, but we heard trees cracking and were blacked out almost immediately. When we went walking we saw a huge gum snap in the middle and come crashing down on someone's shed. There were quite a few branches down around the place - some lying across the road. I was unable to register that our area was out with our fine power company - their machine listed many other areas, but then apologised for being unable to take any calls and cut the call off. Weirdest of all, calling the other power company diverted to the same message - so they're evidently outsourcing to the same people. That's what I love about the free market: so many alternatives, so little actual choice!

L and I went driving to see how big the blackout was, and it was immense, covering all our neighbouring suburbs, almost as far as could be seen, with businesses and houses alike in darkness. I'm not complaining this time though - today I got a letter saying they will animal-proof the leads on that lower power-box - yay!