Water

It's three thirty in the morning when a sound intrudes on my dreams, a
surging, a rumble, a sound long forgotten. Then my conscience kicks in,
brain on full alert. Firewater pumps!
When I stumble out of my room the hallway carpets are already soaked and
water is pouring out from underneath the door to the fire escape. I
gingerly push it open. Water sprays everywhere the sprinkler system is
obviously doing it's job but there is no fire.
Fire has a buzz to it, a sub audible hum, a life all of it's own, that
most of us instantly perceive.
Now other people have woken up and I take the elevator down to the
lobby. Not the wisest thing to do under the circumstance but I don't
want to get wet.
Interior drainage was obviously not foremost on the architects mind when
he designed the building. The water here is ankle deep and rising, the
apartment dwellers at this level are frantic. The one person missing
from all this is Reg, the building manager, attempts to wake him by
banging on his door and ringing him on his telephone prove fruitless.
I assess the situation decide there is no apparent danger and go back to
bed.
What a night.

Fire.

Brisbane's river festival goes of with a bang tonight. It's time for
River Fire, a massive fireworks display more or less synchronised to
music. We are at Alf's place, the lucky bugger has an apartment next to
the story bridge overlooking the river and all of down town Brisbane.
The firework was indeed spectacular. Starting with an F111 fighter plane
screaming overhead and with fireworks attached to the river bridges as
well as on various barges parked in the middle of the river then for the
climax two fighter planes doing a "dump and burn" where they burn off
excess fuel behind their craft.
A good time was definitely had by all and it was close to midnight
before I got home

Friends.

Sitting in the train from Toowong to Brisbane.
A mother and her young son get on board.
The boy climbs on the seat next to me, puts a hand on my shoulder and
looks, he has the reflexive outlook of an autist savant, a lonely view
of the world different to others. He rhythmically pushes my shoulder. I
give him a smile. He climbs of his seat, stands in front of me and put
his arms around my neck, we hug. I am missing Daniel he is missing all
of humanity.
When I leave the train I say goodbye and wave at him.
He reacts not.

A project at last?

The buzz in the office this morning is that the landowner agreement for
North West Moran has been signed. This would mean that construction can
commence and I should be of to PNG shortly. I somehow think my next
discussion will be about how shortly. I would like to go on the Tuesday
after I have been home but I am sure there will be some diverging
opinions on that from all and sundry.
I'll keep you posted but it looks good.

Nothing new

Thought I better let everyone know that nothing has changed on the work front. We still can't get land access, so I am staying in Brisbane for the time being. I will make a quick dash across the Tasman to NZ next weekend to see the family and after that unless there is a major change back here.