Be afraid, be really afraid!

“At 6:30 pm CST Tropical Cyclone Paul, Category 1 was estimated to be 95
kilometres south southwest of Nhulunbuy and 100 kilometres north of Alyangula.

The cyclone is currently stationary on the coast near CAPE SHIELD and is
expected to move further inland on Monday."

























I guess this will not mean a lot to you, especially as Darwin is not even in the picture above (it is just left of where it ends) ... but let me tell you something ... it is scaring me. I am packing my bags and leaving town; actually I will probably leave the state, possibly even the country!

I can imagine what you are thinking – she has lost her marbles this time – but hang in there a few more seconds and I will explain.

Our youngest son’s name is Paul. I love him dearly; more dearly than I feel he probably realizes.

Let me clarify something. Those of you who have children, and I use the plural purposely, will know what I am talking about when I wonder how you can have the same mother and the same father and produce a string of very different children. If we were breeding specialized flowers or food crops, we would be in trouble – we could end up with a field of salad plants when we planted lettuce. Hmmm, that may be quite useful really! OK, enough of that – I’ll leave that to the Frog.

Child training can be a hard road, one course that many of us don’t have any certificates to show before we start. On the job learning is often the name of the game. I always felt that consistency was an important “rule” and stick to your word – especially when you are “discussing” consequences!

So I tried to be consistent with rules with the children as they arrived, and grew.

One thing most parents dislike doing is chastising children when the family is out in public. If I felt there was an impending misdemeanour, I used to look hard at the offending child to “remind” them that I was seeing what was happening (I am told they used to advise each other that Mum was “giving them the look”) and most times the misbehaviour would cease. Then came Paul on the scene. Almost from the word go he feared no man nor beast. I could give you probably a hundred examples of when he refused to acknowledge “the look” causing me to discuss consequences personally with him. We both survived, however, and the strength he showed then has stood by him as he grew from a delightful young adult into a man.

BUT ... I have always said that if they name a cyclone Paul; I am out of here!

So blogger buddies, dust off the sofa bed, cause I could be knocking at your door anytime soon!

I will bring the remainder of that duty free alcohol, and Easter eggs!