Autumnal things

It is officially the second day of autumn today. It is so neat and tidy when the seasons roll over on the calendar. The fact that this bears no relation to reality is irrelevant to its tidiness. Today though is about 15C cooler than several days last week so perhaps the relationship does exist to some extent. Most of the coolness though comes from the tropical low bringing rain that is moving slowly across the state. We've had a day and a half so far of steady rain.

Everything is sodden. Branches are leaning down from trees to the ground, streams run down both sides of our road. Black Snake Creek is a wide sheet of water moving through town. It hasn't gone over the road yet although it did last week when we had a sudden deluge. The kids love to see the streams and waterfalls. I tend to get a bit more nervous and being the driver notice all the little slips of tyre and occasional fishtailing on the mud. The dams are full, our tanks are overflowing. It can stop raining now.

Last night I absolutely did not want to go out. I had a long day at work, it was raining , Mr Blithe had cooked dinner and the kids were planning an evening of board games. I just wanted to stay inside and enjoy the sound of rain on the roof. Instead I went to the historical society meeting and was glad that I went. I had forgotten that we had a guest -- the museum development officer for this area and she had many of the answers to the questions that had plagued me at work.

It's lovely when your work and other lives collide and it's partly why I do what I do. My current contract wraps soon and like everyone I know, I have been writing grants trying to get funding for new projects. What I was going to be working on for the next six months has evaporated but there are a couple of fun new projects in the works if we can come up with the money. The first hurdle is always the grant application. Every agency has different requirements. I'm convinced there are people who spend their time dreaming up ways to cull the huge numbers of applicants. "I know, let's see if they can stand on their heads and sing while reciting the periodic table, then we'll allow them the privilege of filling in the application."

Anyway...some of the hurdles are looking a bit more surmountable so I am glad that I am involved with the historical society and that I dragged myself out on a wet night in the service of history. May it lead to interesting things.