seriously. the pictures coming from the affected areas are just crazy :(

I was just there for vacation and the people of Toowoomba and Wagga Wagga were the nicest you could ever want to meet.

No floods here (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=wollongong,+nsw&sll=-34.702106,150.529175&sspn=0.660476,1.503754&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Wollongong+New+South+Wales&ll=-34.41654,150.883484&spn=0.331373,0.751877&t=h&z=11).

Hey, that reminds me ... have I told you that I'm now helping to look after some rescued cows at a friends' place? I'm hoping we can turn it into a proper sanctuary some time. If that ever happens, maybe we'll invite you to Australia to tell us how to set it up! In the meantime it's just the hobby farm of my friends, where they have cows rescued from the dairy and beef industries, and our alpacas, and two labradors and a cat and a tame goose and a lot of wildlife.

Sydney is nice and dry :)