Tue 01: What a glorious day (in Perth). Pleasantly cool overnight - a reasonablly mild day. A long day - with me up around 1.20am. Finished around 3pm and home - to bed by 5pm. Slept until 10pm. Then a few glasses of water - as I was dehydrated. back to bed - to sleep. Woke around 10pm. Checked my email and went back to sleep.

Wed 02: Woke around 6am. Back to sleep. Didn't hear Troy clomping around on his way out of the house - so I checked and sure enough - he was fast asleep. Too many late nights, son! Woke him up and he headed off to work. Had a bowl of cereal and watched the news. A new Queensland cyclone, is due to hit Innisfail at 8pm (Perth time) tonight. Expected to be a Category 5 (the strongest), it will bring winds in excess of 325kph. My thoughts are with the Queenslanders who have faced so much this year.

Thu 03: Warm (mid-30s Celcius) and humid. That's the weather in Perth at the moment. FNQ (far north Queensland) got off lightly, according to an experienced Storm Chaser. The Category 5 monster crossed the coast - with no loss of life. I think the extensive preparations and evacuations probably saved many lives - but the clean up will take time and lot of money.

Fri 04: Early start to the day - it should have been smooth - but it never is. It could be smooth - but there's too many people throwing spanners in the wworks and asking for the impossible. Fortunately, this is usually balanced out by other people who go out of their way to help. very tired tonight. I am going to bed early and NOT setting my alarm clock and I am seruously considering switching OFF my mobile phone so I am not disturbed by phone calls or messages.

Sat 05: Joy, joy, joy. I slept much better. I still woke around 4am (to answer the call of nature), but quickly returned to sleep (well, it seemed quickly). Up at 9am and turned on my computer and my mobile phone. A few emails and a pile of messages (so it WAS a good idea to turn it off). A bit of haggling - and I ended up with a relatively stress-free afternoon. Came home to a OMG! Troy was out. Barry was out. Witt was on his computer. The place looked like WWIII had started. Nothing done - a pile of washing and a sink full of dishes - rent inspection is a few days away. Not happy. Tracey to the rescue.

Sun 06: A good sleep and more mellow today. Troy did the lawn edges (with the petrol edger) and I mowed 95% of the lawns. I only killed 1 sprinker in the process (a new record for me) - and I replaced it myself (another first!). All was going well until Troy's daughter (my grand-daughter) Ada had an allergic reaction to a peanut paste sandwich. She was taken to the local medical centre - then rushed by ambulance to Princess Margaret Hospital (for children). Fortunately, she recovered well and is not home with her mother.

Mon 07: Amazing what a day of physical exercise can do. In my case I slept like a rock last night. Woke for a call of nature and then back to sleep. Up at 9am for a trip to the Post Office to pay some bills and post some letters - then back home to check email and plan my day. Talking about plans - Plan A went out the window - so I am on Plan B today. I hope it works okay. Some 70 homes destroyed by fire in the Perth hills - allegely caused by an off-duty police officer using an angle-grinder on his trailer. Sparks ignited grass - and woosh!

Tue 08: I don't like this hot weather - not that it is hot-hot - it is very humid. Not much of a break between getting home at 1am, going to sleep at 2am and back to the grind at 11am. What made it worse is the fact I wake up to sunshine. I have think sun block-out curtains - but Mr Sun creeps through the side gaps. So - I woke around 7am and couldn't get back to sleep again. Apart from that - things were okay.

Wed 09: Mum's birthday. Much better today - a glass of medicinal whiskey (my story) and I slept quite well. Did some paperwork, paid a few bills and then I was ready to face the day. Summer is a long way from being finished.

Thu 10: Sleep - glorious sleep last night. I think that glass of red wine helped. I felt so much better when I woke. A few things to do today - then 3 'me days' coming up. That means mobile phone turned off, no alarm clocks set. It's not 100% perfect - as I have a rent inspection in the middle of next week - but the place is looking fairly presentable.

Fri 11: Friday - TGIF. I can understand that. Last day of the week for some. A sleep in this morning. Another tiring day. Came home and did something I have been putting off for a while: defrosting the freezer. A sense of accomplishment. Washing is also up to date.

Sat 12: A good sleep and a I feel almost human. Having a relaxing 3 days - mobile phone is turned off. Nice and quiet - a trip to the shops (with Troy) and a later one with Witt. Very laid-back. Just how I like it.

Sun 13: Had a glorious sleep last night. Didn't get out of bed until 8.30am. Bacon and eggs on toast for breakfast - my first cooked breakfast for weeks - so I don't feel guilty. Troy finaly got motivated and gave me a hand to clean the house. I went outside and cleaned up some of the garden and did some pruning. Needed a cold shower at it was hot and sweaty work. A quiet evening. My 3 days of relaxing (see Sat 12) have become 2 - but that's enough.

Mon 14: Valentines Day. Plans for today of doing something romantic have fallen through as I will be busy from 7.45am to 8.30pm. Something that I didn't read or hear in any media today - it's the 45th anniversary of the introduction of Decimal Currency to Australia. Out went the pounds, the shillings and the pence, in came the dollars and the cents. Its also 45 years ago today (in 1966) that I started secondary school at Mt Lawley Senior High School. The weather is still watm and humid. Roll on winter!

Tue 15: Things didn't go to plan today. I expected a quiet day - with a few hours in the Office - in air-conditioning - next thing I know it's lunchtime and I am driving in 37ºC heat. Not amused. Didn't get home until 10pm. Very hot. Very tired.

Wed 16: Nothing is going to plan today. Doctor's appointment at 10am - referred to cardiologist as I am 'overheating' and my heart is working overtime. Julie, Karen and Tracey all promised they would be over first thing this morning to help me get the house tidied ready for tomorrow's Property Inspection. As of 4pm today - NONE of them showed. All had excuses. Very disappointed. About 5pm - Julie, Tracey and the boys arrived en masse. Tracey stayed and together we finished cleaning - had dinner and then waited up for Witt to arrive home (safely) from work.

Thu 17: Barry and Troy headed to work. Witt slept. Tracey slept. I got up and did a quick check. Had a cup of coffee and a couple of slices of toast for breakfast at 8.30am. Property inspection went well - just a few minor things we have to attend to. Thanks for your help, Tracey.

Fri 18: Woke this morning feeling remarkably good. A good sleep last night, after Tracey rubbed some linament / Dencorub into my lower back (which was quite swollen). A pleasant day - amazing what 2 days of R & R does for one. I did want to get a lot done - but things never work out as planned. Maybe things are looking up.

Sat 19: Bushfires south of Perth, flooding again at Carnarvon (12 hours by road to the north), cool and winds on the east coast, rain in the far east coast. In Perth - just hot and humid. It was still 32ºC at 6pm - maybe I am getting used to the heat - it didn't feel that hot - but I am seriously over summer - roll on winter. I can handle the rain and the mud. I look forward to snuggling into a warm bed with the electric blanket on, ugg boots and tracksuit pants, doonas and blankets. Looks like I am home alone tonight - Troy has gone to Kwinana Motorplex for the World Sprintcar Titles, Barry has gone to bingo and Witt is at work.

Sun 20: Today is a 'chill out' day for me. Barry went to watch Glenn play cricket. Troy is surfing the Net. Witt is still asleep at lunchtime. I am doing as little as possible. The weather is a bit cooler (thank goodness!). Just checked the local (WA) news and the biggest event is this: A country police officer has been suspended (probably on full pay) after claims he posted 'racist photos' on his personal Facebook profile page. Racist? The photos were of drunken Aborigines at Wiluna lock-up. What is racist about that. Drunk and/or stoned people (white and black) are a fact of life in Australia. I hope that the police officer's attempt at humour is treated as a wake-up call to all Australians - there is no escape from your stupid and dangerous behaviour. A fairly pleasant day - Witt and I went to the Pad Thai restaurant at Dog Swamp for dinner.

Mon 21: I thought summer was over - but I was wrong. The forecast for Perth for the next week is almost a carbon copy of the last few weeks. Maximum (or is that maxima) in the mid-30s (Celcius) and overnight lows in the low 20s (Celcius). It will be warn-hot and humid. On the weekend - the 'chance' of a shower. A good sleep last night - a relaxing day. Did the dishes and a bit of washing. Nothing to write home about.

Tue 22: Another mid-30s day - but (maybe) I am getting used to them. I am still sweating excessively when the temperature is 20ºC or higher - but it isn't worrying me as much. Perhaps it should. I defrosted the fridge/freezer today (with the help of the garden hose) - so I feel like something was achieved. In New Zealand an earthquake devastated Christchurch with many dead and the centre of the city reduced to rubble - the third whammy in six months (after the September 2010 eqrthquake and the mine disaster).

Wed 23: In 1993 a classic film was released. It was called Groundhog Day and starred Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. I don't want to give away the plot - but that is Perth (and my life) at the moment. The weather today is the same as the weather for ... basically the last 2 months - and at least the next week. All I want to do lately is sleep. I get up when the sun rises and go to bed late. I think I am missing my Nanna Naps.

Thu 24: The death toll from Tuesday's NZ earthquake is now officially put at 98 - with over 200 missing. Here in Perth it's hot and humid - with no respite.

Fri 25: The heat goes on. High humidity too. Estimated maximums for this weekend in Perth: 38ºC. Perth is on track to record it's hottest ever summer - but the maximums are a far cry from Perth's hottest ever day was 46.2ºC in 1991. A long day today - mopped up lots of sweat. Hoping for a quiet weekend - but I really want to see Mum and Ian - first time this year! That is really bad.

Sat 26: On and on .. the heat goes on. I am really over it! But - this is Perth (WA, Australia) and February is traditionally our hottest month. Note to self: Volunteer for Antarctica next summer! A quick 3 hours today - had trouble sleeping again last night - pillows covered in sweat - even with air-conditioning and fan.

Sun 27: Finally - summer is almost over. That's the Official end of summer. Unfortunately, nobody told the owners of Hell - that they left the door open. The hottest Perth summer (days and nights) for over 30 years! Finally got out of the house and visited Mum and Ian at number 5. Christmas Day 2010 was the last time I visited. I feel very guilty. I haved to stop making excuses NOT to visit people - none of us are getting any younger.

Mon 28: Last official day of Summer. The Weather Bureau has promised a slight let up - after a brief storm dumed about 5mm of rain on some northern suburbs late this afternoon. Another very tiring day - glad to get home - going to have an early night tonight.