Here comes the sun

I thought we'd seen all the rain we were going to see in Bellingen.

It's rained and rained and rained.

And rained.

So persistant, in fact, that it found its way into the car. I don't mean the seats got a bit wet or there was a slight leak. We're talking a pond down by the pedals and one behind the driver's seat. Unless I wanted a very cold foot bath every time I drove the car, I had to wear my wellies — sorry, gum boots.

One afternoon, after I had picked Luca up, he asked: Mummy, why are my lunchboxes floating in the car?

It took a while for pond 1 and pond 2 to disappear and I'm sure I looked like a right twit with my jeans tucked into my khaki boots, especially long after the rain had stopped. But Luca thought it was funny.

Actually, he wasn't the only one. An old man eyed my boots at the shops and in a very broad aussie accent asked: Live on a property, do ya?

Erm, no, I just have ankle-deep water in my car.

Anyway, still very chilly, but on the weekend the sun came out. The Avoca markets were on, and that's where we spent our Sunday morning.

Fabulous location, just by the beach. So Sydney had a good play.

We listened to some live music, Luca had a go on the jumping castle and I bought some beautiful Swiss brown mushrooms and a bunch of jonquils.

Something I've missed is the sight of spring flowers back home. Daffodils at the foot of every tree, crocus and paper-white narcissi.

But this one stall more than made up for it, especially as I've never even seen jonquils before. What a treat!

And the scent was heavenly. I'll happily swap all the English spring bulbs for a bunch of these every spring.

Someone else agrees too...

Vanessa
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