Sunshine on a cloudy day

It's just started to rain lightly again.

The sun has been shining brightly for most of today as Brisbane prepares for the floods to inundate its suburbs.

As you all know, our home is fine and our suburb won't be affected too much by flood waters. Thank you for all your concern and well wishes.

As a Brisbane native, one can't help but feel gutted knowing that flood waters are rising and destroying a wonderful city.

Ironic public art at the Powerhouse Museum Brisbane.
The devastating 1974 floods have never been forgotten in Brisbane

Jason was told to stay home today - his office will be closed until further notice. The fear of city workers being stranded in the CBD and not being able to go home was too great.

I just heard that they stopped all public transport.

Jason's Mum on the other hand was telephoned this morning to go into her workplace in the City to form a skeleton staff. Hmmm...we are hoping it was very important work to warrant such a phone call.

I spoke to my friend Susan who manages a shop off Park Road in Milton where I used to work a few years ago. She went into work to try to move stock and equipment to higher ground. She knows her attempts were futile as the flood waters were already in the ground floor of the building next door. It is the dread of the massive clean up which is troubling her now.

Mr Rooney is also expecting some water to go through his home. He doesn't expect it to be too bad, however he's taken every precaution to minimise the damage.

My little friend Ana lives in the City. She lives in a high-rise but their power and water have now been cut. They are staying put. I hope they will be okay. The photos from her blog show how quickly the waters have risen overnight.

My parents are fine. They are high on their street. They came out okay in 1974 and hopefully will be okay in 2011.  However you feel for the people further down the street. Beautiful Queenslander homes will be flooded...but I guess that is happening everywhere at the moment.

Yesterday, after Jason arrived home, I went to the supermarket to restock our food supply. I got there too late though. The shelves had emptied of the things I needed. The panic has certainly settled in. There is talk of water contamination over the coming days.

There is very little we can do now but stay off the roads, wait and then be ready to lend a hand for the clean-up.

The State Library going under.
This is where my friend and I were yesterday, when we saw the Brisbane River break its banks.
Photo courtesy of Mr Rooney's facebook.