Having recently moved the family to Queensland, we are adjusting to life as Banana Benders. The major flooding in Brisbane this past week, as well as in many other parts of Queensland the last few weeks is a stark contrast to life in hot, dry Perth. We weren't directly affected by the flooding in Brisbane, as we live some distance from the river and are at an altitude of approximately 60 metres. However it was interesting (really), if not slightly inconvenient that our local Coles supermarket was stripped bare of milk, bread and fresh produce like many other supermarkets this past week. The main difference however, is that we are quite some distance from the flooding, and it was a simple case of panic buying by people who really had nothing to worry about.
It's these sort of events that help you appreciate the wisdom of the latter-day prophets in counselling us to have our 72 hour packs, as well as a year's supply of food. Unfortunately at the moment, we have neither in place. We had to give away our food storage before we left Perth, and are yet to start building it up again. Our 72 hour packs are likewise no more just now. Living in a rental property (and a smaller one at that) doesn't lend itself too well to keeping major food storage. But, we will make a start, and ensure we have at least enough of the basics for a couple of weeks. Hopefully soon we will be able to get to it in earnest. We just made an offer to purchase a new home, and it's been accepted. The house we are buying has plenty of room for the family, and lot's of storage space underneath, so we will have somewhere dry, cool and safe for our food storage.
This will also be the time to start a vegetable garden. With the Queensland floods wiping out entire crops, it is expected that prices for fresh produce will increase significantly not only here in Queensland, but also in other parts of the country (see this report from The Australian, and this report from the Sydney Morning Herald).
There's no doubt that life north of the border will be interesting. We certainly expected something different moving here; just not quite as exciting as this. We have much to be thankful for though, considering that so many have been displaced by the floods, and also those that lost loved ones in this disaster.
As a final note, please help out by donating generously to the Queensland flood relief appeal. You can do so online from here.
So welcome to the internet.
ReplyDelete