Wednesday Musings - OMG it's HOT again!

I am all over summer. Here in Adelaide it is over 40C again today. This has been the hottest summer we have had for a long time and according to the TV news last night we have had 12 days so far of over 40C - Phew!

OMG it's HOT!

It's enough to make you want to emigrate! But hang on a minute, I have already emigrated. I did that in 1974! Anyhow where would I go? Back to the UK? No thanks, it's too wet there and they are having their wettest winter since the 17oo's. ( I suppose weather records were kept in the eighteenth century. I wonder if the people alive at that time were  as paranoid about the weather as we are?)

The thing about weather is that you can't do anything about it. I have to wonder if we would notice the heat so much if we had not been flooded with media reports as to  how hot it is in Adelaide at the moment.

If no one mentioned that today was going to be 40C plus, would be feeling quite as hot? Hmm.... now there's a thought.

We keep hearing that Global Warming is causing the extreme weather conditions around the planet and that we can expect more weird weather in the future. Oh Goody, I can't wait! 

In the meantime there are some good things about very hot weather. The washing dries almost instantly. Any thick items like quilts and blankets are good to get washed up at this time of year. And I have to say that I am very grateful for my air-conditioner.

It is a good time to stay indoors, write blogs and catch up with your Facebook friends.

A cool view for a hot day. Antarctica from the air.

And Whoohoo; the winter Olympics are now on the telly. I can watch the skiing or skating and pretend that I am cool!  I now have an excuse to sit and do nothing until the weather cools down again.

Hilary Thompson
The Out and About Therapist
Facilitator at Flourishing Relationships Retreats
The Office Wizard

Friday Musings - Prickly Heat

It is very hot in Adelaide today, so I am hibernating.The forecast is for a top of 44C so it is defiantly a day for chilling out and not being very energetic.

Summer Skies and Scotch Thistles

It is a good day though for doing things like writing blog posts which don't work up much of a sweat.

Today is one of those days when according to the doom and gloom set we should all be having a bad day.Especially those of us that live in the bush fire prone areas. 

I wish the media would stop making such a drama of days like today. All it does is create fear and anxiety in the community. And let's face it, if you live in a rural area in Australia, you know about the bush fire risk. You do not need to have it dramatised and pushed into your face every time the News comes on the TV or Radio! It is not necessary for your friends and relatives to become anxious for you because they have heard or seen an inflated report in the media. In fact I think it is totally unnecessary and downright unkind.

So I am enjoying my day today. I refuse to be drawn into the fear of a bush fire. Today is just another very hot South Aussie summer's day. Even though we are going to have more very hot days over the next week in particular and the months to come, like everything in life; it too shall pass.

Hilary Thompson
The Out and About Therapist
Facilitator at Flourishing Relationships Retreats

Sunday Musings - Stormy Weather

I, like every sane person on this planet, was saddened to hear of another school shooting in the US.The shooter apparently was a 20 year old man who forced his way into the school with a rifle.

My heart goes out to all those families and the members of the school community that survived this terrible ordeal, but I have to wonder what caused a young man to make such a devastating choice.

Stormy Weather at Henley Beach SA

We may never really know his motivation, but my guess is that it was a mixture of fear and anger so great that it was like a storm in his head stopping him from thinking straight.

I do not condone this young man's choice, but I can have compassion for him. We do not know what kind of life he had. We do not know if he was abused as many people who do these sorts of horrid crimes are.

We do not know if he had some sort of mental incapacity so that he was unable to make better choices. 

We as a society are capable of great compassion and humanity but  we are also capable of wounding and destroying each other. 

Every time someone commits a heinous crime such as this we call on our Governments to make changes to stop it happening again. Governments can do things like legislate to restrict access to fire arms but they can only do so much.

We as a society (and I am talking about everyone on the planet) need to look at ourselves and our behaviours and make changes too. We all need to take some responsibility for  what has happened. 

Early Sunday Morning at Henley Beach SA

We need to stop abuse and bullying, we need to stop our children being exposed to violence, we need to teach our children that violence is not the way to resolve issues. 

We need to give our children our time, our love and respect; all of which they deserve. Then maybe there will be fewer people with angry storms in their heads and more people who are able to make better choices in their lives.

Hilary Thompson
The Out and About Therapist
Facilitator at Flourishing Relationships Retreats