Hubby and I went to see the new Green Hornet movie last weekend. In 3D (why do they charge extra to show movie in 3D, and expect audience to hand back the glasses?). Both of us were fans of the Green Hornet of 60’s TV, which starred Bruce Lee as sidekick Kato. Kato was pretty good in this movie too (sorry, can’t remember the actor’s name, not a complete unknown though, seen him in other movies). Actor Seth Rogan gave unusual performance as Green Hornet’s alter ego Britt Reid. Kind of unpredictable, bit over-the-top, kind of shallow but heart in the right place (apparently). Rogan’s growly voice got a bit on the nerves after a while, seemed like he should have been wearing a purple dinosaur suit and fronting a kids tv program. The real star of this movie was “Black Beauty”, the (almost) indestructible Chrysler Crown Imperial (think I got the make right) – the rolling arsenal of bullet proof windows, self-inflatable tyres, machine guns, rockets and ejector seats. Also, a record player in the back seat – which intrigued me. Why in this age of MP3 was an old vinyl record player cast as one of the big features of this cool ride?

Part of my therapy, from something I read in The Mindful way through Depression is to make note of things that make me feel good. Because I have a tendency to dwell on the bad things! and I want to give the good things equal or better attention.

So today, it was a so-so day, I was cooped up in my office doing some intense paperwork and didn’t have much to do with other people. But a couple of nice things happened. One of the managers dropped in with a work question and then we got talking about a particular personality trait that he said I share with his wife, it is a particularly endearing quality to him that his wife accepts things at face value without playing guessing games. It was a nice bit of sharing and made me feel good about myself.

Second good thing today was on the way home my phone rang and it was my psych Carrie calling to see how I was, since we had to cancel our appointment for various reasons in the past couple of weeks. I was really touched that she made that effort to see how I was.

After reading some of H.’s old journal I’ve come to understand a little more about how things were for him with my parents. I’m always sad about how this relationship fell apart. Ironic when I remember the irritation I used to feel, when it seemed like he put them up on a pedestal. Like I wasn’t appreciating them enough. I didn’t realise how much their acceptance meant to him, how badly let down he felt after we separated and they supported me.

I feel let down too that they accepted everything that was said and done at face value, didn’t try harder to encourage us to work on our marriage, didn’t share with both of us the lessons they’d learned from their own marriage. I wish they had looked objectively at what was going on and had confronted us (me) about some things. I wish they hadn’t been so quick to accept what was happening without question.

Third day at home since the flooding; road to Ipswich is open but in a very bad state, H. got through but rang to let me know that it wasn’t a good idea to be on the road unless I really had to be somewhere.

Rang work, and a lot of staff and volunteers have been unable to get in there, although enough live locally to keep the place running. Denis the counsellor has been staying at work, unable to get home to Brisbane.

Some interesting tidbits on the local radio, lots of calls from police and flood victims requesting gawkers to stay away from the flooded areas, and off the roads, just causing problems for them. One enterprising shopkeeper in Leichhardt decided that since everyone wanted fresh bread and he had some, he’d charge them $10 a loaf for it, pretty disgusting.

A lot of people wanting to help those who have been hit by the flooding, but it is too soon to do anything. Heard on the radio that the local evacuation centre at Gatton and Laidley were after donations of bedding and clothing, so I started throwing some stuff together. Then I was reading something online that the evacuation centres weren’t equipped to handle donations of goods, and to make financial donations instead.

Not so many choppers flying overhead today, a lot more ground searching is happening. Just read that a further body has been located, bringing the death toll to 14.

Up to Woollies supermarket yesterday, surprised by all the empty shelves – all the fresh milk gone, slim pickings in the fresh fruit and veg department, long queue for the fresh bread. Along each aisle empty spaces where there used to be bottled water, longlife milk, tinned food, sugar, flour. Displaced items sat on the wrong shelves, from people who must have changed their mind about what they’d thrown into their trolleys.

Managed to get some longlife skim milk and a couple of other items to help stretch our pantry supply.  Up to the check-out and they were running out of plastic bags.

Loaded up the car with my loose items, next stop the Caltex to fill up on fuel. There was not a line-up for fuel as I’d expected, although there was a line of trucks parked around the perimeter, and a bunch of drivers sitting around drinking beer. Lots of people arriving to go into the food court for Hungry Jacks, KFC and Subway.

It’s a sunny day outside but damp underfoot, the flood waters out here have receded but are forcing thousands of Ipswich and Brisbane residents from their homes. Feeling very fortunate to have got off so lightly when many were lucky to escape with their lives. The TV is full of disturbing images of houses barely emerging from the murky brown water, and stories of the narrow escapes and hardships of those forced to abandon their homes. The state premier Anna Bligh, and Australian prime minister Julia Gillard are constantly on the screen, assuring support and asking residents to co-operate with rescue workers.

All the roads around us were blocked yesterday but this morning H. was able to get through to Laidley where he reported at the local station, and last I heard is helping to man the phones. I’m here at home washing and cleaning, following the TV reports and listening to the local police radio band, hearing the helicopters flying overhead as they go back and forth performing rescue operations.