Thunder Only Happens When It's Raining
We've had some lovely thunderstorms come through the area again. And yesterday the power was out at work for all but a couple hours. Gotta love that.

In unrelated news, the coffee machine here doesn't work anymore. Hence my lack of motivation to do anything.

Attack of the Birds
I have been warned of the dangers of walking under a magpie's nest during nesting season. Apparently every Australian kid has a story about getting swooped by an overprotective mother. I am appropriately wary and steer clear of them, and I thought I was good.

That was until we discovered that there is a butcherbird along the path we walk to the train that has taken to swooping as well. At first I thought he was just confused or maybe attracted to Hans's yellow t-shirt.

But no.... today we were a little ways behind a guy, and I watched the bird come down and hover around the guy before taking off. And then to my absolute horror (HORROR!), it came back down again and actually pecked the guy in the back of the head.

I hate birds. I really, really do.

And Another Thing
I hate Australian mosquitos. Mossies. Ugh. I'm dying here. I truly am scratching my flesh until I bleed. Hans says he had the same thing when he was in the States. They just have a different... what is that anyway? Venom? Saliva? Well whatever gets into the bites gives me huge welts.