Hot days!

Tasmania is a place where the weather is usually quite mild, however that last two days have been almost 40oC which is very hot for here.  I love the warmer weather but this is almost too warm and all you really want is to stay out of the sun or head to the beach with mountains of sunscreen.

Yesterday (Saturday 25/2) the temperature reached 39oC and we felt like we were melting.  The day started with a Jazzercise class (no air-con in the hall!) and then registration for my youngest son for football (Aussie Rules).  By the time I got home, just after 11 in the morning, it was already hot and it was time for the housework to begin.

My eldest son was at work, no air-con there either, and my youngest son slept  in and then went to the beach with some of his friends.

In the evening we had some friends around for a BBQ which was lovely and by the time we went to bed (just after 11) the temperature had dropped to about 26o.

The danger in Australia with dry hot days with wind is of course bush fires.  In fact, you can almost guarantee a couple of fires.  By lunch time we could see a smoke cloud beginning to cover our city of Hobart and the Tasmanian Fire Service were recommending people in a number of small towns implement their bush fire action plans. Rather scary for those people as it means that their houses were under threat!

Today (Sunday) I had a stall at the Snug Market.  The hall has no insulation and no air-conditioning.  By 10am I was already sweltering as were the other stallholders. It was a very quiet day, although the food cooked and supplied by Honey Child was delicious.  By mid-day the sky had clouded over but the cloud was smoke and many of the stall holders were feeling a little edgy as to where the fires were.  Luckily there were no fires close by but ash was falling from the sky.  By 2pm, the market usually closes at 3pm, we had no shoppers and we decided that the best thing to do was pack up.

From the market I headed to my son's cricket game.  I wasn't looking forward to sitting in the sun watching him, however, it was actually really nice as there was a lovely breeze.  My son's team lost, but it was very close! By 6.45 we had large drops of rain and a few rumbles of thunder but not enough to cool the air down.

This was taken of the hills near our home a few years ago ~ it was very scary how fast this bush fire swept through the mountain range

There is still lots of smoke around but the fires are now contained which means that at the moment they are no threat.  Hopefully they will be under control very soon and the firefighters and volunteers can get some much deserved rest.

I am hoping that it is just a little cooler tomorrow as a class full of young children become quite irritable in the heat.

I hope you have a great week.  Stay happy, healthy and safe until next time :)