A Singaporean In Australia

It was shocking last afternoon. Perth hit 30c and I was not happy at all. It felt almost like one of those Summer days when I got into the car after work. For the first time in a long while, I had to switch on the air conditioner.

One of the council members noticed the difference in my recent email replies. He reckoned as Summer is approaching in Perth, it will be a better idea to ask intelligent questions and the rest at home. Meanwhile, they must be secretly waiting for me to flare up and go on a berserker barrage.

It isn't that bad really. As I drove off in the hot car, I winded my side glass and stuck my fingers out as usual. It is my way of measuring the temperature. Readings by weather stations do not tell the whole story. There is a stark difference between 11 degrees Celsius in Spring and 11 degrees Celsius in Winter. In fact a 20 degrees Celsius Winter afternoon can chill one to the bones as compared to a 15 degrees Celsius Spring morning. And a 30 degrees Celsius Summer afternoon feels a lot warmer than a 30 degrees Celsius Spring afternoon. The key is in the air. The wind that weaved through my fingers told me it was a heat wave. In fact, the air felt slightly cool and extremely dry. There was no clouds in sight and the sun was in full ablaze. It would be okay after 1700 hrs, I reckoned. I was right.

The heat this week is not likely to stay. It is after all early Spring only. There have been early sightings of pesky flies but far and between with at this stage. They are busily hatching in the farm lands of the far south and will make their way northwards before long. This year I have finally saved enough money to buy a electrical fly swatter. It will be an interesting Summer.

Meanwhile you see flowers blooming everywhere. On trees, on plants and even on weeds. You can't really complain about early Spring.

It is the time to work on our yards, repair the house, plant stuff and meet up with some friends again.

Jen's tummy has grown considerably of late and starts to talk in her sleep. Maybe there is a conference between mother and baby at night. Baby will be born in late Spring. We are only 5 weeks or so away now. I have nothing to ask for but a safe delivery for both mother and child.

There is much to do. For a start, who is going to jaga Albany when we go to the hospital? Do I have to summon the frightening MIL again? Am I still young enough to handle a month of that? How are we be able to handle 2 kids on our own?