Aww Gees fella I am really touched.
Been on holidays , got back 8 hours ago .
Should have been from 24-12-22 to 9-1-23 but had a few too many jobs that needed to go out before I could leave
Most of OZ is off for that time because the Ashes Cricket finishes on Jan 8 thus no one mows their lawns
The public servants go off till Aust day (Jan 25 ) which is about the only public holiday that is on the day when it happened .
Had hoped to pick up a swag of parts from the distributors in Melbourne but only 1/3 of them had arrived by the time I left .
Any one got a spare Eatons 778 CW fan up their sleeves ?
FWIW because I don't like to cause unnecessary anxiety I take 4 holidays a year usually of a week or so
Christmass to NY down to SWMBO in Melbourne (≈ 2500 km ret)
Anzac Day ( April 24 ) for 1 week to go to the All British Rally ( ≈ 2000 km ret )
August ( SWMBO Birthday ) also 1 week ( ≈ 2500 km ret )
October ( BSA National Rally ) but this year an international in November so 2 weeks ( ≈ 4000 km ret )
On top of that there are 8 motorcycle rallies ( usually just a weekend + 1 day either side ) + 9 swap meets also a full weekend
Unlike the USA all Aussies get 4 weeks ( 5 if you work shift ) of annual leave and most of it is taken from Dec 24 in one long lump so we can lay on the floor naked under the air conditioner outlet in the 40+ C heat .
Most manufacturing ( what little is left ) does their refits during this period
I spent a week in Mudgee one year as we were going to help a friend build a new shed
We laid on the verandah all week under wet towels watching the solder run from between the joints of the bull nosed verandah roof .
Busy time has come & gone
That is Spring ( if you believe the musing of drunken Greeks sitting around with a toe in the Med ) .
Right now all of the grass has browned off & will remain that way till either burned by bushfires or the Autumn ( read the drunken Greek bit above ) rains come .
Some say it is similar to Texas or Arizona in the hot years