Is it just me, or is there a distinct lack of festivities and festiveness in the air this year?  Perhaps it’s just the Brisbane weather – 4 months of rain, rain, rain… but there is a lack of lights, carollers, decorations and general christmas type brouhaha.

Most years, our seaside village has a ‘Christmas Lights’ festival. The streets become decorated and lit trees light the kerbstones. Big trees are festooned, markets are bustling and carollers roam the streets. The councils chip in and string lights and garlands around streetscapes.

This year – nada.

Driving out of Brisbane last night, we toured the side streets looking for houses supporting Energex’s retirement fund by sucking kilowatts like breast-feeding babes.  Sure – there were a few – but nothing like usual.

Previous years people milled the streets, walking, talking, chatting and sharing merriment. This year, anyone brave enough to get out of the car become instantly soaked by permanent drizzle or abused for standing in someone’s parking space.

Bah humbug, I say.

Even one of the longest Aussie traditions I know of – decorating your indoor tree and placing it by the window so everyone can see your pretty lights – strangely absent this year. TFM says it’s because people don’t want to have presents on display in case their home gets burgled.

Double bah humbug!

In our little street, our home is twinkling away with fairy lights. This year, neighbours decorated their house too, which was lovely and supportive – and hopefully, cheery. Cars drive by our house to look – but not as many as earlier years. TFM is not in his Santa suit waving – he’s inside being 13 and, because Skipper is permanently at work, uninspired.

The canals estate, adjacent to us, is usually glittery with boat pontoons lit up – well, like christmas trees.  The reflection off the water is usually visually stunning. This year, maybe 25% of pontoons and boats are decorated. The others are dark and empty looking.

So  I ask you – is this the new norm? Are the suburbs around the country as dismal? And while there are  still quite a few try hards out there, what about the Councils, Shires and Government departments? I am not talking about leaving office blocks lit up all night, or beaming spotlights into the stratosphere, but hey – Councils – whatever happened to street light garlands and pennant flags? Banners? Those dodgy tinsel covered reindeer that used to perch on every second light pole?

Seriously, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas is now just another merchandising exploit with no spirit.

Bah bah bah and humbug.

Dear Pool Contractors

When looking for a company to choose to renovate our 30-year-old slate and concrete pool, we chose not for turnover time, nor for price – although price was a factor.

We chose you because:

a: your owner was on the team as an employee with another company who built our last pool. He oversaw the job and hois attention to detail was impressive,
b: you are local and we believe in supporting local businesses,
c: your quote was detailed and flexible and you led us to believe you would work with our ideas.

In SEPTEMBER, we signed a contract with you. You told us it would be a 2 week turnaround for the renovation.  Simply drain the pool, peck it out and remove any lifting, remove the slate, lay the new coping, pebblecrete it, acid wash it, fill it up.

Viola.

Today is the 8 of December.

Today the pool has been filled - but by the rain diverters we placed in it, and from our tank. .

Last week it was pebblecreted.

2 weeks before that, coping laid.

3 weeks before that, pecked and drilled.

2 weeks prior to that, the slate removed.

2 weeks before that, you removed the old coping and threw it in the pool.

2 weeks before that, you drained the pool.

Do you see a pattern here?

There is still no filtration.

We have seen your workers for approximately 1/2 a day a week for the best part of 3 months.

I am over it.

I require my pool completed.

Before I start telling  people about my experience….