In the bush there are always water problems and it’s usually a choice between two; too much or not enough! Why Australia seems burdened with extremes and yet smart people chose to be involved in agriculture sometimes bewilders me. Yet here I am having the conversation with my father today about needing abit more to ‘top up’ one of the paddocks before we can contemplate sowing wheat in that particular area. David on the other hand is still harvesting cotton and with a crew of twelve the last thing they need is any ‘wet stuff’! Over at the homestead the main pressure pump for the house dam stopped mid lawn watering, while the sieve at the end of the pump for the house water supply fell off, sucked up some silt and jammed up the clothes washing machine-again. Now normally such watery events-apart from a number of expletives, the use of a shifter (wrench) and mud to the knees (in the case of the dam) are usually confined to the summer months. At such times invariably you find yourself standing out on the flat in 40 degree heat wondering about the economic viability of becoming an icecream vendor at Noosa! But no, not today. In slightly cooler weather everything becomes a touch easier. At least I thought so until I returned to the cottage to find the cupboard under the sink a mess of water and sodden paper kitchen towels. The answer after a day of accounts and water related activities-shut the cupboard door and think about dinner!