It’s funny and not so funny to think that my grand daughter and I could end up taking steroids at the same time. Poor Matilda’s medicine was due to a bout of pneumonia that caused her parents some anguish, however, like the fighting girl she is ( a tough toddler) she bounced back with the help of steroids. As for me, my trip to have my left thumb scanned at radiology in Nambour caused the doctor to follow up with an injection of steroids to alleviate the inflammation and pain. A sharp, intense probing of this thin needle into my sore thumb was a new experience for me.

Prior to the jab, I sat in the waiting room in awe of this amazingly funny Christmas tree – balloons and an udderly interesting tree staring at me.

That medical issue being dealt with, the next experience was travelling on the plane up north to visit my beautiful Matilda. Her cough was chesty but her smile adorable. I was to stay for 6 nights helping my daughter and her husband with anything they needed to do in the build up to leaving their house and town.

So armed with the start of the silly season I learnt quickly how to administer my grand daughter with her ventolin puffer while entertaining her with bubbles, play dough, books, TV and moving furniture. Here we are shifting the bedroom mattress from the room I slept in to the lounge. She was such a terrific helper.

In the mean time, Matilda found the drawers to explore, the hose to unravel and the car to clean out. Her organised and efficient mother conquered the many lists of “to do” while allowing me as grandma to occupy the wanderer keeping her happy.

But why does the room look so bare? What’s happening? says confused Tilly. And why is my cot not in my bedroom?

The silly season is always about fast action, fast decisions and fast shopping. And so it is while adjusting to the instructions of my beautiful, hard working daughter I found myself moving fast from an empty house ( packers and removalists went into action) to a slower, quieter, peaceful bush, where creeks gurgle, a bull stares, a tractor sits in the shed and birds screech in the heat of summer.

Thankfully the new friend’s house where I moved to with Matilda had lovely breezes, open spaces and light flooding the house. I could begin my silly season romp.

The Christmas tree and some decorations.

Fun playing the piano. Those steroids are definitely working.

A big bull with big horns. Now we really are in the country. BEWARE!

Any snakes Banjo?

A faithful dog at the gate, Banjo loves chasing the ball. He even enjoys the babbling water down at the creek on the property. I certainly did too, after long days, testing out in my thongs the slimy stones  on the creek bed and watching the small fish dart to and fro.

Tall gum scented trees that stretched to the blue sky, twisted metal on old gate posts and the country tractor in the musty shed and the spiky plants.

The silly season may be full of silver tinsel and decoration, the ho,ho, ho of the Merry santa in the shop windows, but when you look closely in the bush you see other amazing things to celebrate. On my walks around the property with Matilda we found cicada shells stuck to fences, a campfire of stones and bark, limes on the ground and noisy kookaburras.

And the cold splash of creek water on our skin. So refreshing. The bush has scents that are unique – eucalypts, wallabies, smoke, wasps, pines and limes on the tree. The bush has dusty drive ways, broken bark and biting ants. All special in their own way.

And that serious bull always watching you from afar.

I am glad to have shared in the time with my family as they prepare to begin a new journey ahead. From the cheeky and delightful fun of games, water play and chasy to trampolining with mum, my brief sojourn was magic.

Revealing a new country look that costs very little!