Editorial: Doom and gloom

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Every parent dreads it, the first sign is a slight drop in room temperature, maybe just half a degree, a slight breeze where you think, "hmm, do I need to put a warmer top on?", then you see the first actual physical sign, dark brooding clouds on the horizon ... you imagine seeing lightning and hear rolling thunder. Pretty similar to the final scene from the movie Terminator when Sarah Connor drives off into the distance.

A cold shiver runs down your spine, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you suddenly get a feeling of doom in the pit of your stomach.

You start to get your first mild panic attack around this moment, remembering the last time it happened and you remember promising yourself you would be prepared the time, but like every year, as soon as the emergency past you relaxed and forgot about it. Now it's here again.

Oh why, why didn't you prepare that emergency kit like you said you would?

Still, you think, "maybe it won't be as bad this time". Then the first ear splitting scream reaches your ears, just as the first drops of rain hit your window.

It's the youngest child, complaining that the eldest has taken their toy. It doesn't matter that the youngest wasn't the slightest bit interested in playing with it until the eldest picked it up.

The drops turn into a constant downpour as you realise the rain has set in and it is going to be even worse than last year - school holidays with kids trapped inside.

The nightmare begins. How many more days until school starts?

Happy New Year everyone.