Writing in the Tropics- Lori T. Hurst

Since I am living in a house that is literaly still being built around me I ask myself that question frequently. Downstairs it's a dream. Two lovely rooms plus the foyer feature glossy tiles. The bedroom has silky blue curtains and a decorative and comfortable rug. I sleep in a king size bed and wake each morning to bird call. The family room is furnished with a maroon lounge and chairs, I watch movies, snuggled amongst plump cushions. The foyer, big enough to hold a decent sized party, houses my desk and bookcases. But just like on a movie set I only have to turn around to see behind the scenes. The walls around the spiral staircase, are un-sheeted so that the silver insulation shines through, the stairs themselves are ugly steel plate. Upstairs the interior walls are still bare, most of the ceiling is missing, revealing the heavy steel beams. Along one wall (complete with finished ceiling, up to a point) stands my perfect, shining kitchen. Every would-be chef's dream it calls

Since my last post I've had to amend my list of things that make life uncomfortable for those of us who call the far north of Australia home. Toads have moved further down the list, to be replaced first & foremost by cyclones, and coming close second, enraged, homeless Green ants. Slight exageration there. Green ants are nasty,biting, aggressive pests that can be brushed off, albeit while doing a dance not unlike a demented orangutan, but this discomfort cannot in any sense be compared to the pounding rain and ceaselss winds of a cyclone lashing the trees and sending branches crashing on the roof. Cooking on a gas burner by gas light & listening to a battery powered radio while the giant storm wreaked havoc around us, safe inside our house built to withstand an earthquake, we created a sort of family picnic atmosphere. Our three Granddaughters delightfully unaware of the threatening catastrophe were amazed when we produced home-made chips for dinner. Who said children to