blue mountains – Stilgherrian

23 February 202523 February 2025

Weekly Wrap 769: Wrangling the data ruined my mind

Seen from low down by the ground, an asphalt road runs away from the viewer up a hill, eventually turning to the left and out of sight. The sky is bright blue with a few fluffy white clouds, although little sky can be seen because either side of the road are trees and thickly-growing shrubs. In the immediate foreground, on the road, two white-painted squares are arranged diagonally, joined at their corners. In yellow paint is the number 3011.

I lost three days in the middle of my week of Monday 17 to Sunday 23 February 2025 to annoying geekery: rebuilding my whole data backup system. Always make sure your backups are in good order, Gentle Reader, with at least one copy of everything in a different physical location.

28 May 202029 October 2020

The 9pm His Plague Diary 11

A sign showing the way to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Clinic at the *Blue Mountains District Anzac Memorial Hospital* in Katoomba.

It’s Day 72 of Stilgherrian’s coronavirus isolation. The results of his COVID-19 test from Tuesday’s magical nasopharyngeal swab have arrived.

27 May 202029 October 2020

The 9pm His Plague Diary 10

Header of the NSW Health information sheet given to patients who’ve received a COVID-19 test.

It’s Day 70 of Stilgherrian’s coronavirus isolation and he’s developed a cough. It’s time to go for a COVID-19 test and experience the joy of a nasopharyngeal swab.

27 March 202029 October 2020

The 9pm His Plague Diary 3

Customers are asked to stand behind the red line at the Blue Mountains Pharmacy in Katoomba, 25 March 2020.

It’s Day 10 is Stilgherrian’s isolation, at least how he’s counting it. America is doomed, and the Easter Bunnies in Wentworth Falls look very sad indeed.

09 February 202012 February 2020

Weekly Wrap 506: Parliament returns, and so do the rains

The most remarkable event in the week of Monday 3 to Sunday 9 February 2020 was the rain. A lot of rain. In just three days Wentworth Falls received 279mm. With another 100mm expected before 9am Monday, that’ll be more than half the total rainfall of 2019.

22 October 201705 July 2022

Weekly Wrap 386: The tides are always with us

After every up, there is a down. That’s how waves work. That’s how tides work. That’s how rollercoasters work. My week of Monday 16 to Sunday 22 October 2017 was less hectic than last week.