- Keegan Thomson
From the assistant editor's desk
IF you ask me what is one of the main characteristics and ethics that define what is Australia I’d have to say it would be hard work.
From the get go all our northern hemisphere convict ancestors were told to go and dig this and build that and plant this and it was all in the heat of summer. It must have been a bit of a shock to the system coming from Mother England where a hot Summer day’s temperature would be around a balmy 26 degrees, but they got on with the job.
In the first three weeks of 2017 we’ve already seen 3 heatwaves declared across western Sydney and I can only imagine there will be at least one more heatwave declared before the end of the season.
I’m no expert on global weather but it seems like this Summer might be the hottest on record, which makes me even more impressed when I see people working hard throughout the heat and the relentless summer conditions.
One job that constantly impresses me is the work of the humble postie. The postie needs to deliver on foot or on bike no matter if it is 40-plus-degrees with 95 per cent humidity or whether it is 18 degrees and blowing a gale with
sideways rain.
Say what you want about posties because I’ll defend them black and blue!
Maybe we need a new national holiday for the posties, ‘Thank A Postie Day’ or something like that?
I’m writing this from the comfort of the air-con, which has been running since 9:30 this morning, as I watch in awe of the tradies working in the 42 degree heat across the road.
They’re working hard to make a new apartment building and even though it is Friday, it is now 43 degrees and it is nearly beer o’clock, they’re working relentlessly.
On a day like today, when the temperature is so high you can fry an egg on the pavement, I salute the tradies, the posties, the roofers, the builders, the landscapers who’re all outside working hard and putting up with this heat. In fact I’ll take my hat off to anyone who has to work outside on a day like this no matter what job you’re doing.
Keep cool and keep up the hard work Westies! Don’t forget to slip, slop, slap!