We've been sleeping in
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (342113)
Rockingham, Australia
June 18, 2020 8:18pm CST
Many people think of Australia as being hot, dry and dusty and great swathes of it are. However, we have a big country and also have tropical rainforests and areas that enjoy very mild weather. We live in Western Australia in one of the latter areas so when I say it is cold it’s all relative. We’re in the middle of winter. Today it is expected to reach 16C (60.8F) which is cold for us. Overnight, it gets down to 2 or 3C (35-37F) and we’ve found ourselves staying in bed longer in the mornings.
In other news, the Premier of our state, Mark McGowan, has a Facebook page where he shares the latest information about lots of things but in particular about COVID-19 and how our state is dealing with it.
The government had a program running for two weeks from May 28 to June 10. The aim was to test a number of people for the virus. Invitations were issued to people from healthcare sectors, police units, schools, meat facilities, retail, hospitality, transport and tourism, to undergo swab tests. None of these people were displaying symptoms. Of the 18,554 people tested, not one returned a positive result.
We had one new case yesterday in someone who had come in from overseas. Almost all our cases have come from outside our state.
The photo shows two kangaroos enjoying the winter sunshine.
35 people like this
33 responses
@FourWalls (69008)
• United States
19 Jun 20
You probably laugh when everyone's singing "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" when it's summer for you on Christmas day! 
Yes, temperatures are relative. I mentioned to someone else that I don't particularly care for the heat and humidity, but given that I've lived in the south all my life I'm "used to it." It might choke someone from the US northeast; and, by the same token, when I was in Maine last August I found it a little "nippy" that the temperatures were in the low 70s (while the "natives" were on the beach enjoying it as a summer day).
But we don't have kangaroos lounging about here. 
Yes, temperatures are relative. I mentioned to someone else that I don't particularly care for the heat and humidity, but given that I've lived in the south all my life I'm "used to it." It might choke someone from the US northeast; and, by the same token, when I was in Maine last August I found it a little "nippy" that the temperatures were in the low 70s (while the "natives" were on the beach enjoying it as a summer day).
But we don't have kangaroos lounging about here. 5 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (47083)
• India
20 Jun 20
@FourWalls
Indeed temperature, heat and cold are relative. We have temperatures ranging from 45 C in summers to as lows 3/4 C in winters (Min. temps in winters, but last time, highs also went down to nearly 10 C!).
And we have places in India which have temperatures as low as -40 C in winters (very high Mountain reaches), and Deserts with nearly 50C.
2 people like this
@jayanth_77 (7180)
• India
19 Jun 20
The Kangaroos seems to really like to sun bath in the cold weather. Do they allow you to touch or cuddle them just like pet dogs and cats.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (342113)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Jun 20
@jayanth_77 They do attack if they are cornered or if they have lost their fear of humans. It would be very out of the ordinary if ours were ever to attack.
2 people like this
@jayanth_77 (7180)
• India
19 Jun 20
@JudyEv Hope the Kangaroos don't attack humans. Are there any cases of kangaroo attack on humans.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472074)
• Switzerland
19 Jun 20
As you enter winter, it is not very cold compared to Switzerland, but 2 or 3 C during the night is not warm. I am glad that no one of those tested showed to be positive. We are doing pretty well right now here, almost no new cases... but from June 22nd tourists will be allowed to come here again.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (342113)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jun 20
That was something else I learnt here - that what I consider cold isn't really very cold at all. I don't think we'll be letting overseas tourists in for quite some time. Our border to the east will open soon and we'll hopefully have 'clean' tourists from the eastern states. .
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80736)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Jun 20
What a wonderful photo. I am glad they can enjoy the sunshine. Stay warm and safe,
3 people like this
@arunima25 (87854)
• Bangalore, India
19 Jun 20
That's a lovely picture of kangaroos enjoying sunbath
It's a good sign that none tested in such a big number show signs.
It's a good sign that none tested in such a big number show signs.3 people like this
@arunima25 (87854)
• Bangalore, India
22 Jun 20
@JudyEv Yes. And that is a big relief and positive sign. Asymptomatic carriers are the ones who can be hidden carrier and super spreader. We are getting quite a number that is asymptomatic.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112966)
• El Paso, Texas
19 Jun 20
That's pretty nifty @JudyEv what app did you use to do that?
Yeah, I always thought Australia was a little bigger than the US.
So the northern part of your country is the part that's closest to the equator. I should have known that, sill me 
2 people like this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
19 Jun 20
We have a city here in the mountains which has a cool weather maybe just slightly warmer than your winter. But sometimes they get below 10 C temperature there.
2 people like this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
19 Jun 20
@JudyEv what do you mean by "set the cherries?"
2 people like this
@JudyEv (342113)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Jun 20
@Alexandoy I think cherries need cold temperatures if they are to bear maximum amounts of fruit.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (342113)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Jun 20
I've just been reading about it. Some of the reason seems to be the layout of the plant with little chance of social distancing.
I can remember how surprised I was to have some really hot days when we were in England. I thought it was always cold and mostly wet. France was stinking hot too which was another surprise. 42F in Dijon and everyone playing under the fountains.
2 people like this
@just4him (317241)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
19 Jun 20
You made me look. I only saw one. The other is camouflaged.
I'm glad you don't have any cases of COVID-19 among the local residents. I hope it stays that way.
Keep it up, you'll have me green with envy as the summer heats up. We're up to 87 F (30.5 C) today.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (181721)
• United States
19 Jun 20
Great photo. I'm glad no one tested positive for the virus. Our weather is turning quite hot and humid; but I will still take that over our cold winters and snow.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (181721)
• United States
20 Jun 20
@JudyEv Today is the longest day; and from now on the days will be getting shorter again. :-( I'm not ready for THAT!
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54402)
• United States
19 Jun 20
my first exposure was Sydney so I would have said Australia is just cities. But I got to see Canberra and Melbourne so instead, I would say it is a very interesting country with lots of different climates!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (342113)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jun 20
@DocAndersen Everyone loves our kangaroos - except our farmers. 
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54402)
• United States
20 Jun 20
@JudyEv we have Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska, one of those is a habitat you don't have (the artic)!!!
but yes Oz is full of impressive animals. More because you separated from the mainland more than 200 million years ago. I remember being taken to the outback and seeing Kangaroos in the wild!
1 person likes this
@cperry2 (5608)
• Newport, Oregon
20 Jun 20
I love the roos.
We had 32 new cases yesterday. We are reeling from break out at a fish processing plant. 124 cases there alone, The state is now testing the employee families. But we don't know if all or any of that 32 is from that additional testing that's going on. Most of these cases are hitting 20 to 35-year-olds. (I guess that is the age of the employees.)
2 people like this
@JudyEv (342113)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jun 20
That is really bad news. And so many relatively young. Several of our meat processing plants have been hit hard too. They are saying the working conditions contribute to the spread - close proximity to each other, etc. I know your country is doing it hard at the moment.
2 people like this
@cperry2 (5608)
• Newport, Oregon
20 Jun 20
@JudyEv A big issue with this situation is that the plant brought in seasonal workers, supposedly testing every one of them, from Guatemala, Serbia, and from other locations that were not disclosed. That in and of itself isn't a big issue, but those from Guatemala are not English speakers, nor can they read or write. They use a language called mam, which the state had to go out and find a translator for. Some of these people have a fear of the government and may be of questionable legality for being in this country. In other words, they do not want to be found. It is believed (by state officials) that they may be completely ignorant that there is a virus they need to fear. Promises of no immigration issues probably will not be believed.
1 person likes this
@jobelbojel (36041)
• Philippines
19 Jun 20
Sounds like your country is disciplined. There is a downward trend of infected people. Whereas in the Philippines, highest case for one day is about 1,000.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (51359)
• Canada
19 Jun 20
I like to see the pictures of the kangaroos, almost as much as I used to enjoy seeing pictures of Herc.
One of our nieces attended university in Australia and I remember her telling us all how very vast the country was and how there was a little bit of everything to be had.
We are just starting the official season of summer here, and I remember that your winter is opposite of our summer season.
Does it freeze in your area?
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (50525)
• United States
19 Jun 20
Thanks again for the kangaroo photograph. I hope that I get to see them in person one day.
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@Tampa_girl7 (50525)
• United States
20 Jun 20
@JudyEv thanks, it would be wonderful to meet you and the kangaroos.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (108128)
• Marion, Ohio
19 Jun 20
Sounds like the virus is well under control there.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (108128)
• Marion, Ohio
19 Jun 20
@JudyEv I dont think locking down helped that much here because too many places were allowed to stay open.
2 people like this
@andriaperry (117146)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 20
The virus is here but no lockdown is in place
2 people like this
@nawala123 (20871)
• Indonesia
19 Jun 20
It is too cold for me, like in my hometown.
2 people like this
