A quick mention tonight for my good friend Graham, his wife and my equally good pal Hayley, and their two lovely kids Cleve and Nell. Graham texted me this morning after I had enquired about he and his family's well being; he had interrupted a sandbag filling session to do so.
The Readfearns live in Brisbane, see, and as you've no doubt been following on the news, life is a little difficult there at the moment.
Hayley and I went to university together and, when Vanessa and I moved to Yorkshire, I worked with Graham for a period - and he remains the best writer I've yet encountered.
They were also our near neighbours at that point and Graham was not only an usher at our wedding, he even sang in the church (as I say, he's a man of talent).
But not long after, they emigrated to Australia and they remain deeply missed by their many friends back in the mother country.
This morning Graham reported that the family are as well as they can be, but that Brisbane is clearly not a nice place to be at present whilst residents wait to see what nature delivers.
As I write, 12 Queenslanders have lost their lives thus far with several dozen reported missing. Many, many more have lost their homes, their belongings - everything.
As you might expect, a major appeal has been launched to assist those affected, and you can make your own contribution by clicking here.
I'll keep you informed on how Mr and Mrs R plus offspring are faring.
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