Driveways flood or bog, high tides submerge bridges and most dirt roads become impenetrable.

Many may rejoice about missing school or work, while others go stir crazy.

Once upon a time dusty board games were pulled from cupboards and soap operas and midday movies filled the social void.

These days gamers work their thumbs to oblivion and internet users delve down YouTube holes never to return the same.

I remember as a child being stuck at home for days during some torrential downpours, the school bus unable to make it through the thick mud turning to slush as cars attempt to snake their way to the outside world.

A once beautiful garden would become mundane and repetitive to the point you had enough time to count and name every leaf or blade of grass.

Trapped with family members so long you feel the urge to escape, but with nowhere to go, feeling like a castaway on a deserted island.

The rain hammering the corrugated iron roof so hard for so long you actually begin to believe the rain will never stop.

You play games of indoor cricket or handball just for the exercise, read books you’ve already read and watch movies you’ve already seen.

Then comes a time you accept the fate that you will be trapped at home forever, never to eat another hamburger with the lot and spend the rest of your days staring out into the rain.

You give in to the uncontrollable power of nature and remember that we are after all part and parcel of it all and reach an almost zen like state.

Suddenly out of nowhere the clouds begin to part and the hammering on the roof quickly subsides.

Stepping outside into the patchy sunshine, you stare into the sky in amazement.

You quickly remember there’s a whole world out there, you’ve been going a little crazy and it’s only been two days.

Sometimes it can be nice to be stuck in the rain because it makes you appreciate everything once you are free again, and with the rain coming at a time where Australia has posted its hottest end to any year on record, at the end of the day we have to feel pretty lucky.

Alasdair McDonald