Our Australia Day celebrations were resplendent in all things unique or at the very least, modified to represent what our nation is oft said to be all about.
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What especially stands out though is the way the humble barbecue is the way we usually decide to put on a feed while also recognising the efforts of our community stalwarts
The list of all those celebrations that appeared in The Border Mail earlier this week told such a tale.
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Under the details about the awards to be handed out came many references to the free barbecue breakfast or lunch being provided.
But what is just as ubiquitous with standing around in what would usually be a fairly hot day - Tuesday's rain at least tempered that a bit, even if was still uncomfortably muggy at times - are the pests that join the party.
And by that we don't mean those who have downed too many beers as a way of cooling down and also enjoying a mid-summer's day off work.
No, we mean the flies that zoom in just as you're about to put a sauced-up snag in your gob, or even more annoyingly, the mozzies that move in just on dusk for a feed - on us, that is.
This summer had already been shaping up to more of a mosquito-led season, with increased rainfall a boon for breeding.
Mosquitoes have had a grand time, which means going outdoors without a spray of insect repellent means you're likely to end the night scratching at bites like a mangy dog going at fleas.
This has all lead to a surge in cases of Ross River Fever across our region.
Specifically, the Albury and wider Murrumbidgee Local Health District has had 18 cases of Ross River up to last Friday since the beginning of the year, which is close to four times the rate of the same stretch in 2020.
And so take precautions; make sure you wear loose, long-sleeved clothing, complemented by the anti-mozzie spray.
The mosquitoes might not appreciate it, but your good health certainly will.