Parliament is back today after a summer's worth of holiday.
We've had weeks and weeks of Parliament-free time. So much so, I've forgotten which side is green and which side is red.
But goodness knows, the Prime Minister needs a break - and not just the kind that involves a long-haul flight, a hot-stone massage and a few litres of duty-free booze.
POPE'S VIEW: Back to politischool
If it's not the latest round of Speculation Spectacular (quick, someone else in the caucus has said something), it's another reputable poll redelivering the verdict that Kevin Rudd is the most loved politician in Australia.
And if it's neither, it's the government ensuring that it enjoys no more than three hours of positive coverage on anything before some bizarro issue pops up and overwhelms it.
Yesterday, MPs were gingerly returning to Parliament, airing their offices, choosing their stationery and planning their sandwich fillings. Other parliamentary employees were having a good old whinge that the coffee line was back to its pre-holiday length.
But as the baristas revved up and the felt-tip pen supply was appraised, Gillard was out to try and give herself a break.
Things started well enough. While the latest Nielsen poll still put Rudd at numero uno, Labor had clawed back some ground and Gillard had finally nudged ahead of Tony Abbott when it came to comparing leaders who were actually leading.
With Abbott preparing for a shadow ministry meeting and Rudd still winging his way back from Internationaland, Gillard took the liberty of calling a press conference.
In the graceful surrounds of the PM's courtyard, she proceeded to inform the nation that 2012 wasn't about Rudd, Syria or pokies reform. It was about the economy, stupid.
''As the parliamentary year starts tomorrow it will trigger the start of a year-long debate on the Australian economy,'' she said in what can only be interpreted as punishment to all those naughty journalists who talked up Rudd's chances over the summer.
Unfortunately, as Gillard tried to overcome the perception that her government has a communication problem, she was all but drowned out by a fountain going full pelt in the background. She could have declared war on Altona and no one would have realised.
It was also unlucky that Bob Brown had got in first with his press conference. ''Quite a bit of the criticism [of Gillard] is sexist and unfair and unrelenting and the Prime Minister needs a bit of a break from that,'' he observed, ensuring people would focus on sexism when the PM wanted to talk surplus.
We assume Brown was only trying to help, but with friends like these, who needs the Coalition?
This reporter is on Twitter: @canberracamper
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