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Friday, December 08, 2006

Hmmm ... It's Friday Again !!

It's a warm, sunny day here in Melbourne. However, the sun is invisible behind a haze of smoke, wafting over the city and suburbs, and the whole of the state as well, I imagine. The air is stinky ... my house also smells of smoke, but I am hesitant to close it all up, as it gets too stuffy. It's not hot enough for the air conditioner .... so I guess smokey is the way it's gonna be today !! I guess I should be thankful that we are just getting smoke, and are not in the line of the fires .... as so many people potentially are. Explanation .... there are many, many fires burning through the high country in Victoria. The high country is in the central north-east part of the state ... heading down south, also. I am trying to find a map to show you. Stay tuned !! The fires started from lightning strikes, last Friday (I think), and have been burning ever since. Many of them are still out of control, as the land is quite inaccessible.

The circles denotes fires under control, the stars are fires contained, and the flames are fires that are still out of control.

A large number of fire fighters have been flown in from New Zealand, to assist our Aussie boys and girls, who are going day and night to try and get these horrific fires under control. The admiration I feel for all the fire fighters, many of them voluntary, is enormous. They are risking their lives, to save lives and property. I think we should all pray for all their safety, during this dangerous and challenging time ... I know I will be. They are amazing people.

On to something not-so-serious ....

I started Christmas shopping today !!! I am probably half way through, and will continue next week. I am feeling really good about it all, too.

I still haven't started writing Christmas cards. I intended to yesterday, but I was feeling really blah !! Wonder if it was like a "let-down" after finishing all my work, and suddenly everything sort of caught up with me !?!?! I feel fine again today, so hope to do the cards over the weekend. Don't think they'll arrive overseas before Christmas ... sorry ... they will arrive eventually, though !!

Chicky is playing in her netball grand final tomorrow. It is the first time her team (The Falcons) has made it to a grand final ... they were on top of the ladder all season, only losing one game. What champions. Win or lose tomorrow, they are still amazing kids. Go Falcons !! The only problem is that is forecast to be 37C (98.6F) tomorrow. Fortunately, the game is at 10am, so hopfully it won't be quite that hot yet !!

We have a street Christmas party on Sunday. Hopefully many of the families are able to make it (there are around 35 houses in the street), as it is usually a fun day. This year, it is being held next door to us, so we don't have to lug our chairs and stuff too far !!!

Oh well, I'd better leave it here, as I have a mountain of laundry to get through (don't know how it will go hanging outside on the line, though, as it might get a bit smokey-stinky !!). Unfortunately, the laundry won't do itself, as much as the machines are all automated and stuff ... no machine will remove from the line, fold, iron and put away. Hmmm, time for a new invention, perhaps !! Or a maid !!!!

So, I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Enjoy any pre-Christmas functions and get-togethers you may be attending. Don't drink too much (if you drink), and if you do ... for goodness sake, don't drive !!

Take care,

MEOW

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oooh, I get to be first, if I type fast enough, anyway, LOL. ;D

We have wildfires here in the US, too, Meow, although not so many here where I live. I do hope there's no loss of life as the firefighters battle the fires.

Good Luck to the Falcons, and I hope nobody gets too hot. It's about -5C here right now, down to about -10 for the low. It's the coldest it's been here so far this season. I do love the cold, though. Can't stand the heat!

Have a great weekend, Meow, and a good time at your Christmas party.

Merry Christmas!

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Diane ... you're the first, and so far the only !!!
Bushfires have always been quite common here in Victoria, but this year is looking to be a bad one.
Hope you have a great weekend, too.
Take care, Meow

Marie said...

I've been watching the news carefully over the last few days for the latest on the fires. It is always a problem at this time of the year and I really feel for everyone back in Australia. With the droughts this year and now the threat of fires, it must be hard. I see that 150,000 hectares of tinder-dry bushland in the Mansfield, King Valley, Heyfield, Buckland Valley and Bairnsdale areas has already been destroyed. It brings back memories of the awful Ash Wednesday fires we had in Adelaide in 1983, when 75 people lost their lives.

My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Devil Mood said...

Oh no fires are horrible. WE have plenty of those in the summer unfortunately. Right now, a little heat would be welcomed, my feet are freezing...I had a hailstone this afternoon. I miss the sun...

Don't worry about the cards, they'll get there sooner or later. You have a lot to do...yikes! Good luck and good luck to Chicky!

JM said...

Just stopping by to say hello!! Have a good weekend!!

Anonymous said...

Now where did you find that moose with the twinkling lights and balls in his antlers - he is just too cute!

LZ Blogger said...

Looks like the season for fires downunder? That can't be a good thing! Sorry to hear that! ~ jb///

Jo said...

Hey Hun,

I couldnt believe it when I woke this morning, Had to put a hanky over nose when I went outside.
Well there goes my washing day.
Go visit JensChronicles see the pics she has there.. incredible.

Stay safe and have a good weekend.

Cheers Jo

Anonymous said...

The fires are horrendous...watching the coverage on TV is chilling. It's scary at night when the smell of bushfires fills the air. Let's hope rain comes soon to douse the flames.

Anonymous said...

That map is looking almost as bad as the Black Friday one of 1939 (no... I don't remember that one... just what I've heard) More than half the State was on fire then.

Jeanette said...

HI Meow
Im in Yarrawonga its right on the border between Cobram and wodonga on your map about were the M is for Cobram. I hope it wasn't to hot for chicky playing netball and ive just finished writing my cards out. take care ;-)

Anonymous said...

Hi Meow, The bushfires in Victoria a a real worry at the moment, I am hoping that they can be controlled really soon. It is terrible that the smoke is such that the firefighting helicopters have no visibilty for a lot of the time. Cheers Margaret

Greeneyes said...

Hi Mewo
Gesh! that is a lot of fires , wow I hope no one is hurt esp you ! I wish for it to rain and rain till it is all out and safe again , the heat must be driving it as well . I will say a prayer to help , let us know if you can how it is going , we dont get much of that on the news here at all ,not even tidbits from around the world .:{

I guess it is pretty hot there , you know what that MEANS FOR LITTLE OL ME ! bRRRRR SHIVER AND FREEZE !!!
sTOP HOGGIN THE HEAT GIRL :}

and you said you just started shopping , the stores here are blocked and alot are cleared out of the good stuff , I was out the day before yesterday and it was madness , squish all the way , I hate it !love Christmas not the shopping .

Hope you have a great weekend also Meow , sounds like you were a little blue , hope your cheerie and feeling more like your elf name says , it suits you hehe
Love
Greeneyes

HUGZZZ and HUGZZZZ

Anonymous said...

Dear Meow ~The heat is awful, the smoke worse and the fires just too
terrible. Maybe if we get through today (Sun) it will ease. Your map is good and I will give it a plug on my blog. I hope the Falcons won the GF
and that no-one suffered heatstroke.
Is your place at Bonnie Doon safe ?
I think it would be, and hope so.
Love the Santa who died laughing at
how good we have been. Take care,
Love, Merle.

Val said...

I am hoping for a huge downpour for an early Christmas present.

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Marie ... thank you. It's frightening, but hopefully it will be under control soon. Fingers crossed.

Devil Mood ... thank you. I posted my OS cards today ... yay !!

Angel ... thank you.

Heather ... thanks, he's cute, isn't he. Feel free to use him too. I found him in Photobucket.

LZ Blogger ... thank you.

Littlejen ... thank you. It was a horrendous weekend, smoke and heat wise. I feel for the poor fire fighters ... it must be a frightening job.

Lee ... yes, we need rain ... and lots of it. We had a little this morning, but only a dribble !!

Peter ... I don't remember the '39 fires ... way before my time ... but heard they were terrible.

Jeanette ... thank you. Your photos on your blog are fabulous, although frightening.

Margaret ... it was terrible that the smoke was so think they choppers and planes weren't able to water bomb. At least it is clearer today.

Daybyday ... thank you. I got the majority of my cards out today ... yay.

Greeneyes ... thank you. I hope for huge rain, too ... to put out the fires, and refill our dams. Fires, drought ... how awful. I have got most of my cards out, and about half of my shopping done .. will do more in the next few days. Stay warm. Hugs to you, too.

Merle ... thanks. Thank goodness Sunday is over ... gosh, was that a stinker day. It was like being in an oven, with the heat and the smoke. Chicky's team unfortunately lost their Grand Final, but played well. Next year !! So far our place at Bonnie Doon is safe ... here's hoping it stays that way.

Val ... you and me both.

Take care, Meow