I was racked with indecision the other day. It was something ultimately trivial, but something that had me flummoxed nonetheless. “I just want a burning bush to show me what to do. Is that so much to ask?” I said in frustration. Be careful what you ask for.
Home, Sweet Home Tuesday, February 24, 2009 – DAY EIGHTEEN Home, Sweet Home After an extremely hesitant but positive response from a local authority that we could return home but must remain vigilant about the fires that are almost too close for comfort, we return home.
Enjoying the ocean, and a different kind of fire… Friday-Sunday, February 20-22, 2009 – DAYS FOURTEEN to SIXTEEN Too many “last straws” have come and gone…we need a rest. My own small break in taking a trip to Melbourne was not exactly restful, and Kelly has worked two full weeks in a highly-charged environment with [...]
Thursday, February 19th, 2009 – DAY THIRTEEN It seems like every night I sleep somewhere else. I wake up in the middle of the night – as I do, to pee – and have to re-orient myself before trying to get up. I struggle to remember where I am, how I am oriented (is the [...]
Although this image of charred ground may not look dramatic, you may think differently if you knew what it looked like before. Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 – DAY TWELVE The pleasant distractions of last night end when I cough and sputter my way into reality from a solid sleep; the smoke is thick and full. [...]
In addition to the hundreds of pumper trucks coming in and out of the Alexandra staging area, armoured personnel carriers are now part of the flotilla. These guys are serious. Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 – DAY ELEVEN Apparently we are not the only ones living out of our car…we pile our belongings into the car [...]
There are over 400 tents pitched at the showgrounds, with over 600 emergency workers sleeping in shifts. (And this is not the only base camp established in the area). That’s allotta fire fighting going on. Monday, February 16th: DAY TEN As we pull up to the DSE/CFA base camp in Alexandra for breakfast, I see [...]
A panorama of our smoky “stomping grounds” in Rubicon… Sunday, February 15th, 2009 – DAY NINE 8:00am Waking up in and living with smoke takes a toll over time. Your head constantly feels foggy, keeping headaches tenuously at bay. Your throat is raspy, sore, and dry, except for that little chunk of mucus in the [...]
Saturday, February 14th, 2009 – DAY EIGHT Happy Valentine’s Day! Love is in the air….or is that smoke? The situation at the relief donations warehouse is out of control. We receive countless truckloads of generous donations, and despite requests to the contrary, lots of it is still used. Gently used clothing is one thing; bleach [...]
One of the warehouses, filled and getting fuller with each truckload of donated goods… Friday, February 13th, 2009 – DAY SEVEN Dreaded Friday the 13th. Not only are there superstitious connotations to this ominous day, but it also marks the 70-year anniversary of the 1939 bush fires that devastated this very area. In fact, it [...]
