Check This Out.

This is amazing!

People are good aren't they?

All Of The Class Gals Are Safe!

The group that made me find more and more things to teach, beyond my organised curriculum by months and months, who sewed as much and as good as any expert, who were lovely and darling and whom I had to lie and bluff into thinking I could teach them anything they didn't know... have all survived the fires! There are a few other people we don't know about yet, but this group is very dear to my heart (as were all of my gals) and I am RELIEVED. Thanks Anne! Big hugs to you all.

Condolences to all who have been effected. Friends of friends and those whose welfare I don't know. The horror of it all. I've been on edge all week, with smoke and helicopters everywhere, and the radio talks about places nearby day in and out.

Yesterday I bundled up Mum's clothes to send out to Wittlesea. I cried most of the day. I kept a lot to make things out of even though I have nowhere to put them.

But you could still see her in them and I've avoided looking in the cupboards. Dad was sad too. He's an old fireman. He's been very influential and innovative in the field and it was terribly emotional for him to not be able to help. And emotional to pack Mum's stuff up. And emotional to have her gone, still.

This was a good way for Dad to give the clothes away. The only way for it to feel good at all. He said that, after the Ash Wednesday fires, people got tons of crappy clothes to choose from. He said, Mum's stuff is class. And there is a bit of dressy stuff (with funerals coming up). Trouble is, she was so tiny in the end...

On top of it all, it was 6 months since Mum died (on Friday).

One feels resentful of the time passing. Of course you really want them to be alive, but peversely, you want to be still near to the death, at least, to feel the pain more acutely. To remember the feel of them. You don't want it to fade in the slightest.

I do remember your feel Mumma. So sweet and lovely.

Nannette Is Safe!

The Red Cross called me tonight and gave me the address where Nannette is. I don't know more but at least I can send a note.
I've been knitting and drawing plans and so on. I even posted a badly scanned face washer, but then dumped it... seemed too trite.
x

My Dad wants to send all of Mum's clothes to the fire-relief. He says that people deserve good clothes and not just op-shop junk (he doesn't shop in op-shops or know what is in there). It's the only way he could let them out the door, but I'll admit, I don't want to. And selfishly, I'm going to go through them first and choose what I want, for myself and to make Wagga's or just to look at and remember her.

Next Day

We went up Ridge Road last night, which is near here and affords an almost 360 degree view of the Warburton mountains through the city and down to Pakenham. Pakky was obscured by trees. It was so scary. I've lived in many of the places affected and have many friends and acquaintances there too. The fire glow from what must have been the Marysville-Narbethong section was apocalyptic. We could see fire from King Lake, and we're probably, I dunno, 60-80k away?

One of my closest friends (Jenny) moved from King Lake to Far North Queensland and they have floods there now. I want to ring Jen, but there are six or more fatalities from King Lake and maybe her friends will try to ring her.

The thing that's freaky is that you know that something must happen on a day like yesterday. And if the extreme dry and lightening don't start it, arsonists will.

It's A Bit Hot! 46.7 Celcius/116 Fahrenheit In Melbourne!!

This is crazy! It hit a couple of points under 49 degrees celcius down at Avalon! That's 120 fahrenheit! There are fire's a bit too close for comfort. I have the photo's ready to go... I've bagged up some embroideries and done a mental catalogue of what else to take and where it is. We'll be ok though, the fire's not coming this way and this is strangely a very safe little pocket. The PATCH! True! It's not where trouble heads.

Ross is just about to clear the next-door's driveway. A tree came down over it and if they had to, they couldn't get out.

This is hottest day on record.

Shit! They're evacuating or executing fire plans about 18k from here.

I can hear helicopters going over. They went over the other night... Elvis, the absolutely amazing fire-fighting copter. It's HUGE and was accompanied by a regular Police chopper. It's freaky and exciting to watch. It goes and gets water near here for the fire and then dumps it, with fire retardent stuff.

Aah! The cool change is starting. Amazing how it can drop 20 degrees in as many minutes. Tomorrow's meant to be showery and 24 degrees (75.5 F).

That's Melbourne for you.

Nearly Six Months

I dreamt about my Mum last night, again.

In my dreams, she's always weak and ill but beautiful and warm and loving. Not usually 100% lucid. I always I kind of know she's dead, or at least know she will be soon. Sometimes she knows too and sometimes she has no idea, and I don't want to tell her. Last night I had to get her from somewhere and she sort of collapsed onto my lap, but it was ok. I squatted there with my darling mother on my lap and let her hand trail in the sand. It was sand like at Avalon, Kirks Point, all crushed shells. Pretty and soft.

She's always taller in my dreams, like when she was young and didn't have osteoporosis. Love emenates from her and from me too, for her. She's always calm, or contented and quietly (as opposed to loudly) happy.

It kills me over again, but it's always so nice to see her, I miss her so much. I'd dream of her every night if I could. Might have to make a habit of the smoked salmon and twisties late night snack.

Who Is Two!!

This was taken my my grandson (nearly 9) on Christmas Day and completely sums up young miss Mercedes (Sadie). The happiest girl in the whole wide world. Miss Why-Walk-When-You-Can-Run.