What made you feel good today

[anglefire]

Finding out that our bushfire survival plan worked. Our brave CFA volunteers were fighting a bushfire not 100 metres from our home last night but we were packed up with all three cats within five minutes waiting to be evacuated. The wind changed to our direction just as the rain came down so even though our new years plans were changed we had a brilliant new year being safe. Happy New Year to those still to celebrate it.

does this mean you and your house are safe?

[wendoureecat]

Yes we are all safe including the cats who stayed under the bed due to the noise of the helicopters dropping water. The CFA have been putting out spot fires all day. They have charged an 11 and a 12 yo for arson and causing a bushfire. Luckily the rain came just as the wind changed in our direction.

[deetus]

Just watched The Muppets Treasure Island film on TV, a really good laugh. 

Last night watched Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show from 1973 (I'd recorded it). They don't make 'em like that anymore, more's the pity. The highlight was Ernie's play about Napoleon and Duke Ellington, featuring Vanilla Redgrave. 

[jimthetrain]

Yes we are all safe including the cats who stayed under the bed due to the noise of the helicopters dropping water. The CFA have been putting out spot fires all day. They have charged an 11 and a 12 yo for arson and causing a bushfire. Luckily the rain came just as the wind changed in our direction.

I'm glad everything is ok for the time being. Had a look at the photo's you posted and that's a bit too close for comfort in my eyes. Not a position I would like to find myself in that's for sure. Do you have house insurance over there or is it deemed too much of a liability. Would hate to lose everything for the irresponsible actions of two little toe rags playing with matches. I hope you brought the new year in alright, all be it a day later.

jim

[wendoureecat]

I'm glad everything is ok for the time being. Had a look at the photo's you posted and that's a bit too close for comfort in my eyes. Not a position I would like to find myself in that's for sure. Do you have house insurance over there or is it deemed too much of a liability. Would hate to lose everything for the irresponsible actions of two little toe rags playing with matches. I hope you brought the new year in alright, all be it a day later.

jim

It is a bit scary and with wind changes the fires out here are unpredictable. We have insurance I wont be without it but a lot of people dont and foolishly most of them were the ones that lost everything on Black Friday last year.....including a lot of lives. Laws have changed over here now and when the CFA deem it is 'extreme' you cannot stay and defend your home you have no choice but to be evacuated.

[irv_b]

Today is the first day that me, my wife and one of my sons have all been able to function properly since xmas eve, when we all came down with a very heavy cold bug so bad, we didn't eat till 9 ish xmas day. There is still tons of alcohol and food left in the house (well till tomorrow, when we have family coming round)
Hope everyone had a good one

Sorry to hear that irv_b and hope you and yours are now better. 

Thanks Andrew Eileen and Oldboy  :tup:yeah we are all much better and had a quiet-ish family get-together last night and a trip out to the new years parade today

[Nemesis]

Spent the day at WWT Slimbridge on a wonderful crisp and bright winter's day - spring is coming 

[Oldboy]

Spent the day at WWT Slimbridge on a wonderful crisp and bright winter's day - spring is coming 

I guess you haven't seen the forecast for the next two weeks then! 

[Eileen]

I have both a working phone and internet. At the same time.  It's a long saga which I won't bore you with but (touch wood) seems to be resolved now.

[picsfor]

Phone calls on Eileen then   

[wendoureecat]

WMMFGT - My eldest daughter finally being home safe and sound after backpacking around Thailand for a month. You would think with her first time out of Aust and her not being very street wise she would have picked somewhere where I wouldnt worry about her as much.

[picsfor]

It is the nature of children (especially daughters) to do the most naive thing going! 
My youngest flew off to southern Spain for a month on her 18th birthday. And when i say Spain - i mean a part that is so isolated that most Spanish people haven't heard of it! 

She was going over for Spanish language lessons at a Uni & i had paid for it... 

Like you, i was glad when she got home! 

[Hinfrance]

Yes we are all safe including the cats who stayed under the bed due to the noise of the helicopters dropping water. The CFA have been putting out spot fires all day. They have charged an 11 and a 12 yo for arson and causing a bushfire. Luckily the rain came just as the wind changed in our direction.

I'm glad everything is ok for the time being. Had a look at the photo's you posted and that's a bit too close for comfort in my eyes. Not a position I would like to find myself in that's for sure. Do you have house insurance over there or is it deemed too much of a liability. Would hate to lose everything for the irresponsible actions of two little toe rags playing with matches. I hope you brought the new year in alright, all be it a day later.

jim

Glad to hear that all is well.  I can't help feeling you might have too many nearby trees. We have a law in France for the wildfire zones, no trees within certain prescribed distances of dwellings - can be 25 or 50 metres depending where you are. Property owners who don't remove trees have them pulled out by the local authority and get sent the bill. Seems to work pretty well.

But same as everywhere, most of the 'wildfires' are actually started deliberately by some mindless or evil idiots.

[wendoureecat]

@ picsfor.......I suppose I was no different. Brought a passport and the next day i was off to the UK having never flown before which I am sure gave my mum a bit of a worry.

@ tringle our laws dont go quite that far but the cfa can come in and tell you to clear around the house etc. Most people are more than aware to keep the area surrounding the house clear especially in rural areas but as you can imagine there are large areas of bush everywhere even in a fairly large town like Ballarat. Think I like France's idea though.........would save me moving back to the middle of Melb in an appartment.

[Oldboy]

It's snowing like mad.