MIA and trying to get back to normal.

I've been missing in action....or rather, INaction!

The reason is - the bushfires.
I find it impossible to concentrate on anything, get much done beyond the basics.
Just survive - eat, drink, sleep.
Oh, and sit on facebook with its updates from various local groups about the fires.

There is a Blue Mountains firewatch page as well as the NSWFRS page and many local Rural Fire Brigades have their own pages.
It's all rivetting.

Within hours, or sooner there was a facebook Blue Mountains Fire Recovery page - with all sorts of offers of help.
It was truly amazing!
People have donated food, clothes, furniture, cars and offers of accommodation.
A mind-boggling amount of stuff has been collected and in fact the collection centres very soon had to close their doors to more donations as they were overflowing.
There are fundraising events - sausage sizzles, garage sales, concerts and who knows what else!

People have offered to help others clean up.
Have offered to look after pets and other animals.
A page was set up to share dresses for year 12 formals.

Then on Wednesday the weather was forecast to be severe again - hot with strong northerly winds and we were advised that if we didn't have to be in the mountains then we should leave!
When Mr planet came home from work on Tuesday evening I asked him if he was going to work the next day? He seemed slightly bemused.
Then I explained about the message from the RFS and he decided to stay to defend the house and as per our plan I would go.
So I packed all our photographs - yes, ALL out photographs, despite Mr planet saying I shouldn't.
I took some clothes.
I took our fabulously expensive sleeping bags, mats and tent. (At least then we would have something to sleep in).
And I took pretty much ALL my beads.
.....and some findings and such.

The house was well- prepared - gutters cleaned and plugged, anything flammable was moved away from the house, buckets and garbage bins filled with water. Towels out ready.
Hoses at the ready.

Cat was dispatched to a friend's house - much to her disgust!

Me? I had a lovely sleepover at my daughter's place near the beach.

And the fires? They didn't come this way.
Such a relief.
So grateful to the firies who put in a mammoth effort to back burn and put in containment lines and put out spot fires and all that other stuff that they do.

Anyway - it is all hugely distracting as you can imagine.

I am trying to get back to normal.
I have brought my beads back in - but now I can't find anything!
Some stuff is still in the car and the photos stayed at their beachside retreat.

The cat was retrieved from behind friend's computer desk and is acting like nothing happened.
Half her luck!