The Wednesday with BBQ and terrible fire news from Aus

Hi,

 What a day.  It was trucking along ok.  Got a haircut even!  Got to catch up with Victor and Ed - always a highlight.

Iced latte with Victor and Ed

Victor ready for his caffeine hit

But it all turned very different to normal once the work BBQ started after work.

The BBQ itself was fine - Joe cooked up a storm on the BBQ.  I got to eat the first lot of mushrooms that came off and started the Christmas music.

Then I got a text from Mum saying their place was under threat of fires and she was scared.  Understatement from my mother, as it turns out.  I rang her and heard firsthand how close the fires were.  Dad was driving home from work but unable to pass a cordon that Mum was now inside!  He walked the last few kms.

Got news of fires threatening my parents place - with Mum inside the cordon!

I reckon I saw their place on the news feed I was watching.  Circled in red with my best editing ability.  At 8pm ish their time, the firefighters had set up base camp in their street so I figured they were as safe as they could be at that point.

So worried and feeling helpless from this distance.  I am thinking of them constantly today.  But I know the Australian firefighters try their very best and Dad will make sensible decisions. 

But it has driven home the necessity of everyone to have an emergency plan that they can put into action at a moment's notice.  Grab bag with essentials.  Food stash.  Water stash. 

I am going to reassess in the NY for our situation.

Gingerbread house that Toby and Tessa made!

Meanwhile, Toby and Tessa made a gingerbread house and an army of gingerbread people.  I got to eat one.  Yum!

Army of gingerbread people

Yum!

All sorts of decorating happened

Ummm - a codpiece?

Got an hour sleep ahead of our midnight session of Star Wars at the Roxy.  So glad we went to see it.  it is better than Last Jedi by far.  Gave us the tied up loose ends.  Good story. 

Midnight showing of Star Wars 

Two mins late!!!

Dropped Tessa off at 2.30am at her house and was in bed by 3am.  Zzzzz.

Chatting to Karen during the morning this morning to hear more about the fire situation.  I hope it has passed and my parents are either in a hotel enjoying being far from the scene, or the fires are now well away and things can return to normal.

Lots of love,
Angela