I adore animals (in case you hadn't figured that out already!)

I've been a bit slack with entries lately, mainly because of my inability to use my own photos now that my camera is broken.  This one came from my 'Worth Keeping' email folder and is just gorgeous, isn't it!

I got a reminder from Muffy's vet a few weeks back to take her for her annual checkup and vaccinations and I was a nervous wreck until the job was done.  She HATES being put in her cage to travel there and that really upsets me.  I'm such a softie, as I know it does no harm and she should just put up with it, but I almost come out in a sweat and get palpitations!!!  The vet did her treatments in another room so as not to upset me!!!!!!! Oh, how embarrassing.  Mind you, it's the bill that should be making me break out in a sweat and get palpitations!!!!!!!

Today I've promised myself I'll have a good tidy up.  It's long overdue.

Sunny and calm today

Yes, it is indeed a scary world!  This pic shows what a narrow passage the tornado took on Monday afternoon.  How unlucky were the owners of these cars in the station carpark!

My camera has worn out and I can't figure out how to use a new one Philip gave me, so I'll cheat and put in an old photo of the backyard, taken at this time last year.

The hydrangea is flourishing and looks just like this today.  Muffy, as usual, is lapping up the sunshine.

Severe storm in my suburb earlier this afternoon

Witnesses likened the storm to a mini-tornado, that lasted only 15-20 seconds.  It hit the main shopping centre, about 5 km from here, while I was safely tucked up at home.  But at about the same time we had a tremendous downpour of rain and I had to dash out in my rain poncho to pump the pool out; Philip has had to do it three times over the last couple of days.

New car

Philip got this car today - I'd 
never heard of a Skoda, let alone how to pronounce it, but
here it is: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMs1eXBn4VQ. Apparently it comes from the Czech Republic and is pronounced the same as in German.

Don't ask me why this piece has formatted itself this silly way - it was perfectly normal just two seconds ago, then it hopped like this while I was just looking at it!

Have been getting more and more fed up with the world, and have come to the realisation that it's best to ignore most things.  Instead of watching the stupid breakfast programs in the mornings I'll listen to classical music on the radio and only watch the news at night occasionally. I can't do anything about more people shooting each other, so there's no reason for me to know.  Better just to mind my own business.

And instead of watching other rubbish on TV I've been enjoying my uni course from Jerusalem on 'A Brief History of Humankind' and have started another one from Michigan on ' The History of the Internet'.  I get 9 or 10/10 for all the quizzes I've done on the first and not surprisingly the only quiz I've attempted so far on the second netted me a mere 5/10.  I say 'not surprisingly' because I know absolutely nothing about the internet and it is a real challenge for me.

Fire danger over for the moment

I was so worried about animals during the fires but reassured to know lots of people were helping them.  Animal suffering affects me more than people suffering.

Lina, thanks for these absolutely heart-warming shots of a Japanese grandmother and her cat. They are the most gorgeous pictures you will ever see:
http://www.demilked.com/grandma-and-odd-eyed-cat-miyoko-ihara/

Today expected to be the worst so far

It's hot outside today.  I just skimmed the leaves from the pool and could hardly last the few minutes required for this job.  It's hard to imagine what it's like for the hundreds of firemen and women and police close to the flames.  The wind is whipping up, which is a real cause for concern.  Dozens of schools are closed and retirement villages are being evacuated.  Extra firefighters have come in from other states and NZ.

The message before the arrival of the wind is 'Get out while you can!'

Organising all these people is a phenomenal task.  And they all have to have somewhere to sleep and be fed.  

Another day...

I was just lying in bed listening to the BBC news when I was surprised to hear the ABC news theme.  It was an item about the bushfires, from Sydney.  Still only the one death, which is amazing.

Bushfires worsen

Hundreds of houses have been lost, but so far only one death - a man died from a heart attack defending his house.  A state of emergency has been declared.

Jacarandas in bloom four weeks early...

...not a good sign.  Our poor planet.  What's it going to be like in 50 years?

Yes, the bushfire situation is dire.  Our firefighters certainly do deserve our respect and thanks. Are we going to make it through the summer???  I'm ready to grab the kids and Muffy and evacuate at the first sign of fire near here.

A day to forget

Sydney is surrounded by fires and we are affected by smoke, though there are no fires close to us.  It's extremely frightening.  Hundreds of houses have been lost.  

A lot can happen in 12 hours or so - last night I was enjoying Andre Rieu and now look. Glad to hear Georgina loves him as much as I do, Winifred.  Emma loves him, too, and dances round whenever I play one of his DVDs.