Sunday, February 8, 2009

Thank you Joonie and all others for your concern. The weather is indeed dreadful, top temperature for all over state since records kept starting 1850s. fires all over, some only ten fifteen minutes drive from me - Healesville, Chum Creek (Mum and family used to live there) Toolangi, Yarra Glen, King Lake a bit further up (north). Power cuts have not so far affected here which is an answer to prayer..

Hannah under the table again, Lucy Cat and Dog Angela made to stay in and their exit door bl;ocked, air conditioners going in bedroom and kitchen - too small really but made a difference. Iced water for us - I got two ice cubes in my drinking dish! Sort of Brother stayed in too. People were told to stay home and not go out. We didn't.

Have a look at googlemaps, these places are almost Melbourne suburbs out to the east - I live at Croydon which is a suburb a bit closer to Melbourne than the suburb (was a separate town about 40 years back) of Lilydale is. Almost on Maroondah Hwy I am, just by Croydon Rd. I am a lucky boy but my wild brethren and koalas and everything else will be having it tough if not killed by heat or fires..

Newpapers here are The HeraldSun and The Age - website for it is theage.comm.au and the abc website, like England;s BBC - google abc melbourne radio 774 and you will get links to it .. good luck and thank you for your concern everyone

Bibs.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bibbie, thank you for your post. I have been following the links and have been learning a lot about Australia.

I also did the Google Maps thing and then clicked on the Street View. (Um, that's not exactly true, my Human did that because I have this addiction for chewing off the keys on the keyboard, just can't help myself). Anyway, we took "a walk" up and down the highway you mentioned and the road you live on, cyberspace speaking, and it was a very lovely walk.

But everyone drives on the wrong side of the road! my Human gasped.

Once we got accustomed to the idea that Americans are really the ones who drive on the wrong side of the road, we had a great time enjoying the beautiful countryside, and thinking about how green Melbourne is right now compared to where we are -- all cold and covered in snow.

I hope you and your Mum and family are safe and that the fires have been contained. Our hearts go out to all those who lost loved ones in the past weeks. We hope the arsonists who started this tragedy are apprehended and justice is done. We also weep for the wildlife lost in this disaster. It isn't fair that innocent animals must suffer for human wrongs.

Take care, Bibbie. Say hello for me to your family.

Bibbie said...

Joonie it WAS quite nice and green when streetview was taken but that is over a year ago.. and now it is DRY. So DRY. no green anywhere.

The fires were too close for Mum's comfort in the end and she put some stuff in the car ready for a quick getaway. I saw some of my seed mix go it, so I know she was not leaving me here - and Angela's food, and Lucy's food, and even Hannah's food. She put in two cans from the pantry for herself and sort of brother and a can opened, a big knife, a couple of bowls that we can drink and eat from, and a spoon or two. In the event we just got smoke though all of Melbourne got that and Tasmania and New Zealand too I believe. I have been sneezing Mum thinks though she is not sure still it is not a spit of disgust as I tend to do it as she says goodnight, walks away from me, whatever. People a bit further out, on a hill, could see flames. Some of it was a 400ft wall of fire they said.

We are quite used to things being on the side of the road we drive on and Mum said she has had problems working out which way to look before she crosses the road when in your country!

Bibbie said...

Joonie where do you live? I would be interested to see your streetview too!

Is there a way you can email directly without either of us giving out publicly our email addresses?

Bibs

Bibbie said...

Joonie apparently you can email so that only Mum can see it if you go to youtube and find me there. Then she can reply to you if you wish.

You can find me on youtube as bibbiethebird maybe but if not, try cicciethebird - Mum got her fingers mixed up!

http://www.youtube.com/user/cicciethebird

Anonymous said...

I left you a message on your youtube account.

I was just teasing you about driving on the wrong side of the road. It's always been a puzzlement to me why us Yanks decided to change to the other side. Maybe I should do some research on that and find out just "what were we thinking!" It makes it really hard to go abroad and drive about. Ask Matthew Broaderick about his experiences in England. Not so happy.

Joonie the Too said...

I haven't talked to you in a long while, and I hope to hear you and Dawn are doing well.

Since we last talked....

We've had a hard winter, followed by another we are now enduring. Lots of drama. All ending well.

Bibi, I hope to hear from you and Dawn, I wish you all the best.

Your Yankee friends,

Joonie and Lane

Bibbie said...

Sorry Joonie and all with you - I just did what I should have done earlier, and should have updated the blog during the last year too - but.. bibs is now - I imagine fully feathered and in perfect helath, calling out Hello Cocky and imitating God's sneezes and his microwve beeping in Bird Heaven. No doubt he sees Dog Angela too - and I am looking forward to seeing all my dearly loved "people" when I too get there.