A LADY BY THE SEA

A LADY BY THE SEA

Saturday 21 February 2009

The sun returned to the garden
after a week of rain.
Garden12

Unfortunately, my poor Tree Fern was feeling
a little 'crook' after the hot weather we had recently.
Fern Tree

Monday 16 February 2009

After 5 days of constant rain I will be happy to see the sunshine again. and it looks like it may continued until the end of this week

Tomorrow an Arborist (tree surgeon) is coming to check out about 4 trees in my yard. In June 2007 we had strong winds and torrential rain and causing flooding in some areas. I live on a main road and the winds were recorded at about 100km/h, a Red gum in my front yard and cocos palms in the back yard ended up a little crooked.
Cocos Palm01

I wasn't too worried but after more high winds and torrential rain this last week I am a little concerned as the Red gum has lifted the driveway about 3" and one of the cocos palms is leaning over the neighbour's fence above his rotary clothes line. If the gum falls it will fall across two neighbours front yards and the palm will demolish the adjoining fence and clothes-line.

Plus there is a huge palm (Majestic!) that is against the back of the house and in high winds it is hitting the guttering of the house and by the looks of it I may need new guttering.
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More on the winter storm in June 2007, on the first Thursday of the month I headed off to work but only got as far as the first roundabout from my place, the rain was shocking and was falling horizontal, my car aqua-planed through the roundabout luckily not hitting anything. When I regained control I turned around and headed back home, the reason being that further down the road there was a dip which I knew would be flooded. I rang the office and explained he situation and they were quite concerned and agreed it would be too dangerous for me to work that day. I checked on the animals making sure they had enough to eat but my cat wouldn't stay inside as she preferred to be in the garage with the dogs.

The next day Friday, I lost power ie no lights and heating, also no telephone which was unusual, battled out on Saturday for batteries, that afternoon my mobile phone died (apparently the mobile phone towers had been damaged). I couldn't go to stay with relatives as the storm was so vicious and I would have been (in my little car) blown off the expressway. My sons were experiencing the same conditions and my sister had floods in her town.

On Sunday the power came back on and by that afternoon the rain finally eased enough for me to check out the yard and animals, luckily I have a secure garage and my dogs,Bailey and Kahlua were nice and snug and warm but my elderly cat, Feral Beryl (aka Bear) was not so good, she was limping when I found her, the Vet said it was only bruising but unfortunately 'Bear' only survived another couple of months.

Later, I was walking back to the house and noticed a stream of water in the yard and found that my hot water system had burst. I wasn't able to get someone in to replace it until five days later. So I had to wash in very cold water each morning before going to work.

After this storm, there were new guidelines drawn up for any future situations like this, as some of our clients are frail, aged, as well as the quadraplegics, paralegics, amputees and other disabilites. Generators for running machines like hoists and oxygen machines.

It's late, too tired to continue.


Saturday 14 February 2009

I borrowed this lovely photo of Jacaranda blossoms
from Gem of the Windy Hill blog.

Read her account of the bush fire in her area.

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Tuesday 10 February 2009

Bushfires in Australia.
I am in shock.
Such a terrible waste of life
I am just at a lost for words today.

Saturday 7 February 2009

I was up early to enjoy the sunrise
Sat Feb 7 09
and getting some housework done before it got too hot.

Silly me wasn't wearing shoes as I made the bed.
Stubbed my toe and am now hobbling around the house.
I sincerely hope its better by Monday as I have a busy week ahead.


Postscript: 22nd February

This post was uploaded just after sunrise on
Saturday, 7th February

Little did I know, at the time - 6am, that bushfires
in Melbourne would be raging out of control later in the day.


With this particular blog if I want the post to have the correct day
I need to post after 7pm on the day.



Wednesday 4 February 2009

I have been working extra hard these last few weeks picking up extra shifts as my work mates head off for their holidays and it will continue till April so I'm enjoying the extra of money.

Plus our Prime Minister:Mr Kevin Rudd
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has created a little 'get out of strife' solution and announced that every wo/man and her/his kitty/dog will get a little 'something' in their banking accounts as a thank-you for paying so much tax over the years.

And he has given his permission for us to SPEND it...WooHoo.


But wait ...
That party-pooper Opposition Leader:Mr Malcolm Turnbull
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has thrown a 'bucket of water' on the solution.


There's more ...
it may be up to The Greens and The Independants to sway the decision.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/5299024/govt-attacks-opposition-stimulus/
The federal government unleashed a furious attack on the opposition after it dropped a bombshell and announced it would block the government's $42 billion lifeline to the economy.


ps some of it will go to schools hospitals etc


but Hey! I can be generous and let them have some too.