Odd, it seems, to be staking tomatoes and attacking cooch invasions while helicopters constantly fly back and forth fighting bushfires less than ten K away. It reminds me of the stories Grandma Ashby told us when we were young of her and her family sitting under the dinning room table playing rummy whilst the bombs fell. I have postponed my Melbourne visit to Mother not wishing to be away from The Boys, Max, The House and The Community at this time.
It is liberating to be free from my regular Melbourne frip. To suddenly have rwo extra days in the week is almost like going on holiday. I have been able to get so much done in the gardeen and around the house. Had I gone to Melbourne all my available time would have been taken up with market preparation.
I am really conflicted over The Community Markets. On the one hand they offer locals a chance to gain much needed income and on the other mostly it is about selling useless plastic crap we dont need to cashed up retirees. There have been not a few poor decisions made that effect the market programs viability. It seems madness to have a market on Boxing Day which requires using mosst of Christmas day to set up. No one wants a market on that day. It must be The Arts Councils desperate need for money to pay wages and the oncosts of the art gallery that is behind it. The decision is certainly not winning the hearts and minds of the volunteers – that is very sure.
So we work in our gardens and prepare for community events while the helicopters shuttle backwards and forewards. The selfless, courageous and hard work of of our emergency services not with standing we are at the mercy of the weather. Violent hot northerlies will turn the whole area into a fireground. Good rain will minimize our plight. The former is more likely than the latter.
Skullthorpe's Blog 