As I type, the full extent of the destruction caused by bushfires in my state is not known. Many houses have been destroyed, including that of my neighbour HH's daughter. It is her second home, mostly used by her husband when teaching in the area, and not their principal residence now.
Ironically, for her work during the 2009 fires that affected the same area, along with with her volunteer lifesaver work, the daughter was awarded an OAM (Order of Australia) , well deserved in her case, going far beyond her hospital job description; just napping in her office for two weeks straight without stopping her help to victims of the 2009 fires. Now her house in the same area has been burnt to cinders.
The full extent of the destruction will become apparent in the days to come, but we already know many animals, pets, livestock and native animals were killed. There hasn't been any confirmation of lives lost, yet.
A man visited this morning to quote for new lounge room venetian blinds. I went across the road after he left for coffee and it was quite cool. Maybe 20/68 degrees. I then caught a 58 tram for two stops to the local Woolworths Metro supermarket. I bought a sandwich and a pastry. I forgot about the pastry, and it is still on the kitchen bench. By the time I reached home, the temperature had risen by over 10 degrees.
The new aircon unit coped very well, and next to the external part of it, the hot air blasting out felt like it was burning my skin as the temperature reached 43/110. Inside, thermometers said 23/73.
Another blind man visited in the afternoon to give his quote. As he was here, the quote from the morning man arrived to my desktop email and he noticed it was from another company. What fun!
The hard sell from the second bloke began. Pay a 50% deposit today, and that will be $100 less. I did not as I await another quote. The two quotes I received are the same in dollars, but I know I can beat them down.
Jass found it too hot outside on the balcony, but at carpet level, I think she found it cold.
When the new lounge chairs arrive in March, Jass will lose her refuge under the chairs and no longer will be able to show her pink bits.
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Lol. You drive a hard bargain. We do need to see how this story ends!
ReplyDeleteOne company that quoted Debby, fitted blinds for my neighbour HH. She paid much less that I've been quoted, although they were on special at the time and I might have one more blind than she has.
DeleteI really cannot imagine those temperatures. Our summers rarely top 20C and anything over that quickly reduces me to a puddle.
ReplyDeletePerhaps our frigid island suits me best, where many layers are my ideal way of acclimatising!
JayCee, I can't imagine some of the temperatures in the UK, and even worse in other countries. People manage, wherever.
DeleteIt's so annoying dealing with these guys! What happens if you offer cash?
ReplyDeleteJackie, unless it just very small operation, cash discounts don't happen any more. Proper companies just can't hide cash sales to evade taxes anymore.
DeleteAnother blind man? Ohhh, light (!) dawns -- Venetian blind man .
ReplyDeleteI did think about making it ambiguous Boud, but I decided to not do so. Seems I did anyway.
DeleteBoud
ReplyDelete"Sigh* I didn't get it.. so thanks.
Best wishes to neighbor HH's daughter. What a valiant soul. I am sorry there were so many animals and potentially people lost. :( The 'pink bits' remind me of our Dandelion. On another note, I thought like Boud did after my quick realization. ~giggle~ Be well!
ReplyDeleteDarla, aside from one person dying from a heart attract, is was confirmed today no human deaths. One brave man described the loss of his house and his pets in the fire, without tears. I had tears as I listened.
DeleteWatch the sunsets in the next few days , the devastating fires will be reflected in them. My son sent a pic last night and said the sunset looked eerie
ReplyDeleteBlinds yes , talk them down Andrew there’s so much competition . We has an outside one installed . The quoters who came to ours said there is a new special every week, competition is hot! . They will alsotry to charge you to take the old ones away…..our council picked ours up for nix
Tomorrow there will be a sunset photo, one I prepared earlier. Thanks for your encouragement about quotes. See my reply above to Debby. The company that fitted her blinds said they would not take the old blinds away and she said 'no deal then'. They took the old ones away. I was told this by the same company. The second company do take the old blinds away.
DeleteI cant imagine losing a home to fire, even a secondary one.
ReplyDeleteThis fire event is devastating. My thoughts and prayers to Victorians, for what its worth.
New blinds will be nice.
Kylie, I cannot either, but there as awful as it was, I did recover from the loss of my earlier blog, Gmail, YouTube etc, in one fell swoop without warning. I lament the loss, but I recovered and rebuilt. Yes, losing your home is much heavier burden to carry.
DeleteI read the freeway from Castlemaine to Bendigo was also experiencing a large grass fire. I am not sure if I could commute to that part of Vic tomorrow
ReplyDeleteRoentare, Google Maps has been quite good at displaying road closures etc. You would know the roads and alternatives. That road you mention is still closed.
DeleteHow much room is under that chair? That cat looks like she should be flattened!
ReplyDeleteKirk, it is quite a large space to allow for footrest retraction. Clearly that is not used when Jass is underneath.
DeleteIt was 42C on Xmas day in Perth and temps 30 to 40C since, bushfires coming close to the metro area. Apparently none of this was reported in the east.
ReplyDeleteI saw that on my TV news, I am not so far east as Andrew.
DeleteAussiebel, you are correct. It was not reported here that I saw or heard, and that is shocking.
DeleteHard for all animals in the heat who are not used to it, like we humans.
ReplyDeleteDevastating the fires and lose of homes and belongings, typical summer weather every year. Then cyclone watch up north and lower on the east coast I believe, Andrew.
Hope you get your blinds cheaper, Andrew.
Margaret, the weather gods are really giving Australia a hard time at the moment. We hope it will ease.
DeletePoor Jass, losing her under furniture refuge. I'm not a fan of venetian blinds, all that dusting to keep the slats clean and nice. They do come in handy for displaying Christmas cards, as I do on the small set of blinds by the front door.
ReplyDeleteRiver, yes, they do collect dust but I don't think any other blinds have the same control of light and sun blocking, and for me angle of view. That is if I want to looks straight out or down. Every so often I pay to have the blinds taken away and cleaned. It is not too expensive.
DeleteCats are so funny.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen much in the news about these latest Australia fires, compared to years past. Maybe that's because the whole world is burning, metaphorically speaking! Anyway, needless to say, I hope they can be extinguished without too much more damage or loss of life (animal or human).
Steve, probably because there hasn't been a loss of life, only property destruction. But there has been quite some livestock deaths.Sheeps at least have been burnt to death.
DeleteOh, yes, I have been seeing on ABC the destruction. 36 bushfires across 300,000 hectares is huge. Feel sad for the loss.
ReplyDeletePradeep, some years a worse than others for bushfires, but you never get used to them.
DeleteReminds me of a joke from The Vicar of Dibley, "a Nun is soaking in the bath tub, and there is a knock at the door. She asks who is it, the reply is "Blind Man'", she thinks what harm is it and says "enter." He opens the door, looks around says, "I am here to measure the window, nice knockers!"
ReplyDeleteThere has been little info here about your fires. I don't know how people can say there is no climate change.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard either about your bush fires, we have rather buckets of water, for the moment snow ! Jass will find your new furniture very nice and sit or sleep on them. It's said if you look for the best place in a room, look where the cat sleeps !
ReplyDelete