Havent been blogging much, because I think the news services have said it all, again and again. I was considering driving down to the highway and taking some photos of the local fire damage, but I just cant bring myself to do so. Yes, things are really bad. But at the same time, Australia has been brought together and has raised a whopping $34 million dollars in 2 days. That’s just by Joe Public – it doesnt include the millions in corporate donations. People are all going about helping in their own way – be in baking cupcakes to sell, auctioning off paintings, or sharing the profits from handmade items on Etsy, it’s all happening. The Red Cross has been inundated with blood donations – now and in the coming weeks. Which is great; as the victims recieve ongoing treatment for their burns, they will need it.
How can you help?
Go to the Red Cross, and donate as much as you can. We have donated $50 so far this week – more will flow when possible.
If you shop at Coles, please do your weekly shop this Friday. Coles is donating 100% of proceeds that day to the relief fund.
Get a small box, and fill it with sealed hygiene products. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, conditioner, pads, tampons and liners, face washers, towels and even blankets. These can be sent to relief centres via your local CFA or other collection stations.
If you live in a rural area, and have spare safe land, then please considering hosting some livestock on it. And if you happen to live in a humungo house, take in their owners too.
And, remember that life goes on. A mammoth task lies ahead for those affected – identifying the dead, burying them, rebuilding their lives and communities. But life has to go on for all of us, and therefore I’ve spent the last couple of days doing ‘useful’ things. Like food shopping, errands at school, buying birthday cards, getting my glasses fixed, laundry, buying uni books, cutting the menfolk’s hair, etc. I even made jam, from a huge box of beautiful strawberries that I scored from the grocer for $5. A self-imposed ban on news websites and tv helped to ease the horrible feeling of helplessness for a little while. I even knitted a whole fingerless mitt! The twin is underway now.
So what’s with the dog title? Well, over the last few months, we have witnessed a local phenomenon. Lots of people walk their dogs past our house, and there is nearly always more than one. A big dog, and a tiny dog. What’s with that? Did they get the big dog, decide it wasn’t enough, and got a small one to top it up? It cracks me up every time – seeing a great dane share a lead with a chihuahua. And I am not even kidding.
