Still alive

[thewhitelily]

Just letting online friends know that I’m safe and well away from danger zones. My area was mildly menaced earlier, but we are into the wet season now so fires are unlikely to take hold again the way they’re doing down south.

These bushfires are crazy, unprecedented things, and all the more horrifying for the fact that two of my Facebook acquaintances (whom I retain in my feed primarily to avoid the echo chamber effect) are utterly convinced that it’s all the fault of the greens policies to prevent hazard reduction burns and posting continual angry rants about how climate change is a hoax and “sheeple” who’ve been taken in by it are causing the fires. Which. What. No.

One of my school friends is facing the decision as to whether to stay and defend her property when the fire which has been threatening all week, and which has now broken containment lines, reaches it mid tomorrow, or to evacuate. (Please, please, just go.)

I’ve been having a bit of a meltdown over the past few days about the whole disaster. The horrifying reality that our politicians still don’t intend to take any climate action, and the fact that in a couple of weeks we’re scheduled to spend a long weekend away at the house of one of the aforementioned climate change skeptics and I don’t think I can cope if conversation turns to the fires or “however much he’s a dick, you can’t deny what Trump’s done for their country!” OMG

In general though, in my home life, things have been good. Calm. Productive without being frenetic. My medication still makes a huge difference for me. I feel like I’m making progress with the kids: youngest about to start school, a new diagnosis of autism for the eldest, considering pursuing a similar diagnosis with my psychiatrist for myself. And I have been taking out my climate angst in making our sububan block as damn near self sufficient & zero waste as possible. Still a way to go: we produce about half our energy with solar, my 32 varieties of fruit trees are still too young to produce much, we’re at maybe one rubbish bag per week, and I’m still working hard on building the soil in our annual veggie patch, and Hubby remains dubious about the utility of chickens, but I’m getting there, and the boys are loving all the food we’re harvesting so far out of the garden.

All I can really do is work on changing the things I can control, and chipping away at things I can influence. The rest, all I can do is hope that once the fire passes over and the smoke clears, more people will be able to see clearly.

Update: my friend has been given a compulsory evacuation order: two major fires are expected to merge over her property and the firefighters will make no attempt to defend. She and her family are out with the possessions and animals they could stuff into two vehicles, but have had to leave their property, livelihood, and the vast majority of their beloved animals to perish. :’( At least they are safe.

Further update: As it turned out, the fire turned back just before it reached my friends' property--so their animals and buildings were unharmed, although I believe some of their fields were burned.  Also, the social visit I was worrying about didn't end up happening, as it turned out they'd ended up double-booked and we bowed out.  Plenty to be grateful for.

Comments

[rachelindeed]

So glad to hear that you and your family are safe from these awful fires, and generally doing well! Sending best wishes for a happy 2020, full of peace and progress.