Karen - Just check in with us every once in a while, so we know you're ok, please!
Nic - Even the hills haven't escaped the haze - we usually sit just above it, but this smoke isn't sinking!
Just after I decided to keep Odin inside, I've heard on the ABC from the guest vet that it's best to keep your pets indoors today, Melbourne chickies, especially birds. I think I'll give the pool a miss cos it will mean being out in the smoke the whole time. I can't imagine the beach would be very nice, either. Keeping this kiddie indoors today and the recirc on in the car.
I have the bath full of water...JIC...haven't done that in years! My fire plan is to get to the fire station, but failing that I've got heaps of towels I can use for ember attack. We have a white weatherboard, which is known to protect from radiant heat and withstand fire storms. The hills are, fortunately, more moist than the fire areas at the moment, so not at as much risk. The wind this weekend is likely to dry us out a treat, though. And then I'm going to have a task for me to scan photos and documents, so that I can grab the laptop and Mac Mini (small desktop computer) and shove them in the car if I have to leave (Odin's head will take up more space then these two combined!) later on in the fire season. Man, I love living up here, but you get seeds of doubt about the benefits when you get conditions like these. Not nice, especially, when I happen to remember that up here is the most fire prone inhabited area in the world, with California next, eeek! I don't get jittery, though, so Oscar should grow up feeling pretty confident in these conditions, too.
Enough of those musings.
Rory - how was last night?
I wonder how Mel's doing at the farm - it's in a bit of a valley, so the smoke might be quite thick there. I still don't know where DP's going and neither does he, but probably be heading to Gippsland - they've been saving the vols from our region and the next one down (R8) for that area for the weekend.
OK, best get my nappies off the line - they'll stink, but the air is so heavy with smoke I don't think the smell on the nappies will be any more noticeable than what's going in my nose! I can even smell smoke from inside my house.