I Scrapped

Last night was another lovely night of scrapbooking. I started a layout and then finished it today. I really love how it turned out. Even though I find it a little frustrating not being able to buy a lot of new stuff, I do take a great deal of satisfaction with using up with what's in my stash, and combining papers and embellishments, that may seem a little odd, but somehow work. I love this photo of Sammy and I.

I made a card too, using my Cuttlebug. I love it for it's simplicity.

The Death Toll Rises

Every time I turn on the news, the death toll continues to rise. Now they are talking that there may be around 300 people dead. There are still people who don't know what's happened to loved ones. This time of grief and uncertainty must be dreadful for the survivors to cope with. I watch on the TV as the people in Whittlesea, who are being housed in and around the community centre are cared for, there are vets who have travelled there to look after people's animals, work places have given people time off so they can go and help out. The donations coming into Whittlesea and Yea are just amazing, there are bags and bag of clothes, and boxes of food. The survivors are thankfully being well cared for, as far as food and clothing goes. There are even chiropractors there, giving free massages, this would be especially helpful for the firefighters who are still going out to do 12 hour shifts with the fires that are still burning, and still a concern.

The search continues for the arsonists who lit some of the fires. There is talk of arresting them with murder, as the fires they believe to be deliberately lit, have caused many deaths. Fortunately some of the deliberately lit fires were extinguished before they caused too much damage. The Police Commisioner Christine Nixon said that she believed it was not necessary to post a reward as people would only be too willing to help.

Donations are pouring in and the figure is currently over $31,000,000 which will go some way toward helping these people. We've been assured that no money will be taken for administration costs. I donated money today too, although I feel it is rather inadequate, but it all adds up.

Unfortunately these kinds of tragedies bring out the scum of the earth. People have been warned to not give out their credit card details on the phone to people ringing and seeking donations. Likewise, they are told to be wary of people selling raffle tickets in the name of charity for the Bushfire victims. The depravity of some people never fails to disgust me.

It's best to donate through the Red Cross. Their phone lines are quite busy so it's best to use the website for donations.

Sheer Devastation

In between my chores, and exercise regime this morning, I've been glued to the TV. The bushfires in Victoria are just horrific. There are over 100 people dead and they are saying that number will possibly double as there are still lots of people unaccounted for. I was in Geelong during the horrible Ash Wednesday fires, where we had smoke and ash filling out city as a stark reminder that the devastation was fairly close. Seventy people died in those fires in 1983. When I lived in Springbrook I was evacuated from my home, I left my rented home with my small car filled with my 'treasures'. I couldn't take my cat because she was nowhere to be found, so I just prayed she was safe. Both those incidences gave me a glimpse of the fear of such a situation. And being able to view the aftermath was a very sobering experience. Fortunately in Springbrook no homes were lost.

I had to turn off the TV, because me sitting in front of it crying is unfortunately not going to help anybody. My heart and my prayers go out to all those affected by this. People have lost farms, homes, cars and precious family and friends. People have been burned alive in their cars as they were fleeing their homes. A newsreader and his wife was killed, he was a regular on the TV every night in all the years I lived in Victoria. As this unfolds, there will be many stories, of hope, bravery and sadness. Fires are still burning and news is still not filtering out to those waiting.

The most tragic part of all this is that the fires were deliberately lit.

Those arsonists will wish they were never born.