General Discussion Thread

[Róisín]

Well, our big Christmas Market is cancelled for Friday, dammit! Reasonable enough, given the forecast of 44C with a possible storm, but annoying. Let’s just hope the storm doesn’t involve dry lightning -we have more than enough fires already. The market has been moved back to its normal slot of Saturday morning, since the Saturday is forecast to drop back into the 30s. We will cope!

[thorny]

calculator -- convert -- 111ºF?!!

Even aside from fire danger, I'm not at all sure I could do a market at 111º without collapsing. I'm not sure I could do anything at all at 111º other than sit in front of an airconditioner or else in the lake. Stay cool as best you can; and I'm glad you only had to move the market over a day, not cancel it altogether

[Róisín]

Thanks mate! I guess bearing the heat, dust, flies, sandstorms, snakes and bushfires is just part of summer in country Australia. We will survive, but I much prefer winter - I am a cold climate person by nature, and only live where I do because at the time I married my present husband his job was based here in SA, though he might be sent anywhere in the world, while I could work anywhere, and quickly enough found a college that would give me lecturing and research work. By the time he was retrenched we were settled here with a mortgage so I stayed. Fortunately I find him worth putting up with the climate for.

[Purple Wyrm]

Even aside from fire danger, I'm not at all sure I could do a market at 111º without collapsing. I'm not sure I could do anything at all at 111º other than sit in front of an airconditioner or else in the lake.

That is generally my plan when the mercury gets that high! At least in the city dust, sandstorms and bushfires are less of a problem, although we still have to contend with train delays, frustrated drivers causing road accidents and random power cuts.

[Vulpes]

There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found. For when they placed it on his head, some Lovecraft s*** went down.

Frosty the snow elder, was alive as he could be, and all children say, that you should run away, before it’s your soul he needs.

Thumpity thump thump thumpity thump thump it’s banging on the door, thumpity thump thump thumpity thump thump oh no where did it go?

 

That made my day, thanks! As Purple Wyrm noted, it does look an awful lot like the Bigger Fish that took out the Notoros. Merry Christmas to you, too!

And a cool Christmas to the folks in Australia - it sounds awful, I absolutely could not deal with that kind of heat. I hope you get rain soon.

[Róisín]

We are still ok in my town except for a small grass fire nearby and a few fallen trees, but there is a big fire about 30k away, so far being fought by 34 fire trucks and 8 waterbomber aircraft. Problem is, that fire is in very hilly broken terrain in an area from which it can easily spread in all directions, including into Adelaide suburbs. And it is very hard to get at on the ground because of said broken terrain - they will likely just be defending roads and buildings. Worse yet, it is far too near a big reservoir which will likely be polluted with ash, smoke and fire retardant foam. Urgh!

 Today is coming in hotter than expected, so far forecast 47C.

And just to make it more annoying, people who were planning on going to the beach can’t let their kids in the water because a large number of blue-ringed octopi, many more than usual for this time of year, have been found along Adelaide beaches, including at Glenelg which is the big popular tourist beach. Those things will bite and are deadly poisonous. Adelaide has had its hottest December day ever. The PM has even broken short his holiday in Hawaii. Who knows, this weather may make even our politicians believe in climate change.

[Róisín]

An update. We were told to evacuate in the late afternoon, and are now down at my friend Liz’s place nearer the city. We are safe, and so is my friend who was visiting from Melbourne and got evacuated with us. What happens next we will have to wait and see.

[thorny]

Róisín, and all in the area: good luck, and wishes for rain and cooler air both.

Very glad that at least you're safe.

[steadfastjewel]

Roisin, glad you were able to safely retreat. Hopefully the situation improves soon.

[midwestmutt]

Best wishes for a happy outcome, Roisin.

[Solokov]

Stay safe Roisin. Don't do anything I would do (like go home and cut fire line around my property)

[Róisín]

I have a fire line back and front, but have neighbours both sides. We are right at the edge of town, on a road facing out into bush, with some of the bush cleared directly opposite us where a new house is being built. We hope to go home this afternoon if the roads are clear, at least to check the place, feed the animals and water the garden even if we aren’t allowed to stay. Our friend from Melbourne who had been staying with us when we were evacuated caught the train back to Melbourne yesterday. He has had a far too interesting visit! At least while we have been waiting here we got a lot of work done on his new book, which I had been proofreading and editing for him. And he will have a new experience to work from if he ever writes about such a thing. It’s all grist to the writer’s mill.

[Lenny]

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone<3

And best wishes and prayers to everyone in Australia right now :'o It's been really alarming to see it spread and grow over the past half year. Hopefully it'll stir up some action politically, but ... not holding my breath on that. Really glad you're safe, Róisín :'o

[Róisín]

Thanks, Lenny. We are okay at present, waiting anxiously for the weekend when our present ‘severe’ fire danger will escalate again to ‘catastrophic’. The Cudlee Creek fire is still burning in steep and inaccessible terrain, and that and the Mount Torrens fires are most likely to spread toward us again if the wind rises and moves around more to be coming from the south or west. All we can do is wait and be ready. We have the car packed in case we need to evac again. And yeah, I don’t expect much political action.

[midwestmutt]

I've been following news reports online though they tend to be 2-3 days old on google. There are devastating videos of destruction to property and wildlife. I must confess I am surprised at the forests and vineyards in your area. Hollywood and pop culture always seem focused on the outback so I think of Australia as desert dotted with cattle and sheep ranches with Ayers rock looming over everything. One report mentioned a chance of the monsoon possibly starting soon. I hope the fires are quenched before they head your way. Good luck.