Blow, Winds! Blow Until Your Cheeks Crack Blues: Monday, December 30th!

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. -Cyril Connolly, critic and editor (1903-1974)

From all of us to all of you HAPPY NEW YEAR from Eveline, Heinz and Family

Hello Dearest Eveline and Heinz! Thank you for the wonderful, wonderful New Year's picture and wishes. Everyone looks well. Stay well dear friends. Healthy New Year, Fondestos and Best Wishes from Lady Dar and I, to you both, and rest of family as well. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello Tea Tree Gully! Thank you for the wonderful, wonderful New Year's card. Trust everyone is well. I just took a look at a number of maps showing bush-fires across Australia and noticed that there was a wildfire on Kangaroo Island. Is this the closest to Adelaide? I also noticed that there was one outside Bendigo, not all that far from Castlemaine where our close friends live. Frightening in the extreme and we cannot imagine when this will even end.

Given such on-going devastation it is hard to even ask about coming festivities but I assume people feel that they must go on as best they can. What are you up to for New Year''s Eve? Stay well dear friends. Healthy New Year and Fondestos from Lady Dar and I, to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello Cadboro Bay People! Thank you for the wonderful, wonderful New Year's card and wishes. Stay well dear friends. Healthy New Year, Fondestos and Best Wishes from Lady Dar and I, to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Rowan James a few days ago!

 Hello Dearest Upper Dunbarites! Thank you for the wonderful, wonderful Christmas card, [and enclosure for Chloë and Rowan James], and wishes. You sound very busy, Hostess with the Mostest! You'll be able to work at The Empress now, serving High Tea with ease and pizzazz! How is Ron doing? Please give him our regards when next you meet. Great that you could hook up with Gazebo and Nick. From what you wrote, gather the on-going "divide" still persists between Gaz and Di. What is he doing with property in Ireland?

Speaking of Adelaide, I just took a look at a number of maps showing bush-fires across Australia and noticed that there was a wildfire on Kangaroo Island. Was wondering if this is the closest to Adelaide as we  have close friends, [Tina and Trevor], there, as you might remember. We were staying with them when we first visited Di and Nick, closer to downtown. Also noticed that there was one outside Bendigo, not all that far from Castlemaine where our close friends, Kathleen and Stephan, live. Their youngest daughter, Zoe, just had their third grandchild, Owen, a couple of weeks after Rowan James was born. Kathleen will be visiting in January. Not sure if we will be coming to Vancouver then but we will see, closer to the time. 

What are you up to for New Year's Eve? Thanks for the Words of Wisdom, Colin. However, they don't really apply to me as I now have three replaceable parts! Stay well dear friends. Healthy New Year, Fondestos and Best Wishes from Lady Dar and I, to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Photo: Dominique Linel

Hi Patrick: The closest to Adelaide was in fact only 15k from our place, Cudlee Creek has been raging for 10 days now! 86 homes have been burnt, many, many acres of land, many out buildings plus two loss of lives. The temperature has ranged from 27 C to 47C! Today it is 27C and down for the next few days then up to 42C on Friday. The wind has also been a major factor as it has whipped up the burning embers and started spot fires along its path. Many native animals have been burnt and killed. Kirsty and I are going to a sewing workshop next week to make mittens and cocoons for the surviving animals. I will also be joining a group called Blaze Aid who help land owners repair fences etc. I will be in the catering tent feeding the workers.

Today, Tuesday 31st we are heading off in our caravan to join friends on the river to celebrate New Years Eve, for a few days. If we have a few drinks we only have to topple back to the van and not drive👍 Never to many photos of Rowan (you know dear friend that I am not really a cat lover!!) Btw what is Chloe's address and what surname does she use? I have a present for Rowan and would like to send it direct. Warmest Tina/Christina