Today, I'm not telling stories about what I've heard on the radio. It's more about discussions I've had with coworkers and the likes.
I was told one of my clients was on the television over here this morning. Her family home was one of the 1,000 that has burnt to the ground. After looking at a list of clients who haven't lodged their returns last week and having seen her name and complained about how difficult her stuff is to deal with, it made me feel bad to hear she now has nothing left.
Well that's not completely true. Her son went back to their home after the fires and all he found was a jug. A jug that was on the second floor of their house was the only thing that survived, although it now has a hairline crack.
She won't be the only one of our clients who is affected by this.
But when discussions in the office yesterday came to defending your home or fleeing (I mentioned in the last post we are the only state that has this choice), I was surprised by the number of people who would stay and fight. Especially after seeing what has happened to those who have stayed to fight.
Sure, in some cases it has been successful, but there have been a lot of lives needlessly lost.
One of the girls I work with also said her husband told her he would stay and defend their business, which fair enough his family has owned for generations, and send her and their children away before the fire got anything like dangerous. I thought, if I were him, there was no way I would risk her having to tell their children I wouldn't be joining them.
But she said the kids have been funny with the fires. They were so worried about them coming and she said "But you've been to near where the fires are, remember that water? How can a fire jump water? What happens when a fire gets to water?"
Not convinced she told them that if the fires come, they can go and hide under water in the pool. One of the kids said she thinks they should just grab enough money to buy a house an run off. Her mum then explained they don't have enough money to buy a new house and how insurance works, and she thought that was a pretty good deal. Pay a little bit of money each month, get a new house.
Today, after the popularity of the last koala that I posted on this blog, I'll leave you with this video which you may have already seen.
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How sad.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm with you, I wouldn't let my hubby stay while we left. Leaving it up to me to have to tell our kids that he choose to try to save our house instead of life with us... But then I do understand putting work and life into your home/bussiness and wanting to keep it. I guess I would choose to be safe and have my family together and homeless then risk it. But that's just me.
It's so sad...your area is suffering drough and fire, while mine is flooded and people are missing, 1.5 metres of mud got into houses and stuff (I don't live near that place, maybe 4 hours from it)...the world is a "sick sad world"..
ReplyDeleteKoalas are always something I enjoy seeing though..