Bushfires Update

These last three weeks have been a horrible time for our state. At last count 210 has lost their lives. 37 people are still missing and unaccounted for. The firestorm that swept across so many parts of our states left devastation everywhere it went. The lost of 210 lives to bushfires seem unreal and almost incomprehensible in modern days.

For more updates on Victorian Bushfires go to

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/indepth/section/0,,5018723,00.html

http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=19190

http://www.theage.com.au/national/bushfires

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25119492-601,00.html

Bushfires

I have lamented about the lost of the many beatiful places in these bushfires. However, it is nothing compared to the lost of human lives. So many people have died. Their families have suffered immeasurable loses. The pictures below are just a few of those human faces.

UPDATE 7:01pm:
THE death toll from Victoria's bushfires has risen to 181 as fire crews continue to fight blazes across the state http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25033819-661,00.html

UPDATE
7:01pm: THE death toll from Victoria's bushfires has risen to 181 as fire crews continue to fight blazes across the state http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25033819-661,00.html

Bushfires: More bad news

Bushfire death toll rises to 131 across Victoria.
The government has advised us to expect more bad news to come. All news report about the bushfire is bad and things are not under control yet. There are so many bushfire burning across the state that resources are very stretched. We It is good to know that other states are sending re-enforcement and volunteer firefighters. Offers of help are coming from many different countries too.

For more updates go to
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun
http://www.theage.com.au/
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/
http://www.abc.net.au/

You can also listen live on
http://www.3aw.com.au/

Below are some pictures of the horrific bushfire

Bushfires: Some updates

The latest is 76 dead and many places are still burning. The death toll is expected to rise. Please keep our firefighters, SES and CFA in your prayers. And of course, those directly and indirectly affected by the fire.

UPDATE 9:28pm: GRAVE fears are held for Channel 9 veteran Brian Naylor as the bushfire death toll rises to 84.

For the latest updates from CFA go to
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/incidents/incident_updates.htm


To read more from the The Age
http://www.theage.com.au/


Herald Sun headlines. For more go to
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun

You can listen live on the web at
http://www.3aw.com.au/

Marysville Destroyed

Aerial view of Marysville after bushfires destroyed the town

I woke up this morning with news that one of my favourite place is burning and the fire has destroyed the town. I got teary eye cause my kids and I love Marysville. I have written about spending vacation at Marysville on my blog. So I am feeling a bit sad..actually I was feeling quite sad.

Below, pictures of Marysville before the bushfire

Bruno's Art & Sculpture Garden
http://www.brunosart.com/

Stephensons Falls

Summer Bushfires

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/fires/updates/report/index2.htm?time=Sun%20Feb%208%2010:54:59%20UTC+1100%202009

We are currently experiencing one of the worst bushfires crisis since Ash Wednesday.

The temperature yesterday was 47.2C and it was one very hot day. It has been so hot here that when it burns it gets out of control very quickly. Add to that some of the fires were deliberately lighted. I hope the authorities catch the culprit/culprits.

Andrew Bolt (of the Herald Sun) has been updating news about the fires http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/now_the_search_resumes/

The Age
http://www.theage.com.au/national/death-toll-rises-from-bushfires-20090208-80jv.html?page=-1

The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/

I'm A Middle-Aged Woman by Lisa Koch

This is funny. Hope you have a good laugh too. Sung by Lisa Koch.


MIDDLE AGED WOMAN


I'M A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN by Lisa Kock at her pal's birthday bash

Heatwave

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun

This has been a very very hot week. I usually cope reasonably well with heat having grown up in the tropics. However, the last two nights have been nearly unbearable. Monday was ok when it cooled down early in the evening. On Tuesday the temperature went up to 43C and at night it did not go down below 29C. Yes, it was hot.

Yesterday (Wednesday), I didnt cope as well. Having to run around running errands meant I had to go in and out of the heat..it was unbearable. I was feeling a bit unwell towards evening and had to lie down. Thank God we were invited to a friend's pool to cool down. I jumped in almost immediately and stayed in for a long time. It felt so good.

Today (Friday) it will be very hot again. Tonight we will be going over to a friend's house to celebrate Chinese New Year and the good news is he has airconditioning system in his house.

Keep cool and keep hydrated. Stay out of the heat.

To those in the Northern Hemisphere who are experiencing severe snow storm, I'm sorry I can't sympathise with you though I can understand how tough it can be. Stay warm and stay well.

Year of the Ox

Wishing all my family and friends

Happy Chinese New Year

Kong Hee Fatt Choy

Gong Xi Fatt Chai

Selamat Tahun Baru Cina

Happy Chinese New Year

I Still Call Australia Home

Australia Day 26 January

Summer School

Gary Foley lectures


Gary Foley & Me at the BBQ lunch

I decided to attend summer school and chose Indigenous Australian Issues and Understandings as my focus. Classes were held at VU from 19th - 23rd Jan.

Little did I know that Gary Foley was the lecturer. If you havent heard anything about Gary Foley, just google his name and you will find out a little about him. There is a good website started by Gary Foley which you can find lots of resources and information http://www.kooriweb.org/

Regardless of who you talk to....he is an icon in the indigenous community.

Fields of Gold - Eva Cassidy

A very nice song.

Happy 14th Birthday

Wishing my son a very Happy Birthday.

Happy New Year 2009

Wishing everyone a very

HAPPY

NEW

YEAR

2009

It's a boy

Congratulations
to my brother, Eric and sister-in-law, Saori on the birth of their first child.


Goh Xiang Rong Shoei
Date of Birth: 7 Nov 2008, Friday
Time: 11.59am
Weight: 3360 gm
Height: 50 cm in height


Saori and Shoei
Both mother and baby are back home and are doing well.


Eric and Shoei

Both daddy and baby are bonding. Baby is sleeping and my brother is in need of sleep :))

According to my brother, 'Shoei' is Japanese for Xiang Rong.

I'm an auntie for the 4th time and twice this year. My brothers have been very busy this year :))

Back to School - Term 4

Third term school holidays went very quickly. The boys have enjoyed a well deserved break. So, what did we do during the holidays? They went to Warnambool with their dad and two other families. They went before Uni mid semester break and I couldnt afford to miss 4 important sessions. Anyway, after their trip, we saw 4 movies, went to the Royal Melbourne Show, Werribee Open Range Zoo, walk & cycle to the park, sleep in, ate, played computer games, watched tv and read lots of good books.

Today they went back to school. Phew! School holidays were fun. However, it is nice to have some time for myself. Why? I have three weeks of lectures and tutorials and two-three weeks to submit 4 major assignments.

Royal Melbourne Show 2008

Tulips Festival 2008