Tag: NSW

Categories
Family

Lockdown Struggles

I don’t know about you but I have been struggling with working full time and kids doing homeschooling.

It basically has been a complete mess and a disaster in our house. For me the reason is clear, 2 kids are the same age and at the same level and 1 is not. The 1 who is not is the person who wants to play, have fun, not do school work or in fact anything he is supposed to do.

We are all keeping busy at home, what about you?

This means that the 2 kids that have work to do cannot do their work due to interruptions, tantrums and very bad behaviour. When this does occur I end up leaving my work to sort it out to then have to calm this child down and distract him from his sisters. However, this never lasts and there are many back and forth disasters that have to get sorted and then the kid in question wants you to stay with him and play. I would love to do this but I cannot due to the fact I need to work and get things done too.

We are approaching the end of the 9th week of lockdown…yes we have been in lockdown for 9 weeks! And have more to come.

It is not just homeschooling that I am having issues with, it is the fact that all kids are eating everything in sight (as soon as something is purchased it is gone in seconds, I kid you not!), not tidying up and arguing when they make a mess. It is a struggle and an argument to get them to anything you ask. Maybe this is their age or could it be lockdown is causing naughty behaviour? Please let me know. I do think it is an age thing as this was happening well before lockdown.

Today the NSW, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the back to school plan. I personally don’t think it will happen with the rate of infections but it does look like more and more are getting the vaccine so maybe this will let us reopen sooner. I do worry that if we open up people will go crazy and socialise and then we will be in lockdown yet again.

According to the ABC Website, this is what is going to happen or at least planned:

“A staggered return to face-to-face learning will begin on Monday, October 25. Students will return in the following order:

  • October 25: Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 (some Year 12 students have already returned to classrooms in a limited way, but they will be back full-time from this date)
  • November 1: Year 2, 6 and 11
  • November 8: Year 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10

Currently, all of NSW is in lockdown. If stay-at-home orders are lifted in any part of the state before October 25, students will return to school then too.”

Kids don’t have to be vaccinated but it is encouraged and today the government has added kids from 12-15 years of age have been added to the vaccine rollout. However, even with this update, I cannot book my 12-year-old kids in anywhere. The booking systems are not accepting kids this age and the doctors haven’t been updated on the change, when I rang they said to try next week. Although if you have an underlying health condition that would change the eligibility for booking a child from 12-15 years in for a covid vaccination.

Although some reports online have said by the end of the year all kids in this age group should be vaccinated. Let’s hope that is correct.

Teachers need to be all vaccinated and masks are compulsory for teachers and from what I have seen a requirement for high school and recommended for primary school kids too.

I watch other social media updates from other parents and see their picture-perfect kids that have magically done every last piece of work that was assigned to them from school. It makes me wonder if my kids have done everything they need to do, and then I think of the craziness that is my house at the moment and the answer is NO, they have done as much as they can and probably not everything.

It would be nice to post these types of posts but maybe this is not my family. It could be possible that there were a few arguments behind the picture-perfect posts too that I have no idea of.

My kids have been cooking and helping around the house, helping with their baby brother and just trying to not go insane with the fact we cannot go anywhere. Our only solace is that we live in a very large LGA (Local Government Area/Council) and we can take refuge in some lovely bush walks.

So I am counting down the weeks left of lockdown and we have 5 more weeks, so that will total 11 weeks, and I don’t believe that will be the end of it.

I am sure we will be in lockdown until all the kids go back to school, possibly another 2 more months till November.

Do you believe NSW will be out of lockdown at the end of September? Do you think kids will go back as the government has outlined today? Also, when do you really think kids from 12 years onwards will be able to be vaccinated.

Once kids from 12 years on can get the jab, will they be giving it to younger kids? My little boy will then be the only one not vaccinated and he is under the age to get the jab at the moment.

Being at home with everyone constantly is very stressful and I for one am keen for it all to end. I hope you are feeling okay if you are in lockdown too.

Take care and if you wish to chat about this please send me an email.

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Categories
5 years and beyond

Pretty Waratah

Waratah on our land
Waratah on our land

The other day I visited our land (ages ago we purchased land for the bigger house) and saw this amazing waratah. It was so pretty I had to share. I’m madly saving to organise our plans for our new house and getting there. I am squirreling it all away so that we might have the new house soon. More space with storage is desperately needed! It will be so exciting to be there one day, and to have these lovely flowers greet us.

Our land is all bush currently and visiting it is exciting each time, we never know what plant has flowered or what awaits us. Do you have some great things on your property that make you smile? If you have built a house what things did you want to keep on the land?

I cannot wait to get started and keen to see the savings grow, and cannot wait to give the property another visit to see what else has bloomed. Such a pretty flower and no wonder it is the NSW state emblem.

Categories
5 years and beyond

Voluntary Evacuation

Note: We have now since returned home, and did so on the 24th of Oct. House is fine, no sign of fire and we are all safe. I thank you all for checking up on me and my family and for following us in this stressful situation. Love to you all.

Today is the day fire fighters have predicted will be hell. Extreme weather was predicted for the Blue Mountains. Forecasters said we would have a hot day, with 40-50km winds with 80-100km wind gusts. Not good as this is no help putting out the fires. At 6am this morning the wind gusts were over 70km per hour and had knocked me over a couple of times while packing up.

We did have some rain yesterday but it was not enough and did not help the effort to rid us all of the fires. More rain was to come after 11pm last night. A thunderstorm was here, will it give us more rain? No! It lasted 15mins and then ended. Oh well I think I thought the idea of pouring rain might happen, but the weather experts said no. I was hoping they were wrong. Not to be.

Before the thunderstorm I attended the Katoomba community meeting about the fires, and was captured on television looking a bit vague and out of it. If you did see me I was looking at the big screen and concentrating on the person speaking. The meeting did not really help me much as the fire fighters cannot tell if there will be a fire where you are, it might happen or it could not. It really depends on the weather. Luck of the gods type thing.

So no answers here… The 2nd in charge of Katoomba/Leura Brigade asked the group several questions:

If you stayed would you be able to do the following?

  • If an ember was in your roof, would you be able to climb up in the roof and put it out?
  • Would you be able to defend your property?
  • Would you cope with 35 plus degree heat, and having to wear heavy clothing to protect yourself from the fire? (The firefighters said that if you pant while jogging in 35 degree heat with full clothes on, you will not cope)
  • Could you put all embers out on walls, windows, roof, and elsewhere?
  • Would you be able to risk your loved ones and yourself to protect your house?

One question I thought of is, “How do I defend the house while looking after two kids?” “How do I manage to do things on my own?” My hubby is in Brisbane on business and my house guest will be at work. So it will just be me and the kids.

I answered no to a lot of these questions. So I thought my decision was made. We will leave the house and make our way down the mountain. I was packing things since Monday but thought it might not eventuate in leaving.

I got up early and the kids and I hit the road and went to a relatives for a couple of nights. I am glad we are safe and we made the decision. As I write this Springwood and Faulconbridge have been emergency warnings and I think they have been asked to evacuate.

Me and the girls leaving the house. Car packed up and ready to leave.
Me and the girls leaving the house. Car packed up and ready to leave.

Some articles from the Herald:

This time last year. 12th of October 2012
This time last year. 12th of October 2012

I was amazed at how easy it is to realise what items are more important than others. What was the criteria to come in the car? Well things that we needed and could not live without and things that cannot be replaced. Most of the items were documents, photos and things that the kids have done in their five years on this planet. I packed their stuff that I got from hospital when I had them, and also made sure that we had birth certificates and the like. The other major thing that we packed in the car was ourselves.

The kids and I are now waiting for dinner and they are giggling in their pre dinner bath. I am tired and have a headache but think that is due to the extra stress and long day.

Have you had to pack up in an emergency? What did you take with you? Did you find it a bit stressful leaving? I did have a bit of a cry on the M4 at one stage but snapped out of it for the good of the kids.

Categories
5 years and beyond

Possible Evacuation

Note: As of the 22nd of Oct we are all still safe and fine at the house. Weather conditions might and have been expected to change for the worse tomorrow. If we have to leave I have packed a bag and things that we cannot replace, and it is ready to go in the car. Kids are at pre-school as it appears o.k and if needed will go and get them. Thanks for your concerns. Stay safe if you are in the same or worse situation.

 

Hi All,

If the weather changes I could be off line for a few days. We might have to evacuate as we live in the Blue Mountains, NSW Australia and we are having extreme bushfires. Maybe your local news is covering this story if you are overseas.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald if the wind changes it might be a disaster. Let hope it’s not.  I did pop out to the airfield as we are friends and supporters of the airfield but also to give morning tea to the firefighters. I visited the Hominy Bakery in Katoomba and they were nice to give me a free cake for the firefighers. Thanks so much to the Hominy Bakery and everyone go and say thanks and give them your business.

Stay safe everyone else that is affected, crossing fingers and toes that I don’t have to leave. I am busy packing bags and making sure the twins and I are orgnaisd if we have to race off. It is amazing what you realise that you can live without in an emergency.

Hope you enjoyed looking at the lovely helicopters and some people that are helping us remain safe and well.

Categories
News

Help for Bush Fire Victims

Last Thursday the day the fires started
Last Thursday the day the fires started

Help people affected by the NSW Bushfires

As you might be aware NSW (New South Wales) is suffering major bushfires. These fires have claimed property and lives. It is so sad that people have lost everything and some families are morning the loss of a loved one.

Today the family and I went to Woolworths to buy some groceries, when paying our bill at the check out we found out that we can donate to The Salvation Army’s Bushfire Relief Appeal.We donated $50 to the cause and then Woolworths will add another $50 on top of that. So in total $100 will be donated.

According to Woolworths:

“The Salvos are already on the ground providing relief to bushfire affected communities across the State and today we’re asking our customers to join us and help their work by adding a donation at the checkout of any store.

“Making a donation at your local Woolies is the easiest way to help. Simply ask a Woolworths team member to add a donation to your purchase, select the donation button at the self-serve checkout, or make a donation at woolworthsonline.com.au.

“Woolworths will match any customer donations dollar-for-dollar for the next two weeks,” said Eales (The NSW State Manager for Woolworths). If, for example, a customer adds a $10 donation to their grocery bill, Woolies will match it leading to a total donation of $20 to the Salvos.

More smoke from the fires
More smoke from the fires

What can you do to help?

Please go along to Woolworths or go to the Salvos and donate what you can. If you cannot donate money what about clothes, toys, kitchen goods and the like? Many have lost houses and need things to start again.

On the SBS website there is a page about what you can do to help, NSW bushfires: How you can help. It mentions that goods like kitchen items or electrical might not be the best way to go. Giving money empowers the people affected to get what they need and the right things rather than things go to waste or not get properly stored.

I will go through my things and see if there is anything that will be able to help a family in need.

Fire Updates for NSW

The weather is predicted to get worse for Sunday and Monday. Currently in Katoomba it is quite mild and not a lot of wind. Due to not much wind the smoke is settling and not moving. Please keep up to date on what is going on in affected areas and keep safe.

I have listed the NSW Rural Fire website, also ABC News and Radio sites. ABC has great coverage in times like these and give you up to date info as does the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Hope you are all safe and well if you are in a fire danger zone. I and others are thinking of you all.