OMG. We just need occasional umbrellas.

We have a suitcase ready with clothes, first aid, medications & scripts ready. A 24 pack of water in the car with a full tank & 2 new respirator masks & eye protection at the front door. Several homes destroyed about 45 mins away. Many sighting global warming, probably,, National Parks, all around us,, not managing fuel loads, yep! Just another summer.

Sounds frightening Eric. It's easier to keep away from water I guess, usually - just move higher (not always possible) but fire is much more frightening IMHO. I guess it's possible to have breathing apparatus available, but that ignores property and live stock.
I heard someone was flying out to the Maldives thus helping to ensure their destruction?
It's a funny old world.

There's been fires all around us but none too close. We are in an apex, of sorts, of a triangle of converging rivers, the fires can jump them, with the wind behind them but, they're nice firebreaks. Fire fighting aircraft,choppers & planes are buzzing around. Always a smoke haze. We have well kept properties around us & a river behind. We have our own fire breaks but we're in a total fire ban so no burning off allowed. Google maps. 1540 Buxton Rd. Buxton Queensland. 4660. stay safe. cheers.

Forget?
Me?


In St Mawes "Devon / Cornwall" hotel I asked for "a cream tea" as we refer to it over here--- ie Scones Jam n cream with a nice pot o tea.
The Cornish teenager waitress brought out a Pot of tea with a jug of cream replacing the milk----


-or the couple in Scottish Hotel at breakfast asking for "A Full English Breakfast please"!----


or the ENGLISH chap on the shores of LOCH Fyne this Autumn asking JR if it was nice "Out on the LAKE"? 


How Are YOU guys for your Fire risks? I presume you refer to December as "Summer"? I have a flowering Holly (from down under) which flowers in Summer I guess because the genetic strands of the plant still think its in Aussie or Kiwi land ?

"Devonshire Tea" is a staple at many country tea rooms across our wide land. Don't forget that many expat Poms have made their home here. 

I basically thought that Scones were just a UK aberration. Perhaps the pursuit of pleasure is world wide after all? It should be.
I sometimes wonder if "some people" should perhaps consider sitting down together sharing  a warm scone with mug of tea may be preferable to bullets etc?
Naive ?    Me?

That works here too, although many Aussies manage to fit beer in there as well.

Plenty of flooding around in Derbyshire, but I live on the top of 800 metres hill? so if I get flooded, we ARE in trouble.
Thanks for asking. Its not all bad though---
Scones jam and cream make everything better.

Think this one hit England more than Scotland, we had our misery a week or two ago up here in Scotland.

Is every one OK?