A very hot saturday.

It was a really hot saturday.

It was so hot it hit 47 degrees.
(we took this photo in the car. This REALLY was the outside temperature. Even when we parked in the underground carpark, it was 36!)

It was so hot, all of Ginger's hair fell out.
(actually we took her to the groomers.. but if we left her outdoors, she probably would've shaved it off herself in a desperate attempt to stay cool)

It was so hot, over 130 people died (so far) in the worst natural disaster in recent Australian history.

Even though us suburbanites were largely unaffacted save for some 'suspicious' fires (one of our neighbours' shrubs caught fire), it's hard not to be affected by the magnitude of the fiery disaster that unfolded so quickly.

Across huge areas of bush less than an hour from our place, cars with the remains of their human drivers sit eerily quiet, waiting for the police to investigate further.

What sickens me is that while some of the fires were naturally occuring, some were also the work of arsonists. How someone can be so malicious is entirely beyond belief. Some of the worst victims were family pets whose owners had no ability or presence of mind to get them out in time.

What is amazing has been the solidarity that has emerged. My office is already gathering donations from staff and the owners, people have been pledging to donate whatever handout($950 for everyone) the government was planning to give as a stimulus package, and the blood bank has been flooded with people offering to donate blood to the extent that there's now a queue.

I suppose at the end of the day, Shirley, the dogs and I, have to give thanks for being safe and comfortable in our own home, only having to put up with the smokier-than-usual air while we were out golfing on Sunday.

It's hard not to feel humanly vulnerable in times like these.