Fire Tales

Now that the ash has settled and the paintings are back on the wall - minus the spiders and cobwebs behind them of course... there are tales to tell.

Our road leading to the top of the mountain is very long, winding and steep, the properties huge, surrounded by high walls or hedges, almost 30 years on and we only know by name or face, sometimes by both, a couple of neighbours.

This is no Wisteria lane, but last 'fire night' everyone was flushed into the street.

To be fair I'll start with myself, when packing clothes to evacuate, in went those louboutins, my fur stole etc....to put it kindly I would have looked like a ditzy old bat the next day in my heels, party dress and fur stole!

My daughter packed responsibly, including the grade 11 maths papers she was marking...safe to say, I think they would have preferred if they had burnt.

My son packed all this clothes, computer, skate board, basically everything except his school books and school uniform- say no more.

 And in the road....

We were treated to a car show, one neighbour made at least 7 trips - my heart fluttered at the sight of a 1950 silver Porsche 356 coupe, I know.... thou shalt not covet thy neighbours goods- or something like that- but what a beauty.

Around the first corner, a fierce argument about fire etiquette, evidently it's prudent to pack, but not to flee unless told to, instead stay and extinguish any embers on your property- I'm in agreement, the poor firemen needed all the help they could get. 

The neighbour who played the entire 'Grease musical' last party- turned out to be a charming and witty lady.

The gentlemen who we thought was mostly pickled- is always pickled and the Cannabis plantation didn't need to be saved as the cops found it last week.

Strangest comment - ' If a horse comes down the road just direct it to Greens Restaurant'

Strangest sight- at about 6 am a cyclist in full gear, head down, peddling fiercely up the road towards the fire.

That was my blog ..... then this morning I walked up our road to the mountain.

I cried when I stood on the top.

top of our road

My children spent these past holidays setting their alarms for 3.30 am and then hiking up the mountain to the top for the sunrise- they came home at 8 am- flushed and exhilarated from the magic of the forests in the hours before dawn, the sunrise through the trees, the wildlife and birds in the dense tree top canopies in the ravines- surely home to all the escaped parrots.

Don't talk to me about the fynbos- the trees are all gone.

 I missed my chance to share the experience with my children- you won't hear "I'll join you next time" leave my lips again.

The vineyards mostly saved, some are scorched and unfortunately some of the red grapes not yet harvested