For My Blogger Friends.

Post 572 ~ ~ ~ Wednesday, 11th February, 2009.

Hello my dear Friends ~~ I feel overwhelmed with the love and support given me at this
sad State with still too many fires burning. Thank you all so much for your messages and I will answer you all very soon. You are all very much appreciated and I hope you know that.

There are about 25 fires burning and some are controlled, and a few still threatening towns
like Mansfield, Yea and Eskdale and many small towns. There are fears that two major fires will join up and then who knows what will happen. The air is full of smoke, and you can see smoke as well as smell it. How much worse it must be for the places under threat. The sun, behind the smoke has been bright red mornings and evenings.
The weather has been great this week, 24 C = 75 F. However the wind has been strong.

The latest number of deaths that I heard was 181, but there will be many more. Most of
the deaths occurred on Black Saturday, the first and worst day, and they are going through the burnt out towns and into houses and finding bodies. Some whole families,
and a lot of multiple deaths. It came too quickly for them to get out with no warnings.
Just the smoke, then the roar and then the huge flames about 10 storeys high.

The police and Fire Authorities have been keeping the town under lockdown, until they
remove the bodies, quite a lot in cars trying to escape but the thick smoke gave them no
visibility, and some crashed and were just burnt. The folks who lost homes want to go back to see if they can salvage anything, which is most unlikely. The people from Kinglake
were taken back today for the first time.

The big shops, the Australia Post, and many others gave $1,000,000 each to the Appeal
and the Cricket Match last night donated $6,000,000. The players gave up their Match Pay, and they gathered an awful lot of money from the crowds. There are distribution
depots giving away, new donated clothing, footwear, food ,and toys and books for the kids. Everything they need, blankets, sleeping bags, fresh fruit etc etc.
So we are so glad to see that these poor people who have lost everything are being cared for and getting some relief in the short term.

We are also very grateful for the firefighters from every state in Australia and the army
has brought in bulldozers and machinery to make fire breaks etc and clear some of the
rubble and the roads.

A group of fire fighters is coming (and is probably here) from the US, so thanks to them.
And New Zealand are loaning us the biggest water bombing helicopter, that carries more
water to dump on inaccessible areas in forests etc. So Thanks New Zealand for that.
What we really need is a huge downfall of heavy rain. I hope God is listening.

My niece, Vicki sent me the story tonight. Thanks Vicki and I want to dedicate it to all my
friends who live in my computer. I love you all.

Ever feel like you are losing your marbles?

Well here is the cure. . .just smile and say, "Dear Lord . . .I know You're watching over me
And I'm feeling truly blessed. For no matter what I pray for
You always know what's best."

I have this circle of E-mail friends
Who mean the world to me;
Some days I "send" and "send,"
At other times, I let them be.

I am so blessed to have these friends,
With whom I've grown so close;
So this little poem I dedicate to them,
Because to me they are the "Most."

When I see each name download,
And view the message they've sent;
I know they've thought of me that day,
And "well wishes" were their intent.

So to you, my friends, I would like to say,
Thank you for being a part;
Of all my daily contacts,
This comes from my heart.

God bless you is my prayer today,
I'm honoured to call you "friend";
I pray the Lord will keep you safe,
Until we write again.
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Now for some jokes to cheer us all up. The first three were sent by my dear friend, Linda L
who has been kind enough to send me quite a lot lately. Thank you Linda.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.

Due to the recent economic crises, stock market crash, budget cuts and the rising cost of
insurance, electricity, petroleum, housing and taxes of all kinds . . . .

The Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off.

We apologize for the inconvenience. . . Your Government.
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Elephant Story.
In 1986, Mikele Mebembe was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from North Western
University. On a walk through the bush, he came across an elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Mikele approached him very carefully.

He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Mikele worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him
for several tense moments. Mikele stoor frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned and walked away. Mikele never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Mikele was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Mikele and his son were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Mikele,
lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Mikele couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Mikele summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way
into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again and wrapped its trunk around one of Mikele's legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same elephant !!
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Scotch with two drops of water.

A lady goes to the bar on a cruise ship and orders a Scotch with two drops of water As the bartender gives her the drink, she says, "I'm on this cruise to celebrate my 80th
birthday and it's today.

The bartender says, "Well, since it's your birthday, I'll buy you a drink. In fact this one's on me."
As the woman finishes her drink, the woman on her right says, "I would like to buy you a drink, too."
The old woman says, "Thank you, Bartender, I want a Scotch and 2 drops of water.
"Coming up." says the Bartender.

As she finished that drink, the man on her left says, "I would like to buy you one, too."
The old woman says, "Thank you. Bartender, I want another Scotch and 2 drops of water."

"Coming right up," the Bartender says, As he gives her the drink, he says, "Ma'am, I'm dying of curiosity. Why the Scotch with two drops of water?"

The old woman replies, "Sonny, when you're my age, you've learned how to hold your liquor. Holding your water, however, is a whole other issue . "
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'OLD' IS WHEN . . .
Your sweetie says, "Let's go upstairs. And make love and you answer,
"Pick one; I can't do both."

'OLD' IS WHEN . . .
Your friends compliment you on your alligator shoes. And you're barefoot.

'OLD IS WHEN . . .
A sexy babe catches your fancy. And your pacemaker opens the garage door.

'OLD' IS WHEN . . .
Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.

'OLD' IS WHEN . . .
You don't care where your spouse goes . . . . just as long as you don't have to go along.

'OLD' IS WHEN . . .
You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of the police.

'OLD; IS WHEN . . .
'Getting a little action' means you don't need to take fibre today.

'OLD' IS WHEN . . .
'Getting lucky' means you find your car in the parking lot.

'OLD' IS WHEN . . .
An 'all nighter' means not getting up to use the bathroom.

AND 'OLD' IS WHEN . . .
You are not sure if these are jokes?
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Another from Linda L - - Thank you so much, my friend.

A sixteen year old boy came home with a new Chevrolet Avalanche and hus parents began to yell and scream. "Where did you get that truck??? He calmly told them, "I bought it today.:
"With what money?" demanded his parents. They knew what a Chevrolet Avalanche cost.

"Well,' said the boy, "this one cost me fifteen dollars." So the parents began to yell even
louder. "Who would sell a truck like that for fifteen dollars?" they said.

It was the lady up the street," said the boy. I don't know her name - they just moved in. She saw me ride past on my bike and asked me if I wanted to buy a Chrevrolet Avalanche
for fifteen dollars."

"Oh my goodness," moaned the mother, "she must be a child abuser. Who knows what she will do next? John, you go right up there and see what's going on." So the boy's father walked up the street to the house where the lady lived and found her out in the yard planting petunias.

He introduce himself as the father of the boy to whom she had sold a new Chevreoet
Avalanche for fifteen dollars and demanded to know why she did it.

"Well," she said, this morning I got a phone call from my husband. (I thought he was on a businesss trip, but learned from a friend he had run off to Hawaii with his mistress and really doesn't intend to come back).

He claimed he was stranded and needed cash, and asked me to sell his newChvrolet
Avalanche and send him the money.

So I did."
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A priest and a pastor from the local churches are standing by the road, putting up a sign
which reads: "The End is Near. Turn Yourself Around Before it's too late."

A car sped past them, the driver yelled, "Leave us alone, you religious nuts."

From the curve they heard screeching tyres and a big splash. The priest turned to the
pastor and asks, "Do you thinkthe sign should just say : "Bridge Out?"
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That's it for tonight, my friends. Take good care of yourselves and each other. Keep on
smiling and enjoying your lives. My love and best wishes and thanks to you all.
Cheers, Merle.

Post 572 ~ ~ ~ Wednesday, 11th, February, 2009.
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