The me no one knows - SI warning

So glad it’s reduced @Flutterbug9

I hope the storms bring plenty of rain and no lightning!

I can understand being exhausted, it’s been a really big day for you. The stress of the emergency warning would have taken a lot out of you on top of everything else.

@Flutterbug9 oh my gosh, so terrifying! I am so sorry you're in this situation, I am keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that you and your kitties are able to stay safe and cool throughout 🤞 Bring on the thunderstorms! ⛈

I’ve been looking online at pet sitters around my area @Captain24. not much difference between their costs and cattery I use.

To have someone house sit there is lot of paperwork and requirements which are set down by place where I live.

feedback from cattery when I picked them up was both cats happily spent majority of the day in enclosed cat run watching birds and rabbits. Cattery cost is $37 per cat, per day, everything supplied.

atm there is no way I can let the cats outside. Hoping to be get fair portion of my tiled outdoor area enclosed so cats and I can spend time outside in shaded, enclosed area. Need to deal with 3 different companies to get different components built and installed. Getting first free measure and quote end of next week, plus estimated weight of blinds to be installed.
Need to then contact 2nd firm and request free quote of a steel beam, estimated weight of blinds needed for quote for beam.

3rd firm produces items to fill in the gap that will be above the beam.

each and every step needs to be approved by firm that owns where I live.

If I can get it done it will create shade for half of back wall of my place plus give fully enclosed area. Will be able to open all 3 glass sliding doors without concern of cats getting out or flies getting in.

headache though in the planning stages

Maybe the battery is easier. @Flutterbug9.

It’s sounds like there are so many rules and stuff where you live. That must be difficult.

I hope you can get all the quotes and they approve it so it’ll make the space better for you and the cats and probably cooler too.

It must be a real headache trying to to sort it from your end then sort it from their end and then getting it done. So much to work through

@AlwaysMyself

on Friday afternoon I had to make decision to evacuate or stay due to large grass fire too close for comfort and was heading my way. I couldn’t and wouldn’t leave my cats.

all was safe by late evening. Has triggered memories from early childhood. Apparently I had a small gas/oil lamp beside my bed as pre-schooler. Apparently used to wake up screaming about ‘fire’ after being in car and seeing fire in the distance. Lamp got replaced by night light at some stage. Time I remember being in family car and seeing trees etc burning I was about 10yo.

a memory that was safely locked away until Friday afternoon. Now trying to deal with, process and find it a place to live.

Wasn’t nice waking in panic this morning thinking I had a bright light shining on my face, was actually from a nightmare. In a state of hypervigilance currently

@Flutterbug9 holding you safely. I'm glad you are physically safe from the fires. I understand the feeling of fear and not willing to leave the cats. We had fires very close to use in Jan 2020, "just over the mountain" (could see the flames). Luckily we were able to put the 4 chickens in a crate and also the dog to another relative's house in a suburb that was away from the edging bushlands. We were not willing to leave the animals either.

That sounds very traumatic. Something as a child about the fire (or fire lamp) has definitely imprinted on your mind and needing protection.

Do you know what your process for acknowledging, accepting/respecting the memories and experiences, and finding it a safe place to lives looks like for you?

Is there a way i can help you through the process as a friend?

@AlwaysMyself Thanks for the offer and will happily accept. 💜

would be google searching in between trying to get some things done other wise

apparently I was told to lay on the backseat, cocker spaniel beside me and the 2 of us covered with blankets. Prior to that having seen flames going from tree to tree in same direction we were travelling.

I think i would find that very scary - both as an adult and as child, but even more so as a child @Flutterbug9 . Do you know if you understood what was happening at the time, as a child?

Do you recall if you felt safe inside the car while driving to safety, or terrified?

Terrified @AlwaysMyself

(After doing few things off the forums I’ve remembered and found somethings)

Jan 1969, I was 5 1/2 when fire on highway stopped cars travelling between a western Melbourne suburb and Geelong.

I remember my dad turning off the highway and into the specific suburb with Police pointing which way to the head. (I was already very curious, talkative plus had been encouraged to ask questions). I remember asking my dad had there been an accident, his reply was to be quiet with a tone I thought I was in trouble. On a road between grass and tall trees I saw the fire, flames reaching into the air from tall trees. Each town we got to Police saying not to stop and to drive north. Remember my dad saying, don’t know if we getting home tonight or where will be safe to stop. Was then I was told to lay down and was covered up

Oh, wow. The presence of police, and your dad (presumably stressed) sounding/speaking like you were in trouble, and hearing that you might not get back home that night... that would be so scary @Flutterbug9 . I can imagine as a child it could be so easy to also interpret that as "might not get back home ever" and "what did i do wrong? Why is dad upset with me?"

I would never wish that experience on anyone, adukt or child. I can understand why that memory has stuck with you all these years. It would be quite understandable if the mention or sight of any bushfire/grassfire evokes anxiety, fear, panic, etc. Or even just the smell or smoke from a safe campfire as a trigger.

What helps you to feel safe when these feelings arise?

Reminding yourself that you are physically safe now?

Having an evac plan and go-kit "just in case"? (Our local firefighters hand out packs that include a kit advice from RSPCA about preparing to take your animals, or how to prepare them if you cant take them and also a sticker for the window to notify that there are animals on the property still needing evac.)

I'm such a "planner" person, so for me having a kit ready to go would be essential if i felt i was in a risk area. It would make me feel that at least i was ready to grab the basic essentials and my pets into the car -- everything else can be bought or replaced. (Although i am a VERY sentimental person, so i get attached to "things" because of the memory/person they represent, so losing everything in a fire would be especially distressing for me on top of the all the other reasons).

My brother-in-law is in one of the volunteer fire units for his local area. He was (still is? Not sure) sent out to help with some of the fires this past week. I am trying to recall if this would be his first "big fires" callout - rather than just local little things they need to attend to.