The People of Murray Bridge Make Me Proud

Wow... What a beginning to the year it has been. Beautiful fireworks over Sydney Harbour is always a wonderful way to see in a New Year! We were lucky to have a friend over in Sydney who saw the pyrotechnic display first hand and filmed it so we could see the dazzling light display... Watching the gorgeous colours light up the sky it got us thinking 'What will this year hold for us..?'

For many the year of 2015 has started off with a great disaster, fire tearing through our state and threatening the homes of many of our friends and family. From this disaster though there have been many moments lately where local people of the Murray Bridge community (and other communities) have pitched in and banded together and we have all pitched in where we can to help out a stranger.

Great job Murray Bridge! Great to see the community spirit alive and kicking! It makes me proud to know when we as a community see someone in trouble we do what we can to help.

I also want to mention here my deepest respect to the fire fighters and other organisations (such SES) who are out there on the front lines doing what they can to extinguish this frightening fire. Awesome job all of you. Many thanks! I especially want to thank the many of you who do all this as volunteers. Without you all many of these services would not exist.

My thoughts go out to everyone whose lives have changed due to this fire. I hope that it will be out soon...

Welcome to 2015... The New Year has begun

Welcome to a new year to everyone and I hope that you have all had a wonderful Christmas and a safe but merry New Year celebration. The year ended pretty well for me with a new phone just before Christmas, something that I am still trying to get my head around... I also whipped up an entry for the Reader's Digest 100 word short story competition so now Ben and I have an entry in an overseas writing comp and I have an entry in an aussie one too. My fingers and toes and eyes are crossed for getting a great result with both...

Christmas was a family focused affair seeing most of my family and my wife's family over Christmas day and a few days after. It was great to see the smiles on the faces of my own kids, nieces and nephews and friends kids as they opened gifts. I know that it is an obvious observation but in my mind kids make Christmas... Their innocence and wonderment makes the holiday even more special no matter what the reason you celebrate the day.

New Year was a repeat of our last couple of years, a relaxed affair at our house with a few close mates. The party was a lot of fun and the clean up the next morning was easy as... We also had great mates from interstate drop in for a big BBQ lunch (great catch up BB as always... We love you guys!!)

January 2nd was a day of cool air conditioning, a fabulous family movie and an epic tantrum from our smallest one... It was Miss Four and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad afternoon!!!

Now it is the 3rd day of the new year and so many of our friends and family are fleeing the cruel fate of an unpredictable bushfire... My love and thoughts go out to all who are facing such a stressful, fearful beginning to the year... Stay safe and remember the greatest treasure is your life and your loved ones. Keep them close, in your life and in your heart. May the sky open up and pour down on that fire and may the brave souls who are out there fighting it and fleeing from it have some relief...