Queensland Floods 2011

This post should have been titled Happy New Year but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Our hearts go out to all those affected by the floods. So many images of devastation and carnage. The news just brings us all to tears. Our family have spent the last few days helping with the clean up locally and in Brisbane. It is a huge, huge job to clean up. Please volunteer if you can. It is such a help to people to know they are cared for. Murray and Ollie spent yesterday cleaning up with other volunteers at an elderly man’s house he didn’t know along with 15 or 20 other “strangers” who had never met this man or each other before. By working together they had his house cleared and hosed out – an impossible task if he had been on his own, in no time it seemed. And they left him feeling a wonderful sense of achievement. There is something so poignant about allowing “strangers” into your home to help. This will change us all for ever. People came with their barbecues and made lunch for everyone – a big sausage sizzle, brought cakes and sandwiches – a great thing to do if you can’t do the hard physical work. You can volunteer by making sandwiches or muffins or even if you can’t cook buy some cold drinks or ice creams and take them somewhere others are working. Take a tube of hand antiseptic so they can clean their hands before eating – the mud is unbelievable and a real health risk.

Anyway, I have nothing to say about felt or felting right now. The studio is closed till further notice really, except for a pre-booked class I have on the 22nd January and my studio sale the last week in February. I think I will be busy elsewhere for quite a while. Just please, please help where you can. Donate to the flood appeals through www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html. Three quarters of Queensland has been declared a disaster zone. Yesterday I went for a walk at Sandgate a short drive from my home. It is on usually pristine Moreton Bay. This is where all the flood debris is landing. It was a brown sea of mud with many, many dead and dying fish. A scene of absolute environmental devastation. This is where the huge floating walkway has washed up and lots of the market produce from Rocklea Markets and little bits and pieces of so many peoples lives. It is truly devastating. We just came back from three weeks on Stradbroke Island just nearby and so it is a place dear to my heart. I am so sad. Not wanting to end on a sad note the community spirit in Queensland has been astounding and the heartfelt responses form the world comforting to us all. We will get through this but only by relying on each other for a very long time to come. This recovery will take years. Don’t let people do it on their own. Help and support where you can.