Words with Friends - The Bigger Picture

When I started this blog years ago I said I would write about my life as a Realtor in Skaneateles.  As part of that life, I manage my time and make sure I am on-time for appointments.  A couple years ago I said I would never rush again (a New Year's resolution) which meant I would always leave early enough to allow some time for whatever came up.  Coincidentally Alex got me started on Words with Friends and I was hooked. Now I get places early to play if there are no e-mails or texts to write.

Generally I play with Alex and a couple local friends.  But over the course of time I have found - or they found me - a couple women who enjoy playing as I do.  In each case they thought I was someone else - Margaret Brooks being a very common name, it turns out.  The first woman, Kathy, lives in Manila!  The second, Lozza, is in Australia.

Over the course of about a year we've traded information on our areas.  She's told me about the Wyangala Waters where she vacationed in a caravan, and I have told her about the Finger Lakes.  She has spent more time in the states than I have in Australia (as in no time at all).

Yesterday as I pulled into the M&T branch in Elbridge I heard on NPR about the fires in Australia.  I knew she lived in New South Wales, but I never imagined that the fires were in her area.  To me, Australia is vast and the states huge.  Whenever I worry about my old friend in Colorado - floods, fires, blizzards - he tells me he is well out of the way.  But NPR said "The Blue Mountains" and my attention was assured.

I looked up our games, and there was a message from her.  Over 200 homes had already burned, but she felt they were safe.  Today I got this:

   There is an emergency alert out for the whole of the Blue Mountains area for tomorrow.  My
daughter-in-law and grandchildren are evacuating but my son will stay with their house.  My husband is working at the relief centre but I will try to stay with our house. We have a community fire box at the end of our street where the fire hose can be connected to the main.  They can use that to protect the houses from embers if that happens.  It is comforting to know that people all over the world are thinking and praying for us.

She sent that 12 hours ago - I wrote back this morning but have heard nothing.

We are so lucky here in Central New York.  Last year was SuperStorm Sandy that totally missed us.  No threat of fires will ever erupt here - and yes, there may be flooding in the Southern Tier (no small problem for those affected) or an ice storm or blizzard or two in the winter.  Yes, the Labor Day Storm of 1998 is still recent enough - but I can't imagine a circumstance where our homes would be totally destroyed, as well as our neighborhoods.  Maybe as the climate changes and the years go by we will have our own Super Storm - but for now I feel safe.  I certainly hope Lozza and her family get through this...

So as we go about our lives this week, please take a moment to think of her half a world away.  I will, of course, keep you posted through this blog, or write to me:  MBrooks@remax.net.