Post
by Heather » Sat Feb 08, 2014 1:02 pm
Oh Mal, the book. Groan. My co-author's husband had a nasty head on collision with a truck on 8th October 2012. He is extremely lucky to be alive and was in a coma for quite some time. He is still in a wheel chair and hoping to be able to walk again this year - hopefully. His wife, my friend and co-author, Catherine, is his full time carer, nurse, cook, chauffeur, you name it. So, book on hold unfortunately but we do hope it will still happen. Catherine has put a lot of work into transcribing over 80 taped stories and has invested a lot of time into the project - but, her husband must come first. Sometimes life just gets in the way....
Maureen, unfortunately families, friendships and communities were more often fractured by the fire than brought together by it. Initially everyone is standing tall, arm in arm, "we will re-build", "we will support each other" but that sentiment is short lived. Within weeks the adreneline runs out and people are tired, over worked, over whelmed; having to make major decisions on the run, battling authorities and getting on with their normal work at the same time; their lives are out of control. People are let down by friends and relatives - but then they find new friendships and new support often in unexpected places. There is rivalry and jealousy between neighbours and communities are split. Retired people are forced to dig into their super to rebuild, women are forced back into the workforce to pay a larger mortgage (oh but you should be so grateful you have a nice new house!) Several of my friends say they are out of pocket by up to $400,000 after insurance and grants - and if they don't have that sort of money to replace what they already had - then they don't get back what they had. One of my lovely friends has built a gorgeous home but her husband has had several strokes, had to have a hip replacement and then lost his job - all at the age of 53. Their garden is far from what it used to be and they are now thinking of selling up and downsizing and wishing they had done that in the first place.