She found out last night that an old family friend had died, and the funeral was this morning. So first thing on her birthday, she went to a funeral.
Then she picked me up, and we did the speed tour of Granville – a lovely spot. Home to meet Aunty Emily, who is staying for the weekend so that her son can have a weekend off.
Mark and I went over at around seven so that Dad could take Mum out for a birthday dinner while we took care of Aunty Emily. About half an hour after they left, her mobile rang (she had left it behind). Mum works for the Department of Community Services, and has special training in disaster welfare. So whenever there is a fire, or a flood, or a landslide, etc, her phone rings, and we don’t see her for days.
Apparently, our wild weather has closed the train lines to the Central Coast and the Hunter region. So several thousand people are now trapped in Hornsby, and mum has to find services to accommodate them.
I rang the restaurant where they were having dinner and tracked them down. Dad came home to get the phone (luckily the restaurant wasn’t far away). And while they were having dinner, the call came – the emergency was on, and mum had to go.
So instead of brandy by the fireside, mum is celebrating her birthday with a few thousand pissed off temporarily homeless people, in an RSL, while a storm rages outside.
Please spare a thought for mum – who I know will do an amazing job in trying circumstances, and for all the people who can’t get home to their loved ones tonight.
Disco Knitter 
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy Birthday Lara’s mu-u-um,
Happy Birthday to you!
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I hope the people who have been stranded accept your Mum’s help with the good grace with which it is offered, and that she’s able to come home soon to her own family. She’s a real champion for being there to help people.
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I do so hope your Mum gets to celebrate her birthday again.
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Happy Birthday to Lara’s mum. I think you guys should just postpone the birthday and do it all again when she is home and safe and there aren’t such disastrous circumstances!
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What a bugger. I hope your mum has an ok birthday regardless, or at the very least got through some of this years collection of challenges.
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Happy Birthday to your Mum. Why don’t you just re-schedule it for later in the week? And a big thank you to her for being there on a day when she had other more pleasurable plans.
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Thanks for all the birthday wishes. We celebrated with a wonderful lunch today – cooked by Lara and attended by the growing family – Lara, Ampersand, Mark, Adam, Sarah, Alex, Peter and Aunty Emily. It seems not so long ago it was just Peter and I. Friday was just one of those days.
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Hi Lara
Hope you’re feeling a bit better. I wonder if you have seen this site – I thought of you and the cloth nappies – she has links to other cloth nappy sites too – http://babylonglegs.blogspot.com/
Just as well we have people like your Mum to help us all in emergencies – wish her a late happy birthday for me.
Cheers
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Thank your mum from me – I was not affected by the emergency (though we did drive north that day and the motorway was not fun); however, I do appreciate all the people who put themselves out (employed or volunteer) to help others in their time of need, when some have a tendency to forget to say ‘thank you’ themselves!
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