Monday
Dear Elsie,
Today was the day a fire broke out on Clovelly mountainside. On Saturday evening, a small fire was seen above the fire break and reported. The fire services parked on the road below. Whoever lit it quickly extinguished it, but today, it was lit and with the wind, it let rip across the mountainside.
It took 22 minutes from the time it was reported to the time the helicopters arrived.
We are privileged to have such expertise. Kalk Bay houses must have been smoked out. 
The choppers continued throughout the afternoon, except for a break to refuel. There was a little rain which helped. A short while ago it was all but out.
Although, having said that, there are patches which are smoking with the odd flame appearing. Hopefully, there will be some more rain.
These things can happen so quickly. Julian, Jess and Gerrie were at the beach when it broke out. The fire sped across the mountain and some embers flew downwards, setting alight a patch below the firebreak. The helicopters targeted that spot. Everyone on the beach was watching and when the chopper dowsed that part of the fire, everyone applauded. The helicopter pilots are so skilled. They do an amazing job.
The wind is still quite strong. I see fire trucks are still on the Main Rd between Clovelly and Kalk Bay. They are keeping an eye out for flair-ups. I did see they had got up to the back of one of the properties with a hosepipe to dampen the bushes. There is a lot of brush below the firebreak – it’s a real hazard. I think we need to do some cutting back of brush of our own. Behind our house on the left there is quite a lot of shrubbery.
That was what went down this afternoon. This morning, we swam & cleaned the Seaview apartment. While the fire was burning, the guests arrived and they are now settled in.
It’s the penultimate day of 2024. I finished reading the Bible today. I’ve put my marker back in Genesis 1. Wednesday, I’ll start again.
Revelation 21:6
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
It’s not about now – we are only passing through.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Gran xx 🙂