Today at lunchtime I went to see TCO "Narnia" at our local mall, while the hubby stayed home with the bubby. I was about to tell you what an amazing movie it was - but got distracted when the hubby decided to entice me with some 'married adult fun'. In the middle of our play-time, I smell fire... Now because of our dry windy weather this makes me leap up and throw something on...and head outside to check for the source of the smoke. I can see a huge column rising west of us about 700 metres away. We live next to a huge reed bed, which during the summer is very dry and likely to go up like kindling. So the hubby says he's going to check it out and not to worry, because there is the sound of sirens in the air. So off he goes. I stay on our porch watching the column of smoke. It appears to be getting darker and much thicker and of course starts blowing towards the start of the reed bed... My adrenaline kicks in... Strap bubby into car seat. Click car seat into pram wheel base. Wheel bubby into garage to be near car. (Can't put him in because car has been standing in sunlight and car is hot - enough time to throw more things in without having to load him and drive). He is fine in shade next to car. Push rear seats forward to make space for dogs in back cargo area (they normally go in the hubby's car - hence the reason for having to move the seats). Check column of smoke - still big and ugly. Grab baby bath. Throw diapers into bath. Throw baby clothes into bath. Throw cream and bottles into bath along with formula and boiled water in container. Check down street for hubby, no sign of him. Decide that if hubby is in trouble or decided to play the hero, would be best for me to keep packing. Jump to reach top shelf of garage storgage to get cat travel basket. Stuff two very bewildered cats into basket. Put cats in car - decide to leave car doors open for air so cats don't get too hot. Run back into house from car and run to porch, check smoke, still bad. Call dogs to car. Dogs wonder why being asked to get into mommy's car and not daddy's. Dogs run around driveway area behind our closed gate. Decide will persuade dogs with nice frozen bones from freezer if the fire gets any nearer and we actually need to go. Run back into house, grab photo albums and box of photos and stuff into car. Grab cropinstyle tote and stuff in car. Grab hubby's golf clubs and stuff into car. Check smoke column...bit lighter, but still blowing towards us. Go and get cell phone and hand bag. Try to phone hubby. Hubby's cell phone rings inside house. Swear outloud at thought of hubby going off to be a hero without taking his cell phone. Wondered about what my house would look like burnt out. Dash back inside for box of photo's which I'd forgotten. Dash back to driveway to put dogs and bubby in car. See nonchalant bloody hubby coming down our street. Yell "AND???" at hubby coming down street. Hubby yells back somethign completely incoherent. Wonder if hubby was yelling "Pack and GO!" or "It's all OK!" Decide from hubby's relaxed demeaner everything is ok. He finally gets to the gate and says, "It's ok babe, they've got it contained. Hey, why are my golfclubs in your car?"