I wrote in my post from 24th of October: “Soon I’ll receive a new Visa card in the mail.” Well, this card still has not arrived. In the meantime I got several reminders from wordpress that my subscription renewal is due. They wrote:
“. . . your subscription renewal for auntyuta.com didn’t go through. . . ”
They reckon, it might be because my card they have on file expired. Well, it really should not have expired, but unfortunately this machine in the shopping centre just swallowed it. There was no way to retrieve it. So my bank had to cancel it. But why did I not get a new card? Nobody can explain this to me how it can take such a long time to mail it to me.
To pay for my American WordPress subscription I need a Visa card. Since yesterday I am now in possession of a green eftpos card. But this is no good for payments in other countries. I can use it only in Australia.
Just this afternoon Peter came to the rescue again. He paid the subscription with his Visa card. I am so glad that he did this for me. Now, we are both at a very advanced age. I am rather scared that Peter might die before I die. What do I do then? There are so many things that I depend on Peter for.
For some reason or another I felt very low in energy this morning. This is why Peter helped with the cooking. He made an excellent Bolognaise sauce and I cooked some vegies to go with it. We both liked the meal very much.
Now, for the record: The bushfire season in Australia has started early. Conditions for bushfires are already very bad. Hardly any moisture, in a lot of parts in Australia severely high temperatures with a lot of winds. Last Tuesday we were warned about ‘catastrophic’ fire conditions. To be prepared for quick escapes. Not to expect to get a knock at the door to warn usabout approaching fires. To leave the house early. To go to a safe place.
We have quite a bit of very dry bushland near our home with a lot of undergrowth. Because our whole area was at the highest warning we thought we better leave early. We packed a few things and drove to a shopping centre where we had a bit of lunch. Later on we saw a movie in a cinema that is close to the shopping centre where we parked our car.
This is the movie we saw:
After the movie we had some refreshments in the shopping centre and did a bit of shopping. In the meantime a cool breaze had come up. The emergencyinformationof theNSWRuraldid not mention any more warnings. (Peter checked it on his phone)
https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me
So we happily drove home. By 6pm we were home again. We were very tired but very happy that we still had a home!
I hope you enjoy brunch often!
A supermarket during the 2019 California blackout wave 
AuntyUta 
We forgot the ABC Insiders which is unusual. Just as well by the sound of it. Glad you made up for it by having such a lovely breakfast. We are finding that the ABC is so keen to remain neutral that it is now dribbling a lot of nonsense in its commentary, frightened to give an opinion, any opinion.
Here you can watch the whole program, Gerard, in case you and Helvi are interested.
http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/sunday-12-august-full-program/10111188
“Barrie Cassidy interviews Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, and Fiona Katauskas talks pictures with The Feed’s Jan Fran. On the panel are The Australian’s Niki Savva, Guardian Australia’s Lenore Taylor and The Saturday Paper’s Mike Seccombe.”
Barrie Cassidy and also the panel did not upset me. The Energy Minister chose not to answer certain questions. Do you expect anything else from politicians? Sometimes I just cannot listen to them anymore! But I understand that the person who is interviewing has to remain polite. I went out for a while to calm down. But I did watch the hilarious talking pictures. A bit of fun and laughing is definitely preferable!
What do you think of the “National Energy Guarantee” program?
http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/balancing-act/10111158
https://www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/better-energy-future-australia
Thank you Uta for the links.
Helvi watched the whole episode on my computer. She thought Frydenberg was weak. We feel that renewables are the only way to get cheap energy that will also guarantee lower emissions. It is ironic that Australia with its overabundance of resources now has some of the highest energy prices in the world.
Sadly the word ‘renewables’ has become a dirty word in our Government. Those without solar and batteries will increasingly carry the burden of coal fired energy and its maintenance.
What do you think will give us energy at a price that is affordable? I just had my electricity bill which was $410.- for three months. The last gas bill was about the same.
Our recent electricity bill was a bit over 600 Dollars for three months, Gerard. But we use no gas. You’re right, only people who have solar and batteries can expect to pay less for power in the long run. Why does the government not want some of the old power stations to close? And why, oh why, do they even think of allowing new coal power stations to open? Surely no investor would want to invest in new coal fired power stations? Who owns the coal? Is it the government or some companies?
Surely, we have enough sun and wind in Australia for all our energy needs. We have sun and wind for free, whereas someone has a vested interest in all the coal reserves and wants to get some adequate profit from whatever their investments were.
I hate it that there are so many different energy companies now. The supply of energy and water should be in government’s hands only. The government should also have strict rules that our air and environment does not get polluted. But instead of looking after the needs of the total population in the first place, they are more interested in looking after vested interests and companies above all. Anyhow, this is the way I see this, and I am just an ordinary citizen without special knowledge.
You say that renewables are the only way to get cheap energy that will also guarantee lower emissions. I could not agree more!
Your Sunday meals sound beautiful and yummy! Especially the eggs Peter made for you with love!
I try not to watch news or politics TV shows. But maybe I should. Usually they upset me too much.
HUGS!!!
It is kind of a tradition that we have soft boiled eggs on Sundays for breakfast. And usually it is Peter who enjoys boiling the eggs.
Hugs from Uta
I haven’t met an egg…fixed any which way…that I don’t like.