Glad to hear you're all safe. Roo, that sounds like much too much of a close call, and three cheers for the firefighters who kept your home from the flames. Alison, I hope your home remains safe -- Bob's posting about evacuating Baulkham Hills was worrisome! Please keep us posted, all of you, to let us know you're still all right. The fires in the Blue Mtns. and Sydney were the top story on today's U.S. morning news -- the first time since September 11 that I remember a non-terrorist-related story leading the newscast.