What a 1st Of August 2008

It is well known here that August is the 'windy' month. Well we were not prepared for this 1st of August.

Friday started off very weird indeed. Went for a smoke about 6.30am to brave the chill but there was no chill, the wind was warm. Was we in for a storm? Until lunch time it remained gorgeous with sun and warm breeze. Then the shock came, the temperature dropped drastically and rain arrived.


In the evening we watched the news and weather, no warnings. Later in the evening I went outside and said to my hub that it was weird. There was a really strong wind but high so you couldn't feel it. But you sure could hear it through the bush trees. It would start as a gentle blowing sound then get so noisy, you could actually see the bush tree tops bending over.


By 9.30pm I decided to retire to bed but left our electric heater on in the room until hub came to bed. Even though my eyes were closed I noticed the fire go out and opened my eyes to be greeted with pitch black. On came the power again. Hub at the time was down the bottom of the garden with the dogs and was trying to work his way back to the house. Imagine not being able to see a thing and knowing he would have to negotiate back to the house going passed the pool and up the stairs.


By 10.00pm we were both in bed and the wind was now whipping around the house. The power had completely gone now and just to get up for the bathroom was a 'feel for furniture and walls' obstacle course. Neither of us slept much due to the wind and the noise of falling branches and roof tiles flapping. At one time we were wondering whether to get the dogs in and let them sleep in the bedroom just incase we had to make a quick escape. Those bush trees are massive. I also thought that we would wake to damaged cars as many of the sounds were large branches on tin, luckily it was the carport.


2.30am my son arrived home and said that he couldn't get home the normal way as the road was blocked. The other way was just about passable but he was swerving all over the road to avoid big branches.


Decided to get up at around 6.00am and the house was like a fridge. We had no running water due to being on tank water and the power still off. No form of heating as all we had was electric fires and reverse cycle air conditioners. We put the generator on and manged to pump some water through so that we could fill the saucepans, heat them up on the gas hob and have some sort of wash. Did this bring back memories, the last time I had a strip wash in a freezing cold room was when I was a child and my Nan used to say 'Don't forget the back of your neck, your smelly bits including your feet'. At 40+ trying to get your feet up into the sink was a job and a half.


This was the aftermath of the winds. Blocked road (luckily we had another route out) and power lines and poles down.

We deicded to go into the local town and have a big breakfast. Mmmmm. Then back to a cold house.

I telephoned the electricity company and was told we should be back on around 12.30pm. That came and went I telephoned again the response was late afternoon. At 3.30pm I decided to take a drive down the road and look at the carnage and realised that no one was about. Where were the workmen? Late afternoon power on - my big butt? We drove down again round about 8.00pm and they were working away. Yaaaayy. Big trucks and lots of lighting. I really hoped they could get it done as it wasn't just a fact of reconnecting the wires the pole was down.

We prepared for the cold. And the forecast said there may be frost. Great! Found my thermals, on they went with 2 sweatshirts, fleece, 2 pairs of socks, gloves and a scarf. Hub had set up the generator earlier to try and keep our freezer going as it was full of food so he thought if he could do that, then he could get the TV on. OK we watched TV in darkness and freezing cold huddled on the sofa with the dogs for extra warmth. We also made ourselves a bit headachey and sick due to the fumes coming in to the house from the generator. By 9.30pm we were in bed almost fully clothed.

We must have been really toasty warm as we both slept quite well. I woke around 3.00am for the bathroom and noticed the time on my bedside clock. Yayyyy we had power back. Did I appreciate the shower this morning. It was like Christmas.

A neighbour who has lived here many years said that it was the worst winds she had experienced. I honestly thought all through the night that this was it, we were going to lose everything. We are so lucky and if we hadn't had the generator things may have been a bit more unbearable.