Cyclone Level One
Whoa. So, lucky us, we had a cyclone level one in our area the other night. Water levels cutting off roads here there and everywhere, winds going like mad, and our power was out for over 24 hours. (Ever tried to deal with Nicole and trying to explain to her that no, she couldn't watch her DVDs and it wasn't because her TV was "broken" while you are suffering from caffeine withdrawal because you can't even boil the kettle for a hot cup of coffee or tea? Not fun, I tell you.) Since I rely mainly on electronics such as my videogames and the internet for my entertainment, it was a miserable time. Cold, dark (and because of Nicole and the cats we didn't dare light candles, mum has a holy horror of the idea that they can start fires anyway) and trying to get hold of people on phones to see if they were alright. The lady next door to us is on oxygen and since our whole street lost power I think she was taken to hospital. I'm glad Dad is still in hospital - at least he was warm and had hot food and TV to keep him occupied. Yesterday we went to visit him via bus and the amount of trees we'd seen that had been blown down, or roads flooded by water - it was frightening. Mum and I had already battled outside in the wind and rain to get outside furniture inside or taken down and apart so they wouldn't blow away and hit something - or someone. Freezing cold work, but we did pretty good for two women, one with two knee replacements and the other half-blind and not very strong
We were better off than a lot of people though - eight people have been confirmed dead (including three children all under the age of ten) and a ninth is missing. And one of those who died did so in a fire because he lit a candle, so maybe mum has a point. The family of five (where the three kids died) had the road literally fall apart under their car and drop them in the swollen river. It was a highway, but the road just apparently went. Just like that. Eesh.
And I knew that Uncle Graham was going to pick up Uncle Ken and actually drive up to try and see Dad, so we were frantically trying to ring him to let him know NOT TO COME. It figures - the one time Dad's family actually make an effort to come visit him, the weather fucks it up.
We have a huge, leaning tree out the front of our house that leans right out over the driveway. It's been that way for 20 years but we can't cut it down or anything - the council has to do it. A couple of times over the years they have trimmed off a branch, but that's it. It's lucky they did. The tree hasn't come down yet (amazingly, since so many other trees have been ripped up by the damn ROOTS, even one in our street!) but a branch did come down and crash onto Lyn's car, breaking a windshield wiper.
All in all, an overwhelming couple of days.
We were better off than a lot of people though - eight people have been confirmed dead (including three children all under the age of ten) and a ninth is missing. And one of those who died did so in a fire because he lit a candle, so maybe mum has a point. The family of five (where the three kids died) had the road literally fall apart under their car and drop them in the swollen river. It was a highway, but the road just apparently went. Just like that. Eesh.
And I knew that Uncle Graham was going to pick up Uncle Ken and actually drive up to try and see Dad, so we were frantically trying to ring him to let him know NOT TO COME. It figures - the one time Dad's family actually make an effort to come visit him, the weather fucks it up.
We have a huge, leaning tree out the front of our house that leans right out over the driveway. It's been that way for 20 years but we can't cut it down or anything - the council has to do it. A couple of times over the years they have trimmed off a branch, but that's it. It's lucky they did. The tree hasn't come down yet (amazingly, since so many other trees have been ripped up by the damn ROOTS, even one in our street!) but a branch did come down and crash onto Lyn's car, breaking a windshield wiper.
All in all, an overwhelming couple of days.