Tropical weather and floods

12.2.2010

One of our neighbours lost her chooks in the floods. They had survived the fires but were washed away in their chook tractor and drowned. We met her when we drove down to check the bridge on Hargreaves road. The water came right over it and has done a fair amount of damage but it is still possible to drive across.

The excavation work on the site has come to a halt due to mud but Steve and Johno are building steadily. The new dairy is coming along well and I have ordered a washing machine to put in there next week!. It will be such a relief not to be forced to drive to Yarra Glen to do the washing. It is still raining and everything is wet or damp. I have books spread out to dry on the floor in here and Josh’s donga is still flooded across the floor.

Our neighbours on the hill have serious damage to all their dams. My answer to all this has been to devour more wine and chocolate but they plan to buy white peacocks. I think we are all desperately looking for something to raise our spirits. The hospital decided that my finger is dislocated and that I should not use my right hand for a month! I am pretty useless on the farm so I am driving round checking out goods and materials for the new house. I have fallen in love with an esse wood stove. It looks like a miniature Aga but it is designed for wood use.

10.2.2010

Today was worse than yesterday. The morning was stinking hot and another thunderstorm hit this afternoon. This time even more rain fell and everything was flooded. The cellar is ankle deep in water and the goat’s pens and drive became creeks. The main creek has once again become a raging river, wider even than it was straight after the fires! At least this time we had some idea what we were in for and got all the windows shut.

On the plus side the dams are full to overflowing and the pumpkins grew from tennis ball to football size just over night! The odd thing is that this time of year is always dry which is why we planned to do our excavations and footings now. Well, that it going to have to wait. Steve and Johno are trying to finish the dairy but this weather is not helping them either. David H came on Monday and Tuesday but he managed o get away before the storm. Apparently it is a very local storm and Lilydale 25 k away had no rain at all!

I am beginning to wonder which god I have offended this time.

9.2.2010

The tropics have relocated here! It has been at least 35 degrees all day but we also had a massive thunderstorm in the afternoon. High winds caused mayhem everywhere and they were accompanied by mega rain and even hail stones. Tonight everything is hot, sweaty and wet. The creeks have become raging torrents again and the winds blew the water through every opening so that our couch, carpet and books are wet.

Amazingly, the excavation cut has drained perfectly and the big dam is almost ready to overflow. Our water tanks have filled again but some of the huge metal tank mould segments blew over. The rooves all stay on the new sheds but the gutters over flowed. The path from the donga to the toilet became a little creek and we are back to thick clay mud in some places. I have not yet been down the road to Yarra Glen to check how everything else has faired.