floods and termites

5.2.2011

BUILDING NEWS

The worst has happened. Heavy rain last night and even heavier rain this morning have totally flooded the footings. They will have to be pumped out before we can access the damage. It is still raining so there is no point starting that yet.

Edd worked hard yesterday on little Skiddy trying to redirect water channels away from the house site. To a large extent this worked and the main flood slid harmlessly down the paddock. There was still enough other run off though, to do the damage.
We were due to pick up bricks today but the bridge in Steels Creek flooded over for a sixth time this season and our efforts came up against an immovable barrier. We will have to start again on Monday when we hope the worst will have passed.

OTHER NEWS

It was not just our immediate area that flooded. Down Steels Creek valley there was more water than I have ever seen before. One house at the start of the road was unable to stop the water flooding the ground floor. The family there are friends of Bo’s and have only recently moved into their newly built home. Bo said she did warn them when they brought the block that it used to be a swamp but as there was a drought at the time this did not look likely.

Gulf road was completely under water as was much of Dixon’s Creek. I managed to get to market and a few diehards turned up but my regular customers were missing so I did not sell much. They have since rung up but as I was soaked to the skin by the time I drove back they will have to cope with the problem.

The road between Yarra Glen and Healesville was covered with water at several places but not as bad as Steels Creek road. Once again with the bridge flooded I was marooned at Bo’s house for the rest of the morning. The boys were fretting at being forced to stay indoors so we took them on a drive to see the floods and they were suitably impressed.

At least it is now cooler and the termites have gone. Yesterday was a termite day when the air was full of them flying and landing before shedding their wings. Some how they worked their way around our flywire screens and poured into the donga. They even worked their way into our under clothes! Our good friends, the swallows, tried hard to protect us , continually swooping over the house site to catch termites before they landed. Despite their efforts termites fell onto our breakfast plates and were thick over the carpet. We swatted those we could get at and vacuumed up the bodies in the evening.

Look, I am not trying to be dramatic. I am just telling what is happening but we are on a slide gradually slipping into chaos and things are still getting worse. In some ways I feel justified for the decisions we are making with our rebuilding plans. Everyday they look less extreme and more like common sense.

To compound the problems Bo has accidently filled her diesel car with petrol when her green-eyed monsters distracted her. Edd and Stevo have gone to Yarra Glen to try and sort something out. It is that sort of a day. I think red wine is the only sensible course of action.