A-M
Well-known member
Some of you may be aware that in the area of Australia where I live we had major flooding on 28th February.
My husband and I evacuated to the centre set up in our town when the water reached the second top step to our home. Walking to the car which we parked in the centre of the street holding bags of clothing etc above my head with water up to the tops of my legs was not easy.
About three quarters of our town's house had water in them - some worse than others.
We moved from the evacuation centre on Sunday 6th to stay with our bachelor friend. He had offered from the start but we knew it was going to be some days so did not want to ruin our friendship and for the first few days I felt responsible for our elderly neighbour whom we have always kept an eye on since her son married and moved away some years ago. Fay because of being a diabetic (insulin dependant) was not coping well so they took her by helicopter to the nearest hospital where her son was able to collect her and take her to his home.
Monday 7th we were able to get into our house and start the big clean up. My daughter, Ruth and soninlaw Michael, came to help along with so many other people - strangers! At one time I had four young Brazilian people in my bedroom helping to move things out.
Tuesday 8th, Ruth and Michael came with the two oldest granddaughters. They cleaned out the bathroom which is a room fully tiled from floor to ceiling. They got it back to looking normal and useable.
The things we could keep like saucepans, cutlery, crockery were all washed and what we want to keep are stored with other things we were able to keep in our large shed which is securely lockable. Of course we lost all electrical items which included Ken's woodwork equipment which all went out with the rubbish in the street last Saturday. The shed is lower than the house so the water went to the just below the roof. With the house it went to the window sill so in my pantry and linen cupboard everything well above the water was saved. I had a basket of washed clothes on top of a set of drawers in the bedroom and it did not fall into the water so my daughter took those home and washed them so we still have some of our clothes so it was a good thing I had not got around to doing the ironing ( which I do no like doing). I did pack two bags of clothes quickly before we evacuated.
The house is unliveable as the floors are made of particle board which has swollen and will eventually fall apart. The walls are gyprock which are all swollen.
We are now having 9 nights in the unit my daughter owns in Byron Bay at a resort. Last night was our first but we still did not sleep well as there is so much going on in our minds. We do not have the money to fix the house. Tomorrow ( Wednesday) we will be having a family conference with Ruth and Michael to discuss what we can do. Our insurance possibly will not pay much as we could not afford to pay the premium for flood cover which is the same for most of those living in our little town.
Ruth hired a laptop so I can do some emailing and also complete forms etc for the help the government are giving.
I hope to one day again own possibly only a laptop so I can get back into digital scrapbooking as all my paper craft items and sewing fabrics, crochet cottons etc. were destroyed in the flood.
I miss you all. We are trusting in our Lord, God to go before us in all decisions we are making.
My husband and I evacuated to the centre set up in our town when the water reached the second top step to our home. Walking to the car which we parked in the centre of the street holding bags of clothing etc above my head with water up to the tops of my legs was not easy.
About three quarters of our town's house had water in them - some worse than others.
We moved from the evacuation centre on Sunday 6th to stay with our bachelor friend. He had offered from the start but we knew it was going to be some days so did not want to ruin our friendship and for the first few days I felt responsible for our elderly neighbour whom we have always kept an eye on since her son married and moved away some years ago. Fay because of being a diabetic (insulin dependant) was not coping well so they took her by helicopter to the nearest hospital where her son was able to collect her and take her to his home.
Monday 7th we were able to get into our house and start the big clean up. My daughter, Ruth and soninlaw Michael, came to help along with so many other people - strangers! At one time I had four young Brazilian people in my bedroom helping to move things out.
Tuesday 8th, Ruth and Michael came with the two oldest granddaughters. They cleaned out the bathroom which is a room fully tiled from floor to ceiling. They got it back to looking normal and useable.
The things we could keep like saucepans, cutlery, crockery were all washed and what we want to keep are stored with other things we were able to keep in our large shed which is securely lockable. Of course we lost all electrical items which included Ken's woodwork equipment which all went out with the rubbish in the street last Saturday. The shed is lower than the house so the water went to the just below the roof. With the house it went to the window sill so in my pantry and linen cupboard everything well above the water was saved. I had a basket of washed clothes on top of a set of drawers in the bedroom and it did not fall into the water so my daughter took those home and washed them so we still have some of our clothes so it was a good thing I had not got around to doing the ironing ( which I do no like doing). I did pack two bags of clothes quickly before we evacuated.
The house is unliveable as the floors are made of particle board which has swollen and will eventually fall apart. The walls are gyprock which are all swollen.
We are now having 9 nights in the unit my daughter owns in Byron Bay at a resort. Last night was our first but we still did not sleep well as there is so much going on in our minds. We do not have the money to fix the house. Tomorrow ( Wednesday) we will be having a family conference with Ruth and Michael to discuss what we can do. Our insurance possibly will not pay much as we could not afford to pay the premium for flood cover which is the same for most of those living in our little town.
Ruth hired a laptop so I can do some emailing and also complete forms etc for the help the government are giving.
I hope to one day again own possibly only a laptop so I can get back into digital scrapbooking as all my paper craft items and sewing fabrics, crochet cottons etc. were destroyed in the flood.
I miss you all. We are trusting in our Lord, God to go before us in all decisions we are making.
