Blowing Down The House

I cleaned the cottage to within an inch of its life on Monday and then late Tuesday the winds came. And it blowed and blowed and REALLY blowed. Gusts of 130kms reported on the Takapau plans and I think it was as just as bad here. At 3am Wednesday I switched on the radio hoping it would drown out some of the worst sounds but of course it couldn't stop the house shaking. At 5am I could hear the tack shed roof banging. Went out and saw that the wooden palette I'd had weighing it down had blown twenty feet away and was lying under the clothes line! Hoisted it back up there bursting my Foo Foo Valve in the process and then had to go back out there ten minutes later as it had moved again. Weighing it down with an additional rock seemed to do the trick.

In the morning there were branches all over the lawn (great kindling) plus one of my pot plants had been moved along the path and a small ornament in it had broken. The big storm was the major topic of conversation at art group with nearly everyone tired after being awake all night. Then the rain came and so straight after lunch there was a mass exodus of people wanting to get home. On our way back Gaye slowed down to show me how a tree had fallen over in her front yard. We arrived here in heavy rain and I came straight inside and lit the fire.

All this has not good news for the organisers of the Hawkes Bay Show which began yesterday. Apparently one Tiko resident who was driving there at 4am to set up his stand had to stop for a tree which had fallen across the road. Not to be deterred he pulled out a chainsaw and cut it up so he could get past! Yep that's a kiwi male for you. Have chainsaw, will travel.

Today is rainy and cold so I will be inside making my first attempt at baking in many years. Been given a great recipe for chocolate crunch and if it works out I'll be taking some of it to portraiture class tomorrow. If it doesn't a veil will be pulled across the whole incident and it will never be mentioned again!