It has been over a week since I last blogged and time has started to pass quite quickly once again. I still have moments when I miss Margaret but the pain of her last few days is gradually fading.
I now realise that up until a few weeks ago that i was suffering from depression or post traumatic stress both of which I used to consider things which only affect weak people. Boy have I changed my mind. I never want to go back to the way i was in December and early January when I just got through each day with no real enthusiasm or purpose in life. I think MOW has helped and the terrible Queensland floods gave a wake up concerning my condition.
I have made a decision to stay in my present house for the foreseeable future and to that end have commenced improving the place. First I have just had solar power panels placed on the roof of the garage which luckily faces north and gets full sun for most of the day. Soon they will be feeding energy back into the grid during the day and I will draw energy from the grid at night. At present I will be paid four times the normal cost of power for the energy fed to the grid. This means that if I limit my main power consumption to after sunset I will actually end up paying nothing for my electricity if I ignore the capital cost of the panels.
Sunset here is between 5.30pm in mid winter until about 6.45pm in mid summer. I shall now cook my evening meal a little later and do my washing after dinner. I can still use my shower and other hot water requirements when I want without upsetting my money grabbing scheme as I have already got a solar hot water service.
The special meter which determines the final balance still has to be installed.
Last Thursday I made my third MOW delivery round. As I was now an "experienced" volunteer I turned up just before 11.00am and parked my car in the queue. I signed in found my brand new name card and pinned it on before grabbing a coffee and cake. I chatted to the other volunteers and 11.15am we began to load up. I was about fourth in line. Because it was not a Friday I only had simple deliveries to make as there were no frozen meals for the weekend.
I though that this was going to be easy. My first stop on my way back towards Tewantin put an end to that thought. I couldn't find one of my clients' special sweet. I went through the containers several times and in the end gave up and promised to call back in an hour. The couple had their juice, soup and hot meal and he had his normal sweet.
Next I dropped of a normal meal to an American gent from the New England area who somehow or other has ended up in Tewantin! Then it was on to the Riverlands retirement estate where my troubles began. These estates are developed in blocks of units which are numbers sequentially but the blocks are often developed randomly. So while units 1 to 15 were on the left as I went in number 16 was in a totally different area of the estate.
I had not been given the map of the estate just the normal delivery sheets attached to a clipboard. I stopped at the entrance and tried to remember the location of my clients from the map showing the estate layout. I had about 20 different units to visit. I found the first OK and quickly handed over what I thought was a normal lunch. I remembered the second unit location OK and delivered a normal meal to a lady who knew me from when i used to give talks at the local computer club. Then after a visit back to the entrance I was of to my next client who was supposed to have a totally special diet. I found her juice, salad in lieu of soup and special sweet but no main meal! I did find the sweet which wasn't there earlier.
I was in a panic. I knew that I hadn't given it to my first clients but I could have given it to the yank. Again I said that I would be back.
After muddling through the next half dozen deliveries I ended up next to the lady's unit who was missing her dinner. Here I saw my first Riverlands client knocking on her door. He had a hot meal wrapped in a towel. Special meals all have the clients name written on them and being a little brighter than me he noticed this and had hand delivered the meal for me. I thanked him profusely and gave him his normal hot dinner. He thought it was funny but as MOW clients rely of us volunteers for getting the correct meals I was mortified.
I finished the rest of my deliveries without incident and dropped of the special sweet on the was back to the kitchen.
I was back about 12.45pm which wasn't bad. I signed off and grumbled to the other permanent kitchen staff (D was standing in and making a delivery round herself) that I hadn't been given a map of the Riverlands. She took the clipboard and folded it shut showing the map taped to the cover!! I explained that it was all their fault as they had assumed that I was of normal intelligence not an absolute idiot. She agreed that that they would not make the same mistake again. Actually I enjoyed the round. Using the Jazz's boot to store the containers was much more practical.
Apart from that I have been pottering around home and going shopping on my bike most days. On Australia Day I went to J's house for a BBQ with her mother and other friends. J's mother is 92 and was recently pulled over by the police for speeding on the mobility scooter.
Louis has been been bathed and clipped and is looking beautiful. I'll try and get him to pose for a photo before he gets all messed up again.
I have also resurrected my old web page. There is not much there yet but I will be adding more data in a few days. The Edwards/Commerfords may find the Remembrance Day page interesting.
https://sites.google.com/site/marbrisite/Home
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
What a Difference a Week Makes
I have just got home after taking Louis for his early morning walk. It is already over 27C (80F+) and the humidity is 85%. The continuous rain has gone to be replaced by the more normal afternoon thunder storm. All roads in the Sunshine Coast are clear of flooding but there has been millions of dollars damage to the road surfaces which we will pick up in increased council rates. Fortunately the Sunshine Coast had very few house inundations but a few houses have been affected by landslides making them uninhabitable.
The rains eased last Wednesday and apart from a few short thunderstorm showers things have been able to dry out. All in all we we lucky with major flooding both north and south of the Coast but lust a few streets actually on the Coast.
Our parks have dried out enough to take Louis in them without him coming home covered in mud.
Last Thursday I was able to take my folding bike through partially flooded roads to Noosaville and Noosa Junction to do my weekly shop for non perishables. The lower rack and the plastic crate make it ideal to carry all my normal shopping and a small handlebar bag carries my tools and spare inner tube.
Since then I have used the bike on any occasion where I really don't have to use my car.
One of those occasions was last Friday when I did my my first MOWs run flying solo. I arrived early, about 10.30am, and parked as far along the drive way outside the MOW kitchen as possible. I signed in for insurance purposes. Volunteers are covered by liability and personal injury insurance. My name card had still not been printed.
As other volunteer drivers arrived I introduced myself as they were nearly all different from my trial run and we had a cup of coffee or tea with some cake to keep us going to out late lunch.
Just after 11.00am the MOW manager, chief cook and organiser, D, called out. "Who's first." I didn't realise that as I was first in the queue of cars that I was and there was some good humoured banter that I had only come for the cake.
D explained the run for me which was totally different to last week and also much longer. I would be covering about 40km against 20Km. I loaded the food in four containers into my Honda Jazz behind the front seats. The rear seats flip up and lock . (See http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/modes.aspx) Theoretically this should be more convenient to get at the food for each delivery.
My route was back through Tewantin where I made two deliveries. One was to an old High Set Queenslander. My client was out the back in his shed hand carving little animals out of scrap wood. He asked me to leave his meal in the kitchen of a little flat which he lived in the ground floor under the Queenslander. He offered me a little pig as a gift and as I took it in my hand I thought, "Margaret will love this." then remembered she couldn't so I gave it back. I will apologise to H next month when I see him again.
My next delivery was to a lady living in a unit near my GP's surgery then on to several houses in the residential suburbs on the outskirts of Tewantin.
By now I realised that putting the food behind the front seats was not a good idea as I had to walk around the car to get to the far containers. This was a Friday run so some clients had frozen meals for two days over the weekend. I would load my basket with their hot soup from one container, their hot meal from another, their cold fruit juice and sweet from another, special requirements meals from another and finally frozen food from the last one. Two clients , a couple, had eleven items each. Trotting from side to side of the car loading the basket, ticking off the items as they were loaded plus bending over to get at them soon had me exhausted. This week the containers will be boot where I can stand up straight and reach all the food from one spot.
My run include the caravan park mentioned last week and extended up Mount Timbeerwah along a road below the summit to deliver food the a stroke survivor. Here I was to pour his soup in his mug and open his main meal. He could make his own way to the table to eat. Today he had been a bit unwell and his daughter was there to assist him. I also meant that I could introduce myself so he would recognise me neat month.
Then it was back down the hill to Noosa Parklands where my house is located. I made several deliveries here including two to people who knew me from walking Louis passed their homes.
I got back to the MOW kitchen at 1.15pm, returned the containers and signed off. Because of my unfamiliarity with the run and my loading difficulties I was last back by a minute or so but within reasonable time. My last delivery was 1.00pm which is when the clients start phoning D asking where their meals are!
I was very satisfied with my first solo effort and felt that I had done something useful.
D said that this week's run is much shorter and is entirely within the Riverlands Retirement Village but as there is no rhyme or reason to the numbering of the units I would be provided with a special map. Riverlands is next door to the Noosa Nursing Centre where Margaret died and Helen and I often took Margaret for walks in her wheelchair nearby.
Since then I have been busy tidying up the garden and house but still finding time to go for a ride most days.
Today I am putting in an application for a new Passport which means a special interview at the Tewantin Post Office at 10.30am. Later this afternoon I shall attend the first meeting for 2011 of the Sunshine Coast Computer Club meetin for the northern area at Yandina.
The rains eased last Wednesday and apart from a few short thunderstorm showers things have been able to dry out. All in all we we lucky with major flooding both north and south of the Coast but lust a few streets actually on the Coast.
Our parks have dried out enough to take Louis in them without him coming home covered in mud.
Last Thursday I was able to take my folding bike through partially flooded roads to Noosaville and Noosa Junction to do my weekly shop for non perishables. The lower rack and the plastic crate make it ideal to carry all my normal shopping and a small handlebar bag carries my tools and spare inner tube.
One of those occasions was last Friday when I did my my first MOWs run flying solo. I arrived early, about 10.30am, and parked as far along the drive way outside the MOW kitchen as possible. I signed in for insurance purposes. Volunteers are covered by liability and personal injury insurance. My name card had still not been printed.
As other volunteer drivers arrived I introduced myself as they were nearly all different from my trial run and we had a cup of coffee or tea with some cake to keep us going to out late lunch.
Just after 11.00am the MOW manager, chief cook and organiser, D, called out. "Who's first." I didn't realise that as I was first in the queue of cars that I was and there was some good humoured banter that I had only come for the cake.
D explained the run for me which was totally different to last week and also much longer. I would be covering about 40km against 20Km. I loaded the food in four containers into my Honda Jazz behind the front seats. The rear seats flip up and lock . (See http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/modes.aspx) Theoretically this should be more convenient to get at the food for each delivery.
My route was back through Tewantin where I made two deliveries. One was to an old High Set Queenslander. My client was out the back in his shed hand carving little animals out of scrap wood. He asked me to leave his meal in the kitchen of a little flat which he lived in the ground floor under the Queenslander. He offered me a little pig as a gift and as I took it in my hand I thought, "Margaret will love this." then remembered she couldn't so I gave it back. I will apologise to H next month when I see him again.
My next delivery was to a lady living in a unit near my GP's surgery then on to several houses in the residential suburbs on the outskirts of Tewantin.
By now I realised that putting the food behind the front seats was not a good idea as I had to walk around the car to get to the far containers. This was a Friday run so some clients had frozen meals for two days over the weekend. I would load my basket with their hot soup from one container, their hot meal from another, their cold fruit juice and sweet from another, special requirements meals from another and finally frozen food from the last one. Two clients , a couple, had eleven items each. Trotting from side to side of the car loading the basket, ticking off the items as they were loaded plus bending over to get at them soon had me exhausted. This week the containers will be boot where I can stand up straight and reach all the food from one spot.
My run include the caravan park mentioned last week and extended up Mount Timbeerwah along a road below the summit to deliver food the a stroke survivor. Here I was to pour his soup in his mug and open his main meal. He could make his own way to the table to eat. Today he had been a bit unwell and his daughter was there to assist him. I also meant that I could introduce myself so he would recognise me neat month.
Then it was back down the hill to Noosa Parklands where my house is located. I made several deliveries here including two to people who knew me from walking Louis passed their homes.
I got back to the MOW kitchen at 1.15pm, returned the containers and signed off. Because of my unfamiliarity with the run and my loading difficulties I was last back by a minute or so but within reasonable time. My last delivery was 1.00pm which is when the clients start phoning D asking where their meals are!
I was very satisfied with my first solo effort and felt that I had done something useful.
D said that this week's run is much shorter and is entirely within the Riverlands Retirement Village but as there is no rhyme or reason to the numbering of the units I would be provided with a special map. Riverlands is next door to the Noosa Nursing Centre where Margaret died and Helen and I often took Margaret for walks in her wheelchair nearby.
Since then I have been busy tidying up the garden and house but still finding time to go for a ride most days.
Today I am putting in an application for a new Passport which means a special interview at the Tewantin Post Office at 10.30am. Later this afternoon I shall attend the first meeting for 2011 of the Sunshine Coast Computer Club meetin for the northern area at Yandina.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
An Update From Soggy Tewantin
I live in the Sunshine Coast Regional Council Area and at present one wonders how it got its name.
Since last Friday it has been raining most of the time. When I signed off on Sunday I said that we had had 30mm of rain by 9.00am by 9.00am the following day it was over 200mm. Monday had another 150mm and Tuesday another 180mm.
In the local area this has caused some road closures but nothing life threatening. This link shows photos taken yesterday on the Sunshine Coast. Any references to Hilton Terrace Tewantin show the area most affected near me.
I have mainly stayed at home except for taking Louis for his walk. At times it has been impossible to get into our parks because the foot bridges have been under water as the local creeks flood. The creeks rise very quickly and go down reasonably fast as well. Today Louis had a good run with J's dogs Paws and Shelly and came home covered in mud,
Yesterday I decided to file the application to change the deeds to the house from joint names to my name only. It is normal to to get a solicitor to do this but as only one form is required plus identification as the surviving joint owner and a certified death certificate I decided to file the application myself. The Queensland Government's local Business Centre is in Nambour which is also the administrative centre for the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and about 40km south of Tewantin.
The weather was awful so I decided to take the 8.55am bus which leaves from near the Bougainvillea Caravan Park about 1km from my house. I had to use my umbrella as it was beginning to rain heavily and packed my raincoat in my backpack.
The bus was unusually crowded as there were several people using the bus to connect with a train to Brisbane. This bus is a stopper and goes through Cooroy, Eumundi and Yandina before getting to Nambour. By the time we got there it was absolutely pouring with rain. We got of at Nambour Railway Station where the train passengers we told that the service to Brisbane had been cancelled and that the main highway south to Brisbane had also been closed!
The Titles Office was adjacent to the Station and accessible by a covered walkway. Filing the forms took ten minutes and the transfer should have been completed within an hour but the relevant officer had just been called home by his wife to help with preventing their home being flooded.
I had a coffee and went to catch the 11.00am bus back home. By now the Station area was a bit chaotic. One bus driver had been told that he couldn't go on to Cairns but he also could not return to Brisbane. Somehow he had got rid of his passengers but was stuck with his bus which was illegally parked in the the Transport Centre. With typical local humour he suggested that they arrest him and at least he weould have a bed for the night.
The bus back to Noosa was running late and when we got away at 11.15am the driver said that there was no guaranty that we would make it back. Actually apart from having to ford a creek at Eumundi and some surface water across the Cooroy Road we had no trouble until we dropped of the range to Tewantin. Here all traffic was being diverted down Beckmans Road a few hundred metres before my stop. The driver let me off at the intersection and I had to paddle through water well over my shoes to get back to where I had started. By now I needed my umbrella and raincoat and even then arrived home like a drowned rat.
At home my back garden was completely under water. About 6.00pm, in the middle of torrential rain, the water had completely covered my back patio and was within a couple of centimetres of flooding my garage which is set down about 100mm from the main house. I opened the side gates to increase the water flow from the back garden to the front where it could run down the Rise and away from my house. It was a near thing and I was glad when the rain eased and I could relax.
This morning is is not raining but more showers are forecast later. My patio is clear of water but has a nice layer of muddy silt across it.
At present there are no warnings out for my area.
Brisbane is going under as I type.
Since last Friday it has been raining most of the time. When I signed off on Sunday I said that we had had 30mm of rain by 9.00am by 9.00am the following day it was over 200mm. Monday had another 150mm and Tuesday another 180mm.
In the local area this has caused some road closures but nothing life threatening. This link shows photos taken yesterday on the Sunshine Coast. Any references to Hilton Terrace Tewantin show the area most affected near me.
I have mainly stayed at home except for taking Louis for his walk. At times it has been impossible to get into our parks because the foot bridges have been under water as the local creeks flood. The creeks rise very quickly and go down reasonably fast as well. Today Louis had a good run with J's dogs Paws and Shelly and came home covered in mud,
Yesterday I decided to file the application to change the deeds to the house from joint names to my name only. It is normal to to get a solicitor to do this but as only one form is required plus identification as the surviving joint owner and a certified death certificate I decided to file the application myself. The Queensland Government's local Business Centre is in Nambour which is also the administrative centre for the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and about 40km south of Tewantin.
The weather was awful so I decided to take the 8.55am bus which leaves from near the Bougainvillea Caravan Park about 1km from my house. I had to use my umbrella as it was beginning to rain heavily and packed my raincoat in my backpack.
The bus was unusually crowded as there were several people using the bus to connect with a train to Brisbane. This bus is a stopper and goes through Cooroy, Eumundi and Yandina before getting to Nambour. By the time we got there it was absolutely pouring with rain. We got of at Nambour Railway Station where the train passengers we told that the service to Brisbane had been cancelled and that the main highway south to Brisbane had also been closed!
The Titles Office was adjacent to the Station and accessible by a covered walkway. Filing the forms took ten minutes and the transfer should have been completed within an hour but the relevant officer had just been called home by his wife to help with preventing their home being flooded.
I had a coffee and went to catch the 11.00am bus back home. By now the Station area was a bit chaotic. One bus driver had been told that he couldn't go on to Cairns but he also could not return to Brisbane. Somehow he had got rid of his passengers but was stuck with his bus which was illegally parked in the the Transport Centre. With typical local humour he suggested that they arrest him and at least he weould have a bed for the night.
The bus back to Noosa was running late and when we got away at 11.15am the driver said that there was no guaranty that we would make it back. Actually apart from having to ford a creek at Eumundi and some surface water across the Cooroy Road we had no trouble until we dropped of the range to Tewantin. Here all traffic was being diverted down Beckmans Road a few hundred metres before my stop. The driver let me off at the intersection and I had to paddle through water well over my shoes to get back to where I had started. By now I needed my umbrella and raincoat and even then arrived home like a drowned rat.
At home my back garden was completely under water. About 6.00pm, in the middle of torrential rain, the water had completely covered my back patio and was within a couple of centimetres of flooding my garage which is set down about 100mm from the main house. I opened the side gates to increase the water flow from the back garden to the front where it could run down the Rise and away from my house. It was a near thing and I was glad when the rain eased and I could relax.
This morning is is not raining but more showers are forecast later. My patio is clear of water but has a nice layer of muddy silt across it.
At present there are no warnings out for my area.
Brisbane is going under as I type.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Will it Ever Stop Raining in SE Queensland?
It has been a very wet week but an interesting one.
I phoned the Meals On Wheels (MOW) manager last Tuesday to volunteer my services as a driver a few times a month and we arranged to meet on Wednesday afternoon. After filling in the application form and producing a valid driving license I was allocated three runs on the first and second Fridays of the month and the third Thursday as these were using emergency drivers at the time. I was also listed as an on call emergency driver . It was arranged that I should tag along with the emergency driver and her helper on Friday to get the hang of things before being turned loose on my own.
Friday started a a drizzly, dreary day as I turned up at the MOW kitchen at 10.45am. Deliveries are made between 11.30am and 1.00am so the runs are limited to between 15 and 20 homes. I was introduced to several other volunteers as they had a cup of tea or coffee and some cake as we would all be having a late lunch. At 10.00am they began loading up their cars.
Each driver as a list of clients and their addresses in their delivery order. Each client normally receives a fruit juice, a tub of hot soup, a hot main meal, a sweet and a newspaper if required. They can change this within certain constrictions. For instance one client has a sandwich instead of the soup an has a frozen main course which they can heat up later. Another has a sweet specially prepared for a Diabetic. This means that the driver can have a complex list to follow.
My driver, J, arrived last and because she had a helper , G, and her back seeat was full of other things couldn't give me a lift so I followed behind in my little Honda Jazz. J had a Land Rover 4WD and was easy to follow.
As we set out the heavens opened. Over the next hour and a bit we had 50mm (about 2 inches) of rain. At each stop G would hop out and go to the 4WD boot and load up his delivery basket as J called out the contents. I accompanied him as he made the deliveries and there were some surprises.
The first was to the reception of a rather nice resort where two of our clients live. We didn't get to see them as the Resorts Receptionist call a porter to deliver the meals to their unit. Apparently they are quite disabled and unable to care for themselves but had bought a unit at the resort some time ago.
Next we made three deliveries to a Retirement Village where we got lost. Remember J was an emergency relief driver and this was not one of her normal rounds. Then it was off to Gympie Terrace by the Noosa River which was near flood level. By now G and I were soaked to the skin.
Our next client, a lovely little lady, lives in an apartment with a terrific view over the Noosa River towards the river mouth. Unfortunately she lives in an older style apartment block on the fourth floor and there was no lift. I still have problems with stairs but was OK. She uses a wheely walker to get around and told us that she makes it up and down the forty two steps with difficulties.
The rest of our clients in this area live in little streets off Gympie Terrace. By now the road were running with water and we had to paddle through 100mm (4 inches) of water to get to some of the residences. Most were small units, probably bought as retirement homes some time ago, and the clients are mainly confined to them because of increasing infirmities. At one were arrived at the same time as a Blue Care carer who I knew. He had assisted Margaret in the past.
Finally we made our last delivery to an elderly lady who, herself, had been a MOW volunteer for many years before she had to make use of their services. She is a real Noosa local which is a very rare species and lives in one of the original homes in the areas.
Then it was back to the kitchen to sign off.
I will be on my own this Friday.
Apart from this I had to buy a motorised lawn mower as my grass had grown too high to use the push mower. I actually had a period on Tuesday when I could get out and cut the grass before the rain returned.
Apart from walking Louis and shopping I have been confined to the house. I have taken the opportunity to modify my little folding bikes luggage carrying method.
I had originally fitted a full size rear pannier rack and used pannier bags for shopping. These are really inconvenient so I put back on the small rack provided with the bike and mounted an open crate on it. This will hold a large shopping bag, my lock and my rain coat. I'll post a photo later.
I have just checked the rain fall today. It started raining at 6.00am and Louis and I had a very wet walk. Since then it has continued to rain heavily and by 8.00 we have had over 30mm. It looks like another day in front of the TV. Incidentally they are holding the final round of the Iron Man and Women surf series on Noosa's main beach later this morning which is being televised. We can surf in our little creeks at present!
The Queensland floods are still very bad and the Bruce Highway between Noosa and Gympie, about 40km has been cut.
I phoned the Meals On Wheels (MOW) manager last Tuesday to volunteer my services as a driver a few times a month and we arranged to meet on Wednesday afternoon. After filling in the application form and producing a valid driving license I was allocated three runs on the first and second Fridays of the month and the third Thursday as these were using emergency drivers at the time. I was also listed as an on call emergency driver . It was arranged that I should tag along with the emergency driver and her helper on Friday to get the hang of things before being turned loose on my own.
Friday started a a drizzly, dreary day as I turned up at the MOW kitchen at 10.45am. Deliveries are made between 11.30am and 1.00am so the runs are limited to between 15 and 20 homes. I was introduced to several other volunteers as they had a cup of tea or coffee and some cake as we would all be having a late lunch. At 10.00am they began loading up their cars.
Each driver as a list of clients and their addresses in their delivery order. Each client normally receives a fruit juice, a tub of hot soup, a hot main meal, a sweet and a newspaper if required. They can change this within certain constrictions. For instance one client has a sandwich instead of the soup an has a frozen main course which they can heat up later. Another has a sweet specially prepared for a Diabetic. This means that the driver can have a complex list to follow.
My driver, J, arrived last and because she had a helper , G, and her back seeat was full of other things couldn't give me a lift so I followed behind in my little Honda Jazz. J had a Land Rover 4WD and was easy to follow.
As we set out the heavens opened. Over the next hour and a bit we had 50mm (about 2 inches) of rain. At each stop G would hop out and go to the 4WD boot and load up his delivery basket as J called out the contents. I accompanied him as he made the deliveries and there were some surprises.
The first was to the reception of a rather nice resort where two of our clients live. We didn't get to see them as the Resorts Receptionist call a porter to deliver the meals to their unit. Apparently they are quite disabled and unable to care for themselves but had bought a unit at the resort some time ago.
Next we made three deliveries to a Retirement Village where we got lost. Remember J was an emergency relief driver and this was not one of her normal rounds. Then it was off to Gympie Terrace by the Noosa River which was near flood level. By now G and I were soaked to the skin.
Our next client, a lovely little lady, lives in an apartment with a terrific view over the Noosa River towards the river mouth. Unfortunately she lives in an older style apartment block on the fourth floor and there was no lift. I still have problems with stairs but was OK. She uses a wheely walker to get around and told us that she makes it up and down the forty two steps with difficulties.
The rest of our clients in this area live in little streets off Gympie Terrace. By now the road were running with water and we had to paddle through 100mm (4 inches) of water to get to some of the residences. Most were small units, probably bought as retirement homes some time ago, and the clients are mainly confined to them because of increasing infirmities. At one were arrived at the same time as a Blue Care carer who I knew. He had assisted Margaret in the past.
Finally we made our last delivery to an elderly lady who, herself, had been a MOW volunteer for many years before she had to make use of their services. She is a real Noosa local which is a very rare species and lives in one of the original homes in the areas.
Then it was back to the kitchen to sign off.
I will be on my own this Friday.
Apart from this I had to buy a motorised lawn mower as my grass had grown too high to use the push mower. I actually had a period on Tuesday when I could get out and cut the grass before the rain returned.
Apart from walking Louis and shopping I have been confined to the house. I have taken the opportunity to modify my little folding bikes luggage carrying method.
I had originally fitted a full size rear pannier rack and used pannier bags for shopping. These are really inconvenient so I put back on the small rack provided with the bike and mounted an open crate on it. This will hold a large shopping bag, my lock and my rain coat. I'll post a photo later.
I have just checked the rain fall today. It started raining at 6.00am and Louis and I had a very wet walk. Since then it has continued to rain heavily and by 8.00 we have had over 30mm. It looks like another day in front of the TV. Incidentally they are holding the final round of the Iron Man and Women surf series on Noosa's main beach later this morning which is being televised. We can surf in our little creeks at present!
The Queensland floods are still very bad and the Bruce Highway between Noosa and Gympie, about 40km has been cut.
Monday, January 3, 2011
The Queensland Floods - Putting Life In Perspective.
Since Christmas I have had a few low periods. My normal evening dog walking friend, B, was in Bali. The shops were shut most of the time and it was raining. Life had begun to drag. I spent New Year's Eve on my own probably for the first time ever and actually went to bed at 9.00pm only to be wakened by fireworks at midnight!
A couple of evenings ago I was sitting in my comfortable leather recliner chair, following a good dinner and sipping on a glass of wine watching the TV. They were showing extensive coverage of the Queensland floods. They are devastating.
Queensland is a big state - even bigger than Texas. The floods actually affect an area bigger that Texas. They have been going on for over a week now and some areas are still awaiting the flood peak. They are affecting little towns such as Theodore where the whole population has been evacuated and wont be back home for a week. Bigger towns such as Bundaberg are just beginning to assess the damage. I visited there during my break back in September it was a pleasant town. Now big towns such as Rockhampton , where I waited for a bus a few weeks ago is completely cut off. There are over a dozen rivers in flood and numerous other areas affected.
What we are now beginning to see is the effects of the floods on every day life. Some houses have been completely inundated and are effectively destroyed while others have just a metre of water go through them. These are worse. Most modern homes in Australia are brick vernier. That is they have brick outside walls but the main structure is timber framed with the interior clad with Gyprock which doesn't like being under water. It all has to be stripped our and replaced. So most people are coming home to normal looking homes which are centimetres deep in mud, with ruined belongings and spoilt food in the fridge and to find then unliveable.
As the flooded areas are designated flood plains many are not insured and will rely on charities and Government hand outs to get back on their feet. I wont dwell on their plight but it puts mine in perspective.
I am missing Margaret and I am still traumatised by her terrible death but this is easing but I have a good home, sufficient money to live well, a lovely faithful dog, Louis and good friends and family. I am also intelligent enough to know that it will take time to accept that my life with Margaret is over and to get on with a new life.
The poor people who have lost their homes, personal possessions and in some cases there livelihoods need help and compassion not me!
A couple of evenings ago I was sitting in my comfortable leather recliner chair, following a good dinner and sipping on a glass of wine watching the TV. They were showing extensive coverage of the Queensland floods. They are devastating.
Queensland is a big state - even bigger than Texas. The floods actually affect an area bigger that Texas. They have been going on for over a week now and some areas are still awaiting the flood peak. They are affecting little towns such as Theodore where the whole population has been evacuated and wont be back home for a week. Bigger towns such as Bundaberg are just beginning to assess the damage. I visited there during my break back in September it was a pleasant town. Now big towns such as Rockhampton , where I waited for a bus a few weeks ago is completely cut off. There are over a dozen rivers in flood and numerous other areas affected.
What we are now beginning to see is the effects of the floods on every day life. Some houses have been completely inundated and are effectively destroyed while others have just a metre of water go through them. These are worse. Most modern homes in Australia are brick vernier. That is they have brick outside walls but the main structure is timber framed with the interior clad with Gyprock which doesn't like being under water. It all has to be stripped our and replaced. So most people are coming home to normal looking homes which are centimetres deep in mud, with ruined belongings and spoilt food in the fridge and to find then unliveable.
As the flooded areas are designated flood plains many are not insured and will rely on charities and Government hand outs to get back on their feet. I wont dwell on their plight but it puts mine in perspective.
I am missing Margaret and I am still traumatised by her terrible death but this is easing but I have a good home, sufficient money to live well, a lovely faithful dog, Louis and good friends and family. I am also intelligent enough to know that it will take time to accept that my life with Margaret is over and to get on with a new life.
The poor people who have lost their homes, personal possessions and in some cases there livelihoods need help and compassion not me!
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