Wind in the Willows

Last week Saturday 24th January it was blustery - I mean REALLY blustery.

Wouter already checked the meteo (weather) on the internet - alert rouge for us - we didn't know what it really meant but rouge means danger in any language. As I started to write this story I took some screen shots of the metvuw forecasts for the next 24 hours and it didn't look too good at all.

After one storm there was supposed to be another heading our way, which looked much worse than the first.

We closed all the shutters on the north and western sides of the house - amazing how much more protection they give against heat loss and preventing the treacherous wind coming in. Then the power went off - no surprise given the wind outside, so we just shrugged shoulders and decided to do some tiling by candlelight - this was a new experience for both of us. The power remained off, which was also no surprise but towards the end of the day I started to wonder how long it would continue.

Take a look at the weather pattern which was forecast for Saturday and beyond. We had no idea at that stage what was still to come, and looking at the forecast it seemed we would get storm number two shortly after. I guess you could compare it to a bad day in Wellington!

we're in there somewhere

storm number 2 which missed us

(still Saturday 24th) The power returned around 5:30pm and is still a bit shaky which reminds me of a couple of stories from both our childhoods.

Wouter grew up in Indonesia, and there they had no power at all. The ice man would call once a week in his truck to deliver a large block of ice for the ice-box to keep perishable foods cool. They used kerosene (lampu templek) lamps attached to the walls and oil filled tilly lamps or candles for lighting in the evenings.

By comparison I grew up with electricity - then, as much as now, we were quite dependent on it. I remember that the government introduced power saving which lasted a couple of winters but as I was so young I don't recall the reasons behind it all. Once a week on a Sunday afternoon for a few weeks between about 1pm and 5pm there would be power cuts (not 100% certain on the times but they were for 4 hours) - I also don't remember if they were country wide but guess they must have been.

In our house we would eat lunch (we called it 'dinner' because it was our main meal of the day) and then my mother would make a thermos, the fire would be stoked up, there would be blankets for us to wrap around ourselves if the small fire was insufficient (which it invariably was). For 4 hours we would all sit in our 'living room' and about half way would have a cup of tea - that marvellous British drink that seems to make everything better! If the world is falling in you can hear the British saying - let's have a cup of tea.... We would also sometimes have fire toast - that is, toast made on a fork over the open fire - just like caveman used to do.

I imagine our parents concerns were to keep us warm and free from danger during those times. For us it meant boredom as we were only allowed out of the room to use the toilet. I honestly can't remember what we did in those 4 hours, apart from tea and toast, but I guess we would sing as this is one thing we seemed to do everywhere!

our cypresses bending in the wind

Back to our tempestuous storm - we were without power for around 6 hours - more than 1.7 million people in this region had no power. The phone lines are still down after 24 hours. The storm raged through south of France and north of Spain - from Bordeaux to Perpignan - the highest wind reading was 184kph at Perpignan. Our neighbour had some roof tiles blown off and was out during the storm trying to rectify the situation. Our trees on the western boundary were bowing and bending - we thought it was marvellous that none of them broke.

Today it is absolutely glorious weather and we have been out surveying the damage - a few fallen trees around, but luckily not too much other visible damage. We met our mayor on the reserve this morning also surveying the area.

the reserve

wouldn't want to get in there

the flood was higher earlier in the day

beside the path we usually walk with Cassy

the day after - note the grass on the side still facing sideways

More updates - supermarkets and stores are running out of potable water - luckily and being a former girl guide (yes, folks!) a couple of weeks ago I suggested we get in a 5 litre bottle of still water and we already have some fizzy water - just in case. Luckily again we haven't had to use ours, but it just goes to show you never know when you will need those things.

Monday - Phone lines are still down, meaning no internet either. Heaps of transmitters are out, so we have had limited tv channels too - we don't mind as it's a good thing we have power at all. The weather is a bit blustery again today but not half as bad as Saturday.

Friday 30th Jan we have telephone and internet restored - I must say that we were both having withdrawal symptoms! For us the Internet is very important to keep up with our friends and family as well as daily news. We are very happy. But, there are still people in the area without power and phone and must be having an awful time because the weather has just turned cold - an easterly with Siberian-type wind (that is, wind with an icy blast to it) has just come in. We all look forward to a nice spring day with lambs leaping and daffodils flowering.....