1st – It was my day off but Shaye rang in sick so off I went to work. The tropical low off the coast was bringing some rain and wind.
The wind picked up as the outer edge of the low came closer to Cairns. Steve decided to put the camper back on the truck and park it on the street again – away from trees that may fall on the hillside. Luckily he can put it on and off easily.
We had a wet and windy day at work and it was quite wet and blustery when I went to leave to we cut a hole in a garbage bag to get out to our cars as an umbrella would just blow inside out!
A big tree went down in the school grounds – lovely big tree but not a good root system so with wet ground and a bit of wind down it went. Apparently that was happening across Cairns.
Got home to no power in the house (it went off after lunch) and apparently across Cairns. Steve got out 1ka generator out and leads so he could run the fridge and Mum’s TV and a light. He put it on about 5pm to help the fridge and so Mum could watch the news. No mention on the news about why we had lost power – so much for the local news!
The low continued to move north-east which was good as they predict it to turn into a cyclone later.
I emptied 40mm out of the rain gauge which was hanging sidewards so not a good indication of how much had fallen.
Steve checked on the carpet snake downstairs but it had disappeared – I hope back up into the scrub on the hill.
Light rain in the night and still no power.
2nd – Light rain in the morning as I headed into work. Lots of leaf debris over the road from yesterday’s wind. Apparently there are 40,000 households without power but still no mention of why and when it will be restored on the news. The school is on the hospital grid so we were all good at work – sadly from the student’s point of view. Mind you the eftpos had a hard time getting signal which made life difficult.
Back home I emptied 50mm out of the rain gauge – we don’t notice the rain at work but it must have been raining well up here.
The low is now a cyclone and heading away from the coast taking the wind and rain with it that goodness.
5pm – yeah the power is back on. Jon had dropped in early in the day with their frozen food as they didn’t have power in Kanimbla or a generator. He and Annalise called in to pick it back up as their power returned half hour before us. Linda had gone out and bought a generator just in case.
Valerie texted so say they had power again so cross-stitch was on at her place. I headed over after dinner and we had a nice evening chatting and I started my new project.
3rd – Only a couple of misty showers so Steve put the camper back up the back while I was at work.
We had noticed one of the other actuators on the website had rubber covers to provide better waterproofing so we bought some and Steve stretched them over ours then put some silicon around the top as well. The actuators had water in them from yesterday’s rain so hopefully this will solve the problem. The company was good with the replacement but they need to upgrade their IP rating which states ours are water and dust resistant!
4th – Weather clearer today though it is quite hot and muggy.
Steve had picked up the vinyl surround for the pop-top off Francis after he had modified it. Hope this solves the water issues we had in Woodgate. I helped Steve put it in place then he will do the painstaking job of pushing the black rubber into place to hold it all together.
Rebecca called in for a cuppa and chat.
5th – Full day at work today then I attended a meeting about changes we want to see happen for the Tuckshop – we need a bigger one!
Jon texted that settlement has been finalised and he and Annalise are now the proud owners of the house in Kanimbla. The painters are nearly finished giving it a freshen-up so they will be able to start moving in over the weekend. So exciting for them. We will go over Sunday afternoon with a bottle of bubbly to celebrate.
Found this nasty fellow on the bath mat in the shower room. So glad I found it and not Mum in the night in the shower!!
Steve finished the vinyl surround – very neat too. We will buy some bees wax to rub on the stitching to make sure it is all waterproof.
6th – The first flowers have bloomed on the Rose of Sharon. Hot and sticky day with storm clouds building on the hills but no rain.
I cleaned out some more things from Dad’s office and found some old Tourist booklets from early and late 1960s of Cairns. So interesting to compare to now. There is a Facebook page – ‘When you grew up in Cairns then and now’ so I uploaded some photos onto that.
View over Trinity Wharf, Cairns city to the mountains.
Aerial view of cane fields and Mt Whitfield with Cairns on far right.
Tinaroo Dam.
Ian had rung to see if Steve was free to play cards with the boys tonight. Great for him to get out with his mates, Ian, Paul, Louis, Steve F and his brother Brian.
7th – Steve had a good night with the guys though they don’t chat much like us girls when we are a cross-stitch. They just play cards and Steve plays a bit left field for them so it was interesting.
Sunny day with still a few clouds around and quite warm and muggy.
Greg came over early to cook dinner here so we could have drinks at Jon and Annalise’s new home to celebrate their big purchase. It is up the road from our old house – Jon just loved the area and wanted to stay in it. Mum was sad she can’t go and see it but I took lots of photos for her. We are very excited for them both though they now have the responsibility of a big mortgage but luckily interest rates as very low. It is a fabulous home, 12 years old and built by a well-respected builder and it has a fabulous view. We can even see Green Island though trees block the view of the main city centre.
The shed needs a roller door etc and there is room in front for us to park, when we are home for visits.
One of the selling points was the gym behind the garage – and the vendor included the gym gear so Jon was sold.
They have bought a new dining suite and lounge.
We joined the others on the front verandah for drinks and nibbles. Annalise and Jon are very happy and looking forward to many years here with hopefully a couple of kids too but they assure me marriage will be first!!
Jon’s first job will be to put up more fencing so the dogs can move in too as they are still at Linda’s for the moment.
12th – Full week of work for me on Bay 1 and today was Red Day where we can sell softdrink and chocolates to the students as well as they have free dress day as a fundraiser for the Student Council. A very busy day for us when the doors open!
13th – Steve headed down to Daniel’s workplace to help/watch him make our watertank/steps for the camper.
Karen, our back neighbour, popped over with her cat on a lead. She said the big python (probably the one we had here) attacked it but Claude heard the cat cry out and managed to rescue it. I remember hearing the cat scream and then seeing Claude running down to his office downstairs and getting the cat when we were sitting outside having a cuppa one day. We just thought it got stuck somewhere. Poor kitty is very frightened now and they can’t let it out of the house unless it is on a lead. Will have to keep an eye out and try to get it relocated. Claude does ‘snake’ patrols each evening – I still use a torch just in case it wriggles by again.
Daniel sent a photo of the water tank – impressive. He is so good at his job. Now he just has to weld it together.
After lunch Steve finished off the door under the stove so it all looks nice and neat now. Waiting on the sheets of fibreglass so he can finish the overhead cupboard doors on both sides – amazing cost to freight it up from Brisbane!
14th – Steve went over to Jon’s to help him put up the fences so the dogs, Bandit and Stella, can move in with them.
15th – Thinking of Rick today as he has another back surgery. Hope it all goes well and he recovers quickly.
Paul called in with some old photos of Chellingworth Garage’s (where Steve did his motor mechanical apprenticeship) speedway race car, hoping Steve could put names to faces in the picture. He got a few then we sent it to Mick Eakin and he filled in a few more.
17th – Day off work today. We decided to try an office chair for the camper rather than the car seat creation Steve made in the caravan. It was on sale through Bunnings so we ordered one to try it out. With the walls on each side of the seating area now we have a more confined space but the chair fitted well (with the arms removed – Steve silicone the cap back on hence the tape) and we can swivel and it tilts back for when we are watching TV. It is also a lot lighter than our car seat creation.
Roald & Joan joined us for dinner after his surprise birthday holiday at Mt Mulligan Lodge. Tracy came too with Greg so we had a great time catching up.
20th – Daniel welded up the water tank/steps. We put it in position for some photos then Steve will connect up the pipework etc. Looks great and it will hold about 110 litres of water. We will put vinyl or carpet on the steps eventually.
Rick is still in hospital after his back operation so Steve popped up to see him.
22nd – Steve has being finishing off a few jobs on the camper. He put board across the bottom of the steps/water tank and sealed along the edge on the left side. The board will stop it moving forward as on the right side it is open so he can get to the inlet and vent pipes. Smart cookie.
He bent up some aluminium when he was down the workshop with Daniel to protect the two newer actuators on the side of the camper – just in case he gets too close to a tree etc.
There are lots of little fiddly jobs he has done too - like make boards for the under the feet, caps for the ends of pipes and hinged door on the outside water pipe guard so he can get to the water fill-up pipe easily.
The office chair works well with the handles off. Will make up a strap to secure them when we are travelling. The second one is on its way so I will buy some seat covers for them.
24th – At last the fibreglass panel has arrived so Steve can finish off the cupboards and drawer doors. The other office chair arrived too so I went out and bought some seat covers to protect them as they are made of ‘fake leather’. Got some with memory foam to make them more comfortable.
Greg over for dinner so we met Susan, Ross, Christine & Richard for dinner at Cazallys. Had a great time chatting and eating – big meals. Got my birthday bonus of $5 for the pokies which disappeared pretty quickly but then I put in another dollar and won $8.50 so all good.
25th – Woke at 1.11am to thunder, lightning and rain which got heavier.
75mm in the rain gauge this morning.
Rang Kaylene to get the update on Rick. Still having wound issues so they might have to take him back to surgery – poor Rick.
26th – Rebecca’s birthday today, wished her all the best. She is 20 years less 1 week younger than me!
I put the seat covers on our chairs. Steve put in the panel behind the seats where we will store our long-life milk, my Sodastream and other bits and pieces.
He has installed the two fans above each chair and is working on the doors for the overhead cupboards so all the cupboards and drawers will be finished for our Easter escape.
Visit Rebecca T – sore ankle slowly improving.
27th – Steve put the fronts on the clothing drawers – 3 each.
Then he finished off the overhead cupboards on the kitchen side.
The orchids are putting on a lovely display.
28th – Drizzly wet day which cooled things down as it has been so hot and humid for the past few days.
Steve finished did one cupboard door above the dining table – now waiting on more aluminium angle to finish off the other one. The company ordered two but only one length arrived!! We worked out where to put the dividers in the drawers so he put them in too. Put up some hooks here and there for me. Starting to feel like a home now.
He will have all the inside done by Easter so I can fill up the cupboards and drawers ready for our week away.
In the afternoon Steve went up to visit Rick who is still in hospital after the surgeon had to go back in to fix a bleed – poor Rick.
The heavens opened up with some heavy rain about 5pm which continued into the night.
29th – Emptied nearly 2 inches of water out of the rain gauge from last night.
Co-Vid is striking again – Greater Brisbane in a 3 day lock down as more cases appear so the whole state has to wear masks now. Will see if we have to at school tomorrow.
Steve finishing off bits and pieces in the camper in between caring for Mum and Dad.
30th – Very windy afternoon then a shower of rain.
31st – Steve put the last doors on the overhead cupboards.
Stopped in for a cuppa with Rebecca after work. They are postponing their trip to WA due to the CoVid outbreak as WA has closed its borders to all of the Queensland. Still not safe enough to plan any trips yet till they get everyone vaccinated!
Poor Rick is still in hospital – now with an infection in his wound so he has to have antibiotics for a long time.
Lots of wind about before more rain in the afternoon.
Great night playing cards after dinner with Mum, Greg and Tracy. Dad enjoyed watching his David Attenborough documentary.
