That will teach me!

That will teach me – I started to do an entry the other day and thought ummm - life is a bit boring,just plodding on, very uneventful, nothing to say – and then!! Never think life is quiet and uneventful because you never know what’s around the corner…….

Yesterday morning just after 6.30 Peter was shaving – I was drifting in and out of sleep – then BOOM! An explosion, a flash of light, Peter swore and raced out of the bathroom and then once again – BOOM!! Peter was trying to get to the switchboard to turn it of but too late. Being an ex electrical fault man Peter said right away we had an 11kv fault – which is a big one. We were in darkness, the bathroom light smelt burnt. We threw on clothes and went outside. By then the neighbour was heading over towards us. His fence line and grasses were on fire in three different spots. Poor guy has had two recent arson attacks on his fence line and he thought it was another until Peter shone his torch and showed him the fallen wires. Just as well as the neighbour had sacks to put out the fires – he could have been zapped!! The lines stretched right down the road and in places across the farm land. About a kilometer of lines down. Neighbours wife appeared on the scene and quite soon two fire engines pulled up. We went back down to the fires and the several firemen were just standing there looking at them! They couldn’t put them out until the power company gave the ok as the lines could have still been live. (By the time they got the ok the fires had fizzled out!) The next worry was the neighbour’s sheep in the paddock, they had to be moved. That was done and then we drove up to the next neighbours in case they needed help with their stock. They didn’t but had boiled up water on the gas BBQ so we could have coffees (by candlelight). Then a police car pulled up to investigate the fires. Who should get out of the police car but my friend’s son. We were at a surprise party at his house for his mother in the weekend! He got a shock to see us. We then discovered the phone was out (still is a day later, I’ve got a wireless connection going.)

The power company arrived and started work on the lines, LOL as we do work for them they asked if Peter could help with inspections of damaged property - but he had a huge day ahead with work they had to be done, so we had to get our opposition out! We could laugh about it. No power for us also means no water as we have rain water and need the electric pump, so mid afternoon I decided what else could I do, no power, no phone, and no water I headed into town and had a shower at our daughter’s home then went shopping. Well as I said what else could I do!! Found a few clothes I thought were worth trying on but just as I got in the changing room my cell phone went, it was the man to fix the phone at home and he needed to get inside – so – the clothes went back on the rack and I had to race home, a 20 minute drive.

We had power restored late afternoon and then had to work on what was damaged:
The one thing I wanted to be ok wasn’t! My computer is burnt out - dead:-( It’s just been taken away and it’s not looking good. Last back up a few days ago but a lot done since then - that will also teach me!! Peter worked through the office and work shop first – so the computer and garage door opener unit and one old fridge are dead. Then into the house – another fridge, a microwave, a couple of lights and the Sky decoder. That’s it I think. Then the calls to the insurance and because Peter is an electrician and this is all electrical I had to be put through to a supervisor as they don’t really take our word for it. Can see why, but we ended up hiring an independent electrician who came out this morning, seems silly when we have four working in our business.

Rachel our daughter arrived last night to help empty the fridge – it was already done but as she said by getting away to help us meant she escaped having to bath her boys! It took ages last night to get sorted. I went into town and used someone’s computer so I could input work. Peter went to one of our workers homes and they downloaded the work for today. On the way home I collected a couple of kebabs for dinner, we ate about 8.00pm and then Peter was testing appliances until almost 9.30, The phone has been diverted to my cell phone, (big blow up on the cables somewhere) I have the laptop going- but the air card keeps losing the connection.

I quite like life when it’s uneventful…..

Oh I forgot to weigh in yesterday – wonder why!