The windows are taped, the pool fence is wrapped, the garage roller door is braced. We’ve dropped off our valuable documents to friends with a storm bunker in their house and now we wait. On the drive back I took a photo of the Cook Highway (main road north out of Cairns) completely devoid of cars.
The rain is swirling through in bands bringing gusty winds with them. We went for a walk to the beach front where a reasonable number of people were doing the same thing. The storm swells are just starting to build. To those from down south the waves will look tiny, but this is a beach, protected by the Barrier Reef, where the ocean normally laps the shore.
We headed home from the beach to do the final tidy ups. When Cyclone Steve ripped through Cairns in 2000 the roller door on our garage almost came out of its tracks. The same model on the house next door did pull free so Dad and I made a frame to fit inside ours to support it. Dad was famous for over-engineering everything he built. The frame is no exception, but as we put it in place today it gave me a great deal of comfort knowing that, despite being gone for almost five years now, Dad is still in some way looking out for us.
The soft furnishings are all our own invention – I’m not sure he’d approve of such frivolous accessories 🙂
Yes, Lady
Ah yes, Dads – they are good for a lot of things, aren’t they? Miss mine terribly.
Over-engineering – I love that word. Reminds me sooo much of my Dad and all the things he did for us around the house. All of it cleverly designed and still in working order!
Can’t be helped, but DH has just two left hands in the DIY department
Stay safe – thinking of you.
Graham, unlike the rotary mower there’s probably not a lot of call for this little item – beside you almost need to be a weightlifter to fit it into place. xx
Da Gospoza?? Hmm Google’s failed me Cathy?
Thanks Suzi – glad I took the books south when I did!
Bugger, I bet he forgot to patent this too – just like the rotary mower! 😉
Thinking of you up there and hoping for the best tonight,
Stay safe,
Suzi
Da Gospoza
Perhaps that’s where he got the idea 🙂
That thing is so over engineered it looks like a Russian tank! 🙂
Thanks Nicola. The sky’s just starting to look grey and stormy. The wind is still from the south and is picking up in strength but a long way to go yet.
Karla, it’s made with really heavy duty steel that weighs a great deal. I’m clearly not as strong as I was back then…
Thanks Kylie 🙂
Cathy, he was a wonderful man and at the time we made that he was 89 years old. I may have provided some of the muscle, but the design and execution was all his!!
Hey Helene – stay safe and hoping that all the worst misses you!
How lovely your Dad is still helping you out. Those waves are amazing – nice picture. Good luck Helene.
Cath
Stay safe, Helene!
Will be thinking of you guys over the next 48hrs! 🙂
Helene you have done well…this is a great idea, although it is a little late now I will show this to my family for future reference.