Goodbye Cyclone Debbie

It has been six months since we vacated our house for repair works, and one month shy of a year since Cyclone Debbie ripped through and changed our lives. The long drawn out process is not yet complete but our house has become liveable again, with just a few minor issues the insurer has requested the builders redo.

Never tire of the view - perhaps that's why the rebuild took so long?

The entire floor of the house required replacing

Mouldy home - nearly all the plasterboard walls and ceiling were replaced

While Delvy has done a sterling job of accommodating us over this period of time, and the shed has played a marvellous supporting role, we have decided to move back into ‘the big house’; for the time being anyway. It will make a welcome change from camping. The time it will take to complete daily chores will be reduced as we revel in the comforts of a modern home. A flushing toilet that doesn’t need emptying twice a week, hot running water for showering and washing up, permanently connected water and power supply for the washing machine, an oven, and more room to move whilst still keeping cool: it’s the little things that make the difference. We also won’t need to spend time talking to builders and insurance companies, all in between trying to run the household and participate in the workforce. And we won’t be eaten alive by mosquitoes or dive-bombed by fist- sized moths and rhinoceros beetles while choking on the fragrance of burning mosquito repellent coils. However, the downside will be more housework, and no chickens - they went to a good home long ago.

Shed & Delvy - home away from home. Our shed is all fixed and watertight.

Crushed like a pallet from near 300km/h winds at 320 metres a.s.l.

Renovations

Anyway, our lives are returning to some semblance of normality, so it’s time to read a book, organise a holiday, and cook a roast dinner – amongst other things.  I am looking forward to regaining our life and to not have a stream of stoic tradespeople traipsing through the place. Having said that, our overall experience of the event work has been rather good. (yes, that’s what they call it – a natural disaster is called an event. It’s a little different to the event work that I’ve been involved in over the years!) Our insurance broker was very proactive and helpful every step of the way, and the head builder was professional, easy to deal with, and communicated effectively throughout the whole process. The fact that the job went three months over schedule, well, what can I say. I suppose that’s just the building industry - double the time frame and double the money. It was like being on our own Grand Designs segment, complete with an emotional roller coaster. However, more to the point, we are fortunate our house is now finished and that we had (mostly) pleasant people to contend with. Unfortunately, there are others who are not in such an advantageous position, and I sympathise. It is a crap time and one just wishes for things to return to BC: Before Cyclone. All I can say to them is that there will be an end to the frustration and annoyance, eventually, and you will move on. It just takes a bloody long time, so hang in there. To all those people who assisted us throughout our ‘journey’, with dinner invitations, parking for Delvy, hot showers, housesits, visits from old friends and family, the odd text message or phone call to see how we are faring, and an ear to listen, a helping hand or financial aid; I thank you.

Camping at friends

So, as I open our lipstick red front door for the first time in months, I am greeted with the smell of freshly painted new walls and ceiling, and I slide around in socked-feet on our brand new wooden floor and soak up the expansive view (compliments of Debbie) of the valley below from the newly sanded and stained deck. Just lovely.

Bedroom 3

Completely new ensuite bathroom

Brand new marble bench top kitchen - there was nothing wrong with the old one but it had to come out for the floor to be replaced

Lounge & study - it wasn't until they laid the new floor that we realised the timber was originally laid perpendicular to the balcony 

The garden has bounced back to life after a good soaking of rain, with nearly all of my 200 plus post-cyclone plantings thriving. With all the sun and rain the flora has started to get out of control; so much so I’ve had to start pruning again. Who would have thought! From not a single leaf in sight less than 12 months ago, to foliage everywhere. Also, just to keep reminding us who is boss, during this week’s squally weather we returned home to find a fallen tree across the driveway. Most bemusing – we don’t have a lot left to fall. Gary had to revisit the chainsaw for an hour or so, an activity he still wasn’t in a hurry to return to after weeks of chain sawing last March/April.

Carport entrance a couple of days after Debbie

A little tidier now, and no more tradie vehicles

The patio garden copped a battering

Hours of work involved to bring the gardens back to their former glory

Driveway entrance March 2017 - fallen trees already removed to make way for vehicles

February 2018 - can't see the house now!

Tree loppers, Easter Sunday 2017

Milk pine garden seats chainsawed by my brother in July - photo February 2018

Finally, the exhaustive process is just about over and it couldn’t come sooner. It’s an experience I never thought I would have to go through, and frankly, one I could do without. Like finding myself in a court room – it’s just not on my wish list. On a positive note (there always is one) I have learnt a lot about the insurance and building worlds, but it hasn’t convinced me to make a career change. Between us we have been through the whole spectrum of emotions about our broken home, and not forgetting, our boat too. Starting with the sheer terror of the event itself; to shock, then profound sadness; feeling overwhelmed, vulnerable and isolated; to anger and finally detachment. Now hope and a comprehensive feeling of lightness is emerging as we move back into the box seat of life and leave behind all that belonged to Debbie. I just pray none of her cousins visit anytime soon.

Only one solar panel copped damage, but half the roof needed replacing tonnes of flying timber flattened the corrugations

Regrowth 

Cyclone Debbie update

Five months on from Cyclone Debbie and I’ve been wondering if the furniture sculpture in the dining room will become a permanent feature. After many weeks of the scope of work (yes, one learns all the lingo of insurance claims after a natural disaster) going backwards and forwards from the builder to the insurer, an agreement on house repairs has arrived. As for the fate of our battered shed, well that’s another story.

2-3 months to strip out and rebuild

Goodbye flooring

There were suggestions of work commencing on the house this week, so we phoned a friend with a truck and in one afternoon moved all our furniture into the middle of the shed. Now that the race car has gone to a new owner, we have created a cosy nook in one corner with a laptop set up on the workbench, another on a plastic table, and the kettle, microwave, fridge and freezer spread around the perimeter. Lizards, frogs, rats and I dare say snakes are our new found flat mates, but hey the view out the side door is rather lovely and we have power and access to water (great for doing a load of washing). The sleeping arrangements in Delvy, our fully self-contained motorhome parked alongside out of everyone’s way, remain sans reptiles and the bed is as comfortable as ever. Why we ever left her in the first place…

View from the shed's office nook

New camp area

Come afternoon the shed, and Delvy, get a bit warm so I am now ensconced in a camp chair in the roller door entrance catching the breeze. I’m facing the “No Unauthorised Entry” builder’s sign which has been leaning up against the garden wall for the last few days. Perhaps it will eventually make its way outside the driveway entrance – after all, they have 60 to 90 days to get the job done so why hurry? 

Rebuild begins

A new addition to my garden art collection arrived this morning – a gigantic skip bin - but the delivery driver had to wait his turn out on the street as another large truck was unloading roof sheeting. It’s all systems go! I am relaxing into the dulcet tones of hammering, sawing, loud music and general cussing as the demolition guys today began to tear out the whole flooring of our once beautiful home.

Construction zone

For the first time in a few years we are having a true dry season. The weather has been sensational for weeks - dry, sunny with a light south easterly breeze. Unfortunately the grounds and garden are parched and it will be a matter of survival of the fittest due to lowering tank levels. There is now also the threat of bushfires, one breaking out at the bottom of our street last week.

Pineapples at last!

On a more positive note for the town, the swimming lagoon finally reopened last week with much celebration – the heart of Airlie Beach is back – and the regular influx of cruise ship passengers bring a welcome boost. Although there are still many broken buildings and closed businesses, the town is making progress.

Airlie Beach lagoon

And so this is our life over the next few weeks. A housesitting offer for a month next month will be a welcome change from the construction site, so too will a brief holiday to New Zealand and the odd night in a caravan park – if there is ever a vacancy. Accommodation is in high demand as Airlie Beach locals and tourists alike compete with the tradies. However, we are also happy to have a Delvy adventure in between work commitments, so if you have a flat piece of land then you may just find a big white bus parked on it one night.

Outdoor dining area