Destructive Winds Cause Shock, Horror and then a Slight Twist of Fate..

If you were anywhere, well practically in Victoria, this week you will know how wild, woolly and extremely windy it was. The early part of the week had a weather forecast that included damaging gale force winds with squalls..... Why? Why? Why? Just when the house had been wrapped. The first night of winds, I envisaged the entire wrapping ripped to shreds and lifted to the high heavens. Driving past the next day, I was surprised to see it all intact! The wrappers have done an amazing job! Over the entire week, there was one small section that had a tear - on the corner of the house which was quickly secured. However......... we had a call from our SS on Monday to say that during the afternoon, while he was at the house, a mini twister (his words!!!) hit the house. Our 4.5m double glazed stacker doors were ripped from the frame and came smashing down. Two (out of three) doors were smashed and the door frame was twisted as a result. The double whammy was that the plaster had been delivered that morning and placed in front of these doors - they then came smashing down on top of all the cornice and the plaster. The afternoon and evening then included torrential rain, which came pouring in on top of the already damaged plaster/cornice. 

However, in a slight twist of fate, the doors that were damaged were the meal doors that were going to be reversed (hopefully) as we had made an error with the direction of them opening (see previous posts). Unbelievable. I had actually driven past during the windy afternoon and seen all the workers moving the door. I sent a text to my husband in pure excitement to say that they were in fact changing them over (our SS was going to try - but we weren't 100% sure it was even possible). It was only after the phone call later on that I realised they were obviously moving the doors in the aftermath of the damage from the winds. When we saw the doors that evening, we could see there was no way any of them could be salvaged. We thought the frame and one of the doors may be reused but they were really damaged. Such a waste. Our SS informed us that they would have to reorder new doors and the back would be boarded up until then (due to plaster work starting. The cornice was also unusable and the plaster had to be sorted through. Certainly a disaster week for him. We got confirmation on Friday that the new doors would arrive on 4th July and they would be sliding the way we wanted!!!!!!!! We were ecstatic! So lucky that it happened to those doors and not the lounge. Unbelievable stroke of luck really.

The Aftermath (frame looks better than it is)

Shattered Glass

Surveying the Damage (that night - mind the flash)

Boarded Up to Keep the Weather Out