I am OK.....

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:17 pm

I am writing this as a bit of a debrief as today i am a bit unsettled and overwhelmed by I don't know what to call it, luck, the universe and the angels looking after me, I have no words to describe it.

Majority of the last 40 days have involved rain and thunderstorms. There have only been 4 days that it didnt rain, i moved on one of those days.
in the lead up there was days i drove through flooded roads etc but nothing bad happened during that process.

the MC monkey has been kind, my body has managed to cope reasonably well with moving, living in a town i have never lived in before, and starting a new job.
i like my new living environment and have been sleeping better and enjoying life in a regional town that is less intense than a capital city.

On the weekend i had reflected on this how lucky i had been that there had not been any major issues in the past months.

and now the latest events in my area, there has been torrential rain since the weekend, yesterday afternoon there has been what is called an inland tusanmi, 8 foot high walls of water turning over vehicles with people in them. my workplace was ok, with the help from some colleagues they helped me figure out a route that i could get home as nearby streets to me were flooded and closed, i got home, my neighbour in a unit on the downside of mine (only about 4cm lower than me), had water through her unit, litres of water soaked in her carpet, my place.. a little bit of water in the laundry near my back door,
I helped her try and clean up a bit and we tried to water proof her doors so no more water could come in, other neighbours also had water in their places. We tried emergency services to get Sand Bags, but as it was not life or death they could not assist for at least another 24 hours, at that stage we didnt realise the full extent of what was happening nearby.
seeing the news this morning and the impact the weather of the last 36 hours has had, it is all a bit surreal to me, at the moment, all this is happening around me and having huge even devastating and deathly impacts on others yet somehow i have been protected. There are 8 people confirmed dead and still others not accounted for.

the prep for the moving meant that i had done a good buy up of my dry ingredient type staples, and the weekend just gone i did the big cook up to restock my freezer post the move, so i have enough suppplies for at least two weeks. All the main roads to our area are cut, so we wont get supplies for a few days.

I didnt go to work today, i have had some minor symptoms since Sunday and havent been 100%, i am going to monitor 'the moat' at my back door to make sure no more water can come inside, as i type this there is thunder rattling the windows and rain pouring down. I am also washing and drying towels etc that we used in the mop up yesterday afternoon, we may well need them again today the way the rain is.
Officials are asking that people stay off the roads as they are very damaged. Driving home from work yesterday there were sections of the road where the top 5cm of tar the size of a surfboard had been lifted and chewed up, i am sure today the roads are much worse. My internet and phone are dropping in and out of service i can text but can not make or receive calls. i pre-typed this so i could quickly slot it into the forum.

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:33 pm

Gabes,

I am so glad to hear your are OK! You are very lucky indeed. Glad to hear you had extra supplies on hand. Has it stopped raining?

Having gone through a major hurricane here a few years ago I completely understand how overwhelmed you feel. Mother Nature is very powerful and reminds us who is in control every now and then. But have faith, the sun will shine again.

:bigbighug:

Love,

Mary Beth

Post by **tex** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:53 pm

Wow, Gabes!

The flooding in your part of the world has been going on for quite some time now, and obviously getting worse. It's great to hear that you're OK, and that luck has been your ally, but I suspect that much of your luck is due to your willingness to plan ahead, and be prepared.

(The harder we work, the luckier we seem to be).

I hope that you're back to 100% soon, but even when you get there, please stay safe, and don't take any chances on roads that you can't completely see, because of water - we couldn't do without your support and words of wisdom.

Tex

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:09 pm

I'm so glad you are OK, Gabes, and thank you for posting to let us know about everything. You will be in my thoughts.

Love, Shirley

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:16 pm

Wow Gabes that sounds nasty, I did see some of the news videos from near there and looks awful. I'm glad you are not on the roads today, its sounds dangerous. I do hope your home stays dry, cleaning up from water damage is a real chore.

Take care and best of luck.

--Joe

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:19 pm

Oh Gabes,

I have been worried about you - thanks for letting us know you are OK. I just saw video on the news of autos and a bus being tossed around in raging waters in Oz. It was frightening watching it. I am glad you are staying put for a while. Please be very careful. How fortunate that you have prepared yourself so well - that must be a relief. Am sending my best positive thoughts/prayers for the end to these floods and for your health and safety.

Be safe.

Love,

Polly

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:35 pm

Gabes,

Thank you for letting us know you are OK for the time being. I just looked at some pictures, and it looks pretty bad. I hope you can keep the water out of your place and stay safe.

Sending prayers your way.

Gloria

Kari · Post by **Kari** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:52 pm

Hi Gabes,

Thanks for the update on how you're holding up in that horrible weather. It must be frightening to say the least. So glad you took the time to prepare for your food - smart thinking!!! I sure hope the weather calms down soon, so life can get back to normal for you and everyone there. Please be careful - I agree with Tex about the roads.

Looking forward to hear from you soon, with news that you continue to be safe and sound.

Love,
Kari

Martha · Post by **Martha** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:10 pm

I'm really glad to hear you're okay, Gabes. I'll be thinking of you and your neighbors.

Bifcus16 · Post by **Bifcus16** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:34 am

The situation is pretty bad. Gabes will have trouble writing due to overloaded and damaged phone infrastructure. 66 people missing including whole families in Gabes area and many/most are not expected to be found alive.

Gabes area might be over the worst, though. The main city of Brisbane is starting to flood now, but peak won't be till tomorrow afternoon. My work's office in suburb of Fortitude Valley has been closed due to expected flooding. We don't expect it to open until Friday at best.

My brother has a business in the suburb of West End which is being evacuated. He is higher up in the suburb, but still has been moving stock up where he can and trying to take stuff home. His home in another suburb is theoretically safe by about 4 houses, but that doesn't sound like much to me. At least he has a two story house so he can move stuff upstairs. If he can get home. We are talking more than normal.

Liz should be OK as she is out of the city and her area isn't listed as one suffering badly. But Thursday's expected king tide could cause real problems there, and she could have issues from the huge amount of rain causing localised flooding.

Lyn

harma · Post by **harma** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 6:24 am

Hi Gabes, I have been wondering if the part of Australia with the bad weather and the flooding is the same area where you are living or that you were living somewhere else. I read now, you are more or less in the middle of it. I am sorry to hear that, but good to hear you are doing well. Thanks for letting us know, you (and your house) are still okay and dry.

I understand you are getting into your MC food habits routine, it makes me smile, since I recognize it from my time in Jordan. Stocking up the fridge again with prepared meals for the whole week

, getting a new dry ingredients staple. At the moment in the Netherlands it is much easier, since I have a lot of good supermarkets near by, where they sell everything I need.

I hope you are settling in well, I know now, it is not just settling in your new house, new job, new neighborhood, making new friends part, but as a bonus, setting up your MC food routine. Actually, that comes before all the other things. Nothing gives your more stress with this disease (and diet) of you haven't your food stuff sorted out, all the other things won't work too.

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 6:41 am

here is some video taken near where Gabes is outside of Brisbane

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12149921

--Joe

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 7:09 am

HI Gabes,

Thank you so much for the update but it still sounds terrifying there and was thinking about you so much when I got up this morning after seeing the news. It is good to be well stocked for your diet but your safety is my worry right now. Please stay safe and my prayers are with you and your friends and go out to all of those that have suffered so and lost their loved ones.

Lyn - thanks so much for the update and you stay safe too.

Love, Maggie

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 7:40 am

Lyn and Joe,

Thanks for the update . . . can't get Gabes off of my mind. Hoping we get an update soon.

Mary Beth

wonderwoman · Post by **wonderwoman** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 8:09 am

Glad to hear you are safe Gabes and have food in the house to keep you going for awhile. And Joe I just went to the site you mentioned and watched this video of cars being swept away. This video really shows the magnitude of the flooding. This is a terrible disaster.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12161502