Friday 27 January 2012

Zappa's Flooded Birthday!

The other day the anticipated exciting event happened - the river flooded!

Where I was standing to take the above photo (unflooded Bellingen photo):

The view from Suzy's verandah is usually green fields:


Very exciting! Luckily we'd just bought tons of food so we were set. Suzy lives on the same side of the river to us (the non-'town' side) and so we went over to her house to do a jigsaw puzzle with her, Iona and Taylor, her daughters (well, Taylor more spectated. Now and again).

At first we couldn't get to town or the highway but we could get to Quigley's house, so it was all good. But then the river kept rising, and yesterday the back road flooded too - we were due to housesit for Quigley and Jean today! Suzy reckoned we should go at whenever low tide was, which would give us the biggest chance of getting through. So we woke up on Zappa's birthday, had birthday pancakes, and set off through the driving rain. The road/off-road had big ridges in it from all the water flow, and the water under the bridges was really close, but we made it! To find that the bridge to the driveway had been half-washed away and was now part of a raging river.



Not so cool. No matter! There was another bridge we could walk across... Quigley rang and said if we couldn't get there it was fine, the neighbours could look after the animals. We decided to walk up and see  how easy it would be to get all our stuff over the bridge and up to the house (the driveway is really really long, it's more like a track). We mostly wanted to see how our invalid chicken was doing.


Bit dodge...


Alright, very. It was so slippery too!! It was exciting (it's ok Mum, I'm still alive). We walked up, Possum the horse seemed very pleased to see us, and the garage door was open, as was the chicken pen gate, and someone's car was there, so we assumed someone was in, which was confusing, as Sally, the person housesitting until today, was supposed to have left yesterday. It turned out noone was there, and when we went to see the little paralysed chicken, it was soaking and lying in a pile of its own faeces - it obviously hadn't been moved since we'd left. It STANK and had almost no food, which was nowhere near it and sodden. That sold it. We were definitely staying, if only to look after it! I dried the chook off and put it in a new bed inside:

Poor little thing! We reckon it can move its feet a little better. Surprising it's managed to find the energy to heal anything considering. The other chickens didn't have any food at all so they were happy to see us too. There were piles of eggs everywhere in their favourite laying spots!

Apparently Sally isn't an animal person. I find myself believing this. I'm sorry if this has been a little bitchy but it makes me quite cross finding animals in a state.

Anyway yes it's Zappa's birthday and his chocolate cake is in the oven! Tonight we're going out for a curry in Coffs Harbour. He seems very happy. He is currently telling the chicken about the girl in Kill Bill who rehabilitated herself from not being about to move, as a motivational talk. Cake's ready!

2 comments:

  1. Floody hell man you need a kyak. !! Oh Hippy birthday zappa dude... :) (.)(.)

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  2. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Zappa!!!!! Wet heh? I thought Aus was 'sposed to be hot and dry!!
    Aw poor chook! Glad it had you to look after it. It hailed lots today! No flooding ( yet).
    Have fun guys.
    x

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