Friday, April 03, 2009

What a Week!!!

Pictures from the kite festival last weekend. I was very disappointed with it compared to last year. The picture of the close up kite is the kite Nikki is flying.









What a mess!!!!





First up, I had another small loss at weigh in last night - 200g taking the grand total to 20.6 kgs. Very happy with that. TTOM is due tomorrow and it is consistant with the pattern every 4 weeks or so.
For those who haven't read my news on facebook, we have had an interesting week. We were awoken with a start out of a deep sleep at 2am Sunday morning by people banging on the door and windows. At first I thought it was yahoos in the street letting off firecrackers but when our hazy minds came too, we realized that Steve's shed at the back of our property was on fire and the firecrackers were acually exploding paint cans and all the flammables a hoarding mechanic has in his shed. Our saving grace was our wonderful back neighbour who's bedroom window is next to the shed. She smelt smoke and came out to investigate and rang the fire brigade. By the time we had herded 4 kids out the front (we had one extra sleeping over) we could hear the fire brigade coming.
Thanks to our neighbours very quick actions they were able to contain the fire to just the shed. I shudder to think what could have happened if it was a windy night. Luck was on our side because it was a very still night.
Our wonderful neighbours on the other side took the kids back to their place and got blankets and hot milo for everyone. Steve and I were just in shock.
It turns out it was an electrical fire possibly from a faulty pool light transformer. I cannot heaps enough praise on the firemen. Steve has 3 tonne of firewood between the back fence and the shed and it wasn't touched. They did an amazing job. The cops showed up and all they wanted to know was if it was hydroponics!! As soon as they establised it wasn't they took off.
Anyone who knows Steve will know what his shed looked like. He is a shocking hoarder and had 30 years of his life in that shed. He has lost so many memories, all his trade school workshop manuels, boxes and boxes of magazines, tools, 3 glass cases of die cast bikes and cars and all the usual shed stuff. We've estimated about $30,000 all up. The insurance company SGIC have been fantastic and have already sent money for the cleanup. The pool area is a mess too. Because the filter and pump were next to where the fire broke out, the filter is stuffed and making dreadful noises so that will all have to be replaced.
The only good thing is that Steve will be able to start again. Sure he won't be able to replace all his old stuff and collections, but he will be able to have a brand new shed and contents to try and keep in order this time. I hope he's learnt his lesson about hoarding!!
So now we have the long task ahead of demolishing the shed and starting again. I just wish I could click my fingers and it all be done!!!

5 comments:

Martine (email: mdally@internode.on.net) said...

Great on the loss. Every loss I feel is a milestone. Luckily with the shed your insurance company was great, it makes a difference and everyone is safe and sound but the sentimental stuff is hard to say good bye to. Once a hoarder always a hoarder I am afraid - I am the opposite. Take care martine x

Kate @ Loving Life said...

I'm so pleased about the insurance ppl coming through for you Tina. A fight with them is not what you need.

Thinking of you with all the dramas with the clean up.

Not sure if I'll be up to catching up tomorrow. Are you still coming? I'll get in touch via fb.

Kx

Joanne said...

Its upsetting but at the end of the day, its just stuff. Yes, he lost a lot of sentimental items but what I tell myself about the stuff I hoard, it it was really important to me, would it have been in a dusty old shed?
Hope you are having a great weekend and we will have to catch up soon!
Joanne.

Tania said...

Oh Tina - I didn't realise the magnitude of what Steve had lost! How sad, but i'm so relieved it was only the shed. Hope the cleanup isn't too time consuming and hard for you all.

Congrats on the loss too - hope you're having a fabulous weekend in Melbourne!

Chris H said...

Well done on your loss... and how sad for Steve to have lost all his manly treasures.