Diary of a Flood Survivor

For the second time in only weeks, the lower Richmond has had a massive blackout.

Another storm had passed through on Sunday night (again), mainly over the Lismore area, but with the effect of destroying high voltage wires that came down in a diffcult access area.

At least that is what the regular updates from Essential Energy have advised.

The effect was a massive black out affecting 4,190 households.

Out came the candles and the torches, bought recently since the last blackout.

Dinner was cooked on the stove top and we all sat outside on our back deck to have dinner by candlelight.

On the plus side, the fve of us (hubby, me, two adult sons and a girlfriend) sat and chatted without a screen in sight.

On the minus side, a fridge full of recently bought groceries and a freezer full of food were once again destined for the bin.

On my usual dog walk in the morning, after a very muggy night of not being able to turn our fans on, I was met by my neighbour who looked relieved to be clutching a takeaway cup of coffee.

Apparently, one shop had a generator and while all the others were closed, they were doing a roaring trade.

I have lost count the number of times I have looked at our local businesses and a lump catches in my chest at the locked doors.

Firstly, it was covid, then it was the food and now, what hopefully won’t be a regular occurrence, blackouts in storm season.

At the time of writing, Essential Energy have advised that power will be back on at 4pm.

I hope they are right, but next time we go shopping we may have to fnd out the cost of generators. Little steps.