Monday, January 24, 2011

Come hell or high water

I'm not entirely sure where that phrase comes from but recent awful events in Queensland and Victoria have certainly brought it to mind a lot. There's an explanation here which is pretty fitting. The determination to carry on no matter what is running strong and it's wonderful to see so many of my blogging friends pulling together to help out where they can. I've joined in Steph's campaign and posted off a parcel of softies last week. There's a dolly drive too and plenty of other ways to help if you want to.

We've had our own adventures with water here in Auckland over the weekend. These photos sent in by the public to the NZ Herald over the weekend show just how high the tide got (3.5m) and how the addition of torrential rain didn't help much either.

Auckland Harbour Bridge at high tide 23rd January 2011

Lake Road Devonport

Our basement (where my sewing room is) ended up under about 3 inches of water, despite the pump working overtime. Unfortunately, my sewing room which usually stays relatively dry, got completely soaked.

My sewing room after the carpet and most of the water were removed
 I'm usually pretty diligent with making sure everything (particularly electric things) are off the floor, if I think it's going to flood, but of course I completely forgot this time and my sewing machine foot got wet.

My vintage toy collection stayed nice and dry up on the window sill
When I realised just how wet the room was, Richard and I decided to pull the carpet up completely to let it dry out. When it's dry, we'll pull up the old carpet in Maddy's room and replace it with this one which is much newer. If it's getting this wet in the middle of Summer, I expect we are going to have a very damp winter and I just can't bear the thought of a perfectly good carpet going mouldy.

The contents of my sewing room waiting to go back into the room. Time for a sort out I think!
I'm actually quite enjoying the plain concrete floor now that it is all dried out. It's much easier to scoot around on my little office chair (lazy I know!) and a sooooooooooo much easier to clean up bits of thread and pins. 

Cute pink tulle for Flower filled fairy skirts
My overlocker is luckily still working so I'm doing as much as I can with that and I'm taking my sewing machine to a repair man this afternoon in the hope he can fix it. It is about 20 years old now but I do love it and I'll be very sad if I have to replace it. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Flowers ready to go into Fairy Skirts.

8 comments:

mel @ loved handmade said...

Look at you soldiering on! All this flooding all over the place is just crazy, and a little nerve-wracking. I'm glad there wasn't too much damage at your place, I hope the sewing machine isn't too big a job. I'm liking the concrete floor too..

Megan said...

fingers crossed re the sewing machine, we have the same one and I would be gutted if it broke down for good!

dash robin said...

Fingers crossed for your cherished machine and I hope your mums place 'over here' was okay? Seeing your carpet free floor reminds me of beautifully decorative painted concrete floors in Japanese design mags, maybe you get your brush out and art up your floor?Perhaps you'd need a rug for winter though! Xo Kate

Unknown said...

good luck with your sewing machine!
i would die if my one couldnt be repaired,
It's funny how you become so loyal to your own particular sewing machine!

Jill said...

So sorry to hear about your flooding, hope your machine is ok, I had to replace mine a few years ago, the new one just isn't the same.

Hugs Jill x

Glennie said...

Cross fingers and toes for you x

Strickbombe said...

what a bummer. as we germans say, i'll press by thumbs for you. i hope you managed to make the best of this (who knows - a new machine, new flooring?)

Anonymous said...

gosh what amazing pictures, I didn't realise Akl got it so bad! You are very upbeat about your sewing room, I would've been in tears! I hope the machine was fixable x

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