Electricity again

A HUGE BOUQUET TO THE GUYS FROM MAINPOWER NEW ZEALAND LTD they have worked tirelessly throughout the district since the snow started Tuesday night, and we got our power back on Saturday 5pm.  That may seem a long time, but conditions have been difficult and many lines have been down.  Many of these just due to the sheer weight of snow on the wires.  THANKS GUYS!!!



Thursday 7 June 2012



Light powdery snow stuck to everything

Don enjoying a romp

Fabulous Mainpower technician fixing my power

The Main road Thursday midday

What a beautiful day, and at least it hadn't frozen overnight

Looking upriver, we had managed to get the cull cows out on Tuesday morning before the snow started, not so lucky with the fuel delivery, that may be a while coming now

See why the wires broke

There was no wind so the snow just stuck everywhere.  People have reported wires in fences broken, and there are many trees over and branches broken

AND THE BRICKBAT GOES TO DOWNER'S WHO HAVE THE ROAD CONTRACT HERE NOW.  These poor truckies had been stuck on the road since midday as the 0800 number they called said the road was OPEN.  IT WAS CLOSED ACCORDING TO THE COUNCIL,  BUT NO ONE FROM DOWNERS HAD BOTHERED PUTTING UP ANY SIGNS.  This meant the Boss didn't get to the bull sale, I had gone early so I got to buy the bulls (oooppss),  as the Boss wasn't there and they were such good buying I bought 2 instead of only 1.  They will come up in Spring when it's a bit warmer.  These trucks were just coming off the Zig Zag as I came home at 4.30pm.

The Inland road is treacherous as Downers haven't done a very good job of clearing it, so anyone thinking of coming this way, don't for a while, unless you have very good tires and are competent to drive on ice. And more snow is predicted, so it's just going to be one of those winters I'm afraid.  However we can cope, with sunny days and no real frosts the animals are happy digging for grass and haven't been that interested in the hay they've been given.  The people I feel really sorry for are those in broken houses with very poor heating in Christchurch.  And the Regional Council is being inflexible about the installation of woodburners.  Don't they realise that for some that is the only form of efficient heating, and if you have a heat pump you are totally reliant on electricity.