Here was the weather forecast for today:
"Widespread heavy rain at first with a risk of flooding. Very windy with southerly gales and severe gusts of 50-60 mph. Brighter showery weather on the west coast will spread eastwards to all areas by mid-afternoon. Some heavy showers likely later. As the rain clears to showers, very strong southerly winds will veer westerly and moderate. Further heavy showers tonight."
Wow! I'm glad my biplane is in the hangar. Sixty mph winds could blow my biplane away, FAR away!
My computer came back today with a newly installed external modem. It was wonderful to be able to get email again. I took the computer back to my room and plugged it in to recharge the batteries, telling myself to be careful about the cord which had to be run from the desk on one wall to the electrical socket on the other wall. Can you believe only one socket in the room, and on the opposite wall from the desk? Who designs these rooms anyway.
I tripped over the cord almost immediately. It brought the computer crashing down to the floor and I had that sick feeling I get every time I do something completely stupid. I figured the hard disk could never survive, but amazingly, it was fine. No data lost, everything checked out just fine. Except the electrical cord. When I plugged it back in, I got no juice. The end that goes into the computer was bent, and the guts of the power supply socket were screwed up as well. It is only by playing the most ridiculous game of finding and then holding the cord in the right position will the computer accept electricity from the cord so that the battery can be charged. It reminds me of the antics you have to go through to get a set of "rabbit ears" antennae to work for a TV. Every time I turn my back, the thing resets and goes back off.
I tried to track down some of my surviving relatives in the area without much luck. I have a few leads which might come to fruition tomorrow.