Why I hate the wind.

Chalk Lane, 3rd Jan 2012

Wind is the weather that frightens me most. I have cowered in a caravan while wind has rocked it like a demented mother.  I have stood paralysed while a tornado blackened the sky and ripped its dark path though one greenhouse after another. I have held my breath in the after calm,  shocked by the devastation, fearful of its return and grateful that things were not much, much worse.

Yesterday the sky blackened once more.

Beloved  knew it was coming. Winds had been forecast , and they were already high, but he’d also had a phone call from Father-in-Law, who lives a couple of hours away, warning us a line squall had passed over his place and was heading our way.

I was working on the end of year report when it hit. My computer switched off. The power was out. In a heartbeat the gusting wind outside changed to a tearing, rain lashed storm force 10. Fence panels and gas canisters blew past my office window. My first thought was for the children.

Safe at school. Solid, brick built, sturdy school.

But  where was Beloved? I threw my coat on and battled outside. The rain was tidal, lashing in horizontal waves, the wind threatened to tip me over. I struggled to keep hold of the farm office door but he was there, and safe.

Narrow escape for the greenhouse

‘I’m scared.’ I said.

‘I know.’ He said.

We clambered through the fallen trees that blocked the track and pushed through the rain to check  the greenhouse. Some of the guttering had been torn free but it hadn’t smashed into the glass.  I ran on, turned the corner expecting to see upturned caravans, the farm camp looked intact. All seemed Ok until we saw the tunnels on Horse Field. Plastic flapped like the wing of some huge, distressed bird. Metal was buckled and flattened. The wind billowed under remaining covers, sheering  rope and threatening more damage. Beloved ran to the rope store. As rain washed  our faces and wind tugged tearing rope burns into our hands,  we lashed down the plastic and saved at least some of the metal work.

Crushed metalwork

Blown out glass

The wind eased, the sky cleared.

We headed out to the road. Trees blocked it in both directions. So much devastation in just 30 seconds.

‘I’ll get the chainsaw.’ Said Beloved.

That's my man.

Power or no power, homework can always be done.

But you might have to share your desk space.

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