Rain

My goodness, but did it rain!

It had been showery throughout the day in Reservoir and some of those showers had been quite heavy. When I left to head back to Mount Helen at about 17:15, it wasn't really doing anything particularly interesting.

It wasn't doing anything particularly interesting as I passed through Rockbank, although the traffic was very heavy.

It started to rain with intent as I went by Bacchus Marsh. Then the rain got heavier.  Then it became torrential. And then it just became ridiculous.

For a start off, I couldn't see.  Not only was there a sheet of water pouring over the car, but it was also very misty and dark, Not night time dark, but "difficult to see because of the heavy clouds and mist" dark.

There was water pouring off the banks at the side of the road and then turning into rivers rushing down the road.

I drove in the inside lane, very slowly.  Other people had pulled into the emergency stopping lane. I considered doing this but decided that I didn't know when the rain would stop and I didn't want to get stranded - or washed down the road back to Bacchus Marsh :-D

Other drivers had no such worries and just WOOOOOOOOOSHED past me. Mostly they were in 4WDs or little trucks but one or two ordinary cars were also rushing past.  One of two of them didn't have their lights on.  Foolhardy driving, if you ask me.

The rain kept it up until I got to Pykes Creek when it slowly stopped.  It started again as I passed by Gordon, but it wasn't quite as bad.

I must say that I was very glad to get back to Hill House and out of the car.  Had I realised just how dramatic the rain was going to be, I would have stayed in Melbourne. I knew that heavy rain was forecast but hadn't realised quite how heavy.

Mind you, there was dramatic rain in Melbourne too. But I think I would have been in the flat, 11 storeys up, before the worst of it hit.

It's all calm this morning. Overcast, but calm.  And today is the day that we will return the keys to Tani #1. One last walk round to make sure it's OK (no leaks from yesterday's wild weather!) and then hand it back. Then we can turn our attention to sorting out Tani #2. The condition report says that it given to us in a clean and dust free state.  Alas - the estate agent's definition of clean and dust free do not seem to tally with mine :-D