Keep calm and carry on

I'm putting this up early so I can hunker down before the next bout of gale force winds, which are forecast to be worse than last night.

To explain: I was just about to publish yesterday's blip last night when there was a blackout, which we still have, so only the iPhone, no power, no Internet.
It would seem that we'll be without power for days. The winds up here have been 140 kph and when I went outside this morning there were incredible scenes up and down the road.
Huge trees have fallen onto houses and roads, cutting wires in dozens of places.
I had intended posting a picture of one such scene, but am guessing that Cymbeline and Pennultimate, who also live in Blackheath will do that. Penny's beautiful garden is a mess, covered in trees, but there appear to be no casualties. Both the rail line and roads have been cut by falling trees.
I am fearful that a large tree might fall on my house and am waiting for emergency services who I'm hoping will take the top out of it.

Went up the road to buy some large batteries for the radio and was thrilled to find the last ones in the newsagency, which was about to close up. Alas, they have an expiry date of 2004, so I'm sitting in front of the fire listening to the dog snore.

The only other businesses open were the hotel, feeding all the emergency crews and tv reporters and this bottle shop, exhorting us all to keep calm, a state which clearly can only be reached by imbibing copious quantities of alcohol.

Watch this space.