How to Win Friends and Influence People....

We live in the House that Rocks on the 100 year floodplain on the outskirts of Heavenly Beverley. The reason our home is known as the House that Rocks is because it's on stumps over a metre off the ground. Hence when the washing machine is on, the house rocks. When we open the fridge, the house rocks. When my son Alex of the heavy feet visits, the house rocks.

There is a joke in town that everybody should have a boat ( 150 kilometres from the coast!) in case of the 100 year flood. We have yet to obtain our boat. Lorna next door has a boat. Shane and Marci across the road do not need a boat, as they have built their house on the top of a raised sand pad, known as Mount Beverley.

Some days ago, I noticed that we had some water pooled out the front. I just assumed that the water just hadn't dissipated from the recent rain. I didn't actually take into consideration that we hadn't ever had water hanging around for any length of time before. I am such a blonde sometimes...

Then, Michael observed that the puddle had become rather large. In fact the water was no longer a small pool. It had spread for about twenty metres along our frontage into the other half of our block. And it wasn't still water anymore. It had turned into a bubbling, burbling stream and appeared to be coming out of a specific spot next to our mound of gravel (which is still waiting patiently to be spread on our driveway).

Michael decided it was time to ring the Water Corporation Leaks Line (!). They asked if we had property damage - is your house underwater? - and Michael replied that our house was still intact. We'll come out tomorrow and take a look, they responded.

We had to travel to Northam the following morning for appointments. The Water Corporation blokes did come. And demolished half our front garden. And ran over my solar light. And turned off the water, whilst they were repairing the leak.

Without the neighbours knowing...With no warning, Amanda (with three children under six) had no water! And Lorna had no water. And I assume Kay and Drew had no water - but they probably didn't know who'd caused this catastrophe.

The others have had a field day!!! I will never live this down. Come to think of it, I don't blame them at all. If I suddenly lost water with no warning either, I'd be looking for a culprit too.

Thankfully, I have great neightbours in our street. They may forgive me in time!!!

Before the carnage in the front garden of the House that Rocks.