had all sorts lately - 40deg last friday, 20 on sat, 32 & rain/storms tomorrow
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had all sorts lately - 40deg last friday, 20 on sat, 32 & rain/storms tomorrow
We had over 5" in a 3 week period from late Sept-mid Oct and the grass went mad. Having 4 days of 38° at present and it's just stopped growing & starting to wither. I'll get next week in to finish the fortnightly cycle then who knows. No rain forecast.
Haven't mowed any of my mountain properties since May. They had good rain but the wallabies are keeping the grass down.
This evening is Thursday 10th Jan, with our hottest month Feb still to come.
Well we know the consecutive extreme heat inland started before Christmas and continued along with the 41's for several days then 44 in my part of the world along the Murray.
WeatherZone have just update weather for Sat 12th Jan, Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed at 40, 39, 40, 43, 43.
Last Tuesday/Wed was humid as thunderstorms hit late Tuesday and prevented me going to an elderly ladies home late Tuesday due to the mentioned late storms.
I rang to say Ill be there first up Wednesday morning.
THANK GOODNESS that change in roster occurred
I arrived Wednesday morning to find the lady in a serious medical condition and the continous heat/humidity was not helping. I knew the adult family lived nearby actually not far from my own house. So urgently rang and got hold of them just before I was hanging up to ring the Ambulance.
She had turned yellow in face/checks and was very much not in good shape so I stayed with her and talked to her, knowing the minor distance the family has to come. The more I talked/interacted the better she became re the yellowness.
Family arrived quickly and took over. Had I not arrived ???
I've another lady in her mid 70's who cant afford an excessive power bill. doesn't have proper air conditioning to cool her weatherboard home. When I turn up she is in a exhausted state. It's sad to see.
Bugger this continuing heat for the eldery and us working in it daily. When the heat is everyday, you carn't sit home, one has to soldier on. Unlike say Melb you get one monster hot day which you can stop working and pick it up the days later or before.
First lady is such a nice active lady who gets out with friends daily on trip/lunchs at 90yr of age and both long time good customers.
Well done mate!
l dont know how you guys do it in the heat like that, l whinge when it hits 30 here although we have humidity over 80% every day....roll on autumn
l was trying not to sound too whingy......
Hey Gazza, we are to feeling it to no relief from heat in mildura friday 11.1.19
38 tomorow 42,38,43,45,43,44 till next friday.bring on autumn:wave-hi:
Yer, Weather Zone chucked in another 44 for us. I don’t know how you cope with your extremes.
I’ve so much work and I’ve been putting in many full days in this garbage heat. Going through a fair bit of sunscreen, staminade drinks on the road and off course cold beer after the day.
I’ve many customers with quality large lawns/gardens in top notch homes who water twice everyday with some having quarterly water bills of $1,200. I visit weekly or fortnightly as the grass is high every visit. So the work continues with their full garden/lawn maintenance.
If next winter is dry we will on serious water restrictions along the Murray. Dartmouth is draining at volumes to backup the Hume Weir at 36% ish. If they weren’t releasing Dart the Weir would be drained. Next summer I don’t reckon we will have green lawns due water restriction. So maybe a slow or slower income year in late 2019-2020.
One thing I’ve noticed with relentless everyday 40 type heat. Is the amount of calls coming from new people wanting lawns, hedging and garden tidies. Five on average everyday as they are finding it too hot to do there own gardens/lawns. But I say, Thanks for the calling me - sorry can’t take on anymore work - I’ve enough on my plate as is.
Gary it's not just that people aren't doing their own lawns I believe when the really hot weather hits the people who have started in the cooler spring early summer find something easier to do and leave the hard hot work for mugs like us :)
Heat and slow growth here are making the part timers walk away,not enough work to keep them interested.Picked up a few during the last few weeks as regs,still more will be walking away during the next 4 months.Noticed some good mowers on gummy from the walk offs
The one thing I learnt to focus on when building the business from the beginning, was to focus towards gaining clients who water and maintained their lawns/gardens with a good auto sprinkler system. Not homes with rough unwatered lawns that turn into cow paddocks from late Nov across Dec to March.
I walk from these cow paddocks, as not only income will be poor across the year spread, but they stuff up your equipment and blades. Took on a new customer only because it was very close to home late Sept and realised quickly it was going to be a cow paddock and resigned from it after 2 mows.
Wont take on Cómmercial jobs unless there the type thát require an immaculate street front, so not the panel beater with the two shepherd dogs with Grass entangled up the cyclone fence.
One finds that having most of your clients fitting the above criteria, ensures stable work across say the extreme summer and a little extra work in winter.
Worked today, Saturday with forecast 39 on a few well paying commercials that water daily with brilliant green lawns/gardens. It enjoyable work (even in the heat) as working for people that care and respect the work you do is rewarding. Plus you service their private homes and other properties.
(two rr's) :)
This might be him?
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