The 8-friends-barbecue-on-the-terrace-afternoon-surprise and the USD 35,000.00

The grill is ready.

Chicken, lamb and fish have already been prepared for 24 hours with a delicious sauce.

Monica and Pedro Vasquez wait for their 8 guests who shall arrive at 16:30 to enjoy the early evening and the sunset together with a first cool drink.

Have you ever been in a similar situation?

Do you remember how much effort you put in to prepare the “party”? 

What a job to clean the garden, the house, to make everything beautiful for your friends and guests.

But the hero of the evening is your grill. They have a Weber Master charcoal grill. This American brand offers great grills. – I also own one. And no, I don’t get a commission 😉

Yes, I like charcoal from time to time. It adds a special flavor to the food.

That is why Monica and Pedro also invested in this grill and all the accessories.

So is the outdoor furniture set: outdoor seating set with its large table fits perfectly for all guests and is very comfortable.

They bought two deck chairs where you can lie down or take a nap. So nice, especially with relaxing and beguiling music.

In the afternoon, before sunset, Monica and Pedro Vasquez offer their guests two of these yellow parasols for protection from the strong sunlight. The protection from ultraviolet light and the wind- and water-repellent material made them quite expensive. But the parasols are so great and useful.

Have you ever calculated how much money you spent on your patio including the grill and table and chairs?

Monica and Pedro did. They came up with an amount of $5,450.00 USD. This did not include flowers, shrubs, decorations and lamps for the garden.

And then suddenly the weather changed.

The sun disappeared earlier than expected. The food was not yet served. 

It was getting darker and darker. And the inevitable began: it started to get windy, very windy.

And the rain came. What a rain. It wasn’t only rain, it was a waterfall.

Everyone ran into the house to be in the dry.

But it was getting worse and worse.

It hadn’t rained in three months. All the grassland had become dry like concrete.

The surprising 50 liters per square meter per hour could not be absorbed by the ground, nor could the sewage system absorb these masses of water.

The result was a surprising and sudden wave of water that spilled down the street and immediately entered the gardens and neighboring properties.

Within 30 minutes, all the gardens, including the terrace, were under water. And with it, the Weber grill, outdoor furniture, table, food and decorations. Simply everything.

And worst of all, the inventory was not only flooded, but washed away. You could see the grill float over the fence onto the street and disappear.

What a mess!

Fortunately, the house and the garage were protected by flood barriers. Monica and Pedro knew about the bad weather report. But the sun was shining. They thought that everything would be fine. 

However, they were able to prepare the flood protection barriers at their side entrance and at the garage.

Only the main entrance for the guests and the terrace were not protected yet. 

But it only took them 5 minutes to put the flood protection walls in place and all was well.

Inside they were flood protected.

But the USD 5,450.00 investment for the grill was gone with the rain. And with it all the flowers, bushes and toys for the children. 

Just everything. The garden looked like a battlefield. 

It was a battlefield.

The whole damage in the garden was about USD 35,000.00. What a loss.

Imagine what Monica and Pedro could have done with that money? Vacation with an overseas trip, a new car, a nice gift for their spouse, a better education for their son and daughter.

And all this ruined in one afternoon of rain….

I wish you a fantastic grilling season without sudden rain.

And sometimes it’s good to listen to the weather forecast and be prepared for the worst; just to save your investments.

Stay safe and flood free.