Storm turns 60th party upside down
TOOWOOMBA residents Viv and Raul Ruffini’s 60th wedding anniversary was uplifting - but not for the reasons you would expect.
The couple’s family celebration was crashed by Sunday’s storm, which ripped two backyard marquees off guests huddling underneath.
The couple’s daughter, Carla Ruffini, said guests at the “surprise party” could only laugh as it rained on their parade.
“We had set up in the morning, and everything looked great,” Ms Ruffini said.
“Around 1pm, it started to spit - but we were all nice and dry in the marquees, we actually commented about how the rain added to the atmosphere.” At that point, Ms Ruffini said the wind intensified.
“The marquees started to take flight and the rain was hammering down,” she said.
“All of the men were out there trying to hold onto the tents - and we thought some of them were going to go with it.”
No one at the party was injured during the squall - the only casualties being the two marquees that were “ripped to pieces.”
“What we learnt from it was that everyone could work together - which some said was a sign of our marriage,” Viv laughed.
“After the storm we continued the party inside - we had to use candles because the electricity was knocked out.
“However, in the end, it didn’t ruin the day.’’