May 2, 2008

We drove up in downpours. At times you couldn’t see! There were few minutes that were without rain. My barn is still standing – but the silo is gone. Maybe the barn isn’t as crooked as it looks – yeah, right! As we approached our exit there was a lot of water damage around us. The worse being a barn that was under water. All you could see was the top part with the window. Wish I had taken a picture of that. The first view of the river was the highest we’ve ever seen. We cross the river twice, with the way it and the road curves – so we were anxious to cross again. It was high, but not nearly as bad as we thought.
We got to the sandy road and were surprised to see it not as bad as the time when the clumps of ice melted. We gingerly made our way down, not knowing how deep some of the massive puddles were. We had a huge mud slick at the mouth of our driveway but Carlo got us through. Then it was time to inventory the flood damage; water receded – however it looks like we have a pond at the easement – low ground. We cleared the stairs. Our neighbors had picked up things they thought would float away. The trees are dark at the base – maybe 2 feet of water came through. Carlo opened up the crawl space doors – “Oh, my gosh!” Nearly everything was moved. The shop-vac was on its side, full of water…along with buckets and stools. Boxes were soaked, bags had water in them and the ramp floated off to the side! Yep! We flooded! Not sure if the water came through the walls, up from the ground or through the door; probably all points of entry were affected. The water was gone, but the mess was left behind. Cleaning the space has been added to the “To Do” list. Now wait just one minute – we have a ramp on the inside AND the outside of the crawl space….where’s the one that goes outside???? Oh, there it is…down the driveway and across the road, along with our bedding timbers and most of the landscape logs along with wood from the wood crib. Glad we weren’t here for the flood, but I would’ve loved to have seen these things floating around.
So now is the time I get the bright idea for us to walk down to the river and see what’s going on down there. The ground is saturated with water, muddy and sandy…so sinking as you walk is a certainty. We get about half way there – to the easement – and have to cross water that is pretty deep...it appears to be a “pond” or “moat” or “ravine” or “tributary” (call it what you like) – but there is a lot of water! I attempt to cross but am missing something (or someone) to hold on to and as most people know, I was fired from the carnival due to lack of agility! Carlo tight roped across on a fallen timber – impressive! Before he crossed, he made me promise to cross as well. I made the promise. Crunching, bouncing tree limbs and branches are under my feet. I decide that I really can’t. He reminds me of the promise…I try again…more crunching and bouncing limbs and oh yeah, lots of screaming and shaking knees. But guess what? I made it!!! The ground is still soft and mushy and I am sinking with every step. Finally…firmer ground and we are almost to the river. Our park is in total disarray. The benches are turned at angles, however still tethered (although barely) to the weed cloth, the fallen tree to which we put our flower box on is gone – the flower box is gone and the butterfly that was attached to the limb is gone too. Most of the solar lights are gone and the ones that are there are broken and filled with water and the river is barely two feet below the ground is moving quite fast. I am so glad our benches were still there! Time to walk back. Now we’re realizing why there is so much debris amidst the trees. It must be from previous floods. We make it back to the (insert your choice of water definitions here) ________ and Carlo adds another fallen limb to make the cross over easier. The problem is the trees are soaked full of water and there are very pliable. But once again, he makes is over. No promises needed from me this time…I have no choice – I start screaming and crossing and my feet are getting a little wet. I make it over and here’s where the story ends with two different versions.
Version 1: Once I was over, I high stepped it (as walking on deep snow) and BAM! Down I went! Carlo helped me up.
Version 2: Once I was almost over, boots full of water, I got tangled in the wet branches on the soft ground and Carlo let me fall! Carlo helped me up.
I was soaked up to my right thigh, luckily only that leg got wet and both feet and there was 6 or 8 inches of water. Of course there were lots of tears and laughter. One of us laughed right away – the other laughed a bit later.
“I can’t believe you let me fall!”
We continued walking back, noting that the contents of the fire pit were on the outside of the pit and that our garbage can was missing. I walked down the road and grabbed the landscape timbers and put them back around the flower beds.
Once inside, we found that part of the electricity wasn’t working – again! Carlo took apart the circuit breaker panel and hopes it’s just a faulty breaker. Add this to the “To Do” list! We unloaded the truck, put the newly half-way refinished three drawer chest in the bathroom, changed our “pond” soaked clothes and headed out to dinner and grocery shopping. Stopped at Portage Lumber to pick up the electrical stuff. Carlo cancelled our fireplace stone excursion with Jerry and this finished up our first day of vacation!