A Flood Of Almost (But Not Quite) Biblical Proportions

The past 24 hours have been eventful, to say the least. I noticed two days ago that my favorite meteorologist, Rob Nucatola, was posting on FB about a coming weather system that was going to have a lot of wind and rain. Nucatola does not dramatize the weather, unlike other weather people, so I started paying attention. Things were supposed to get gnarly last night and they did indeed. 
It began to rain around six p.m.. and it rained and stormed and the wind blew hard all night long. Lightening, thunder, pouring rain. Between that and the fact that I was facing a day with a lot in it, I did not sleep well at all. The power went out around four am and the blessed generator punched right into powering up the house. I was still awake a little while later when the power came back on and the generator clocked out. When I finally did get back to sleep, I had a bad anxiety dream wherein someone gave me her baby because she didn't want it and I had no diapers, no nothing, but within hours I was lactating so no problem there. There was also a horrible mess I had to clean up and of course, laundry out the yang. 

So when I got up this morning I was ragged out and practically panicking but the rain had stopped. The reports of road closures due to flooding were many and scary. Lily's driveway and the road to her house were completely flooded. 

Neither she nor Lauren could make it to work and the kids couldn't get to school. 
We were supposed to be in town at 10:30 to sign the papers to sell the Dog Island house and we did make it. We took the interstate and there were bodies of water where no body of water had been before on the sides of the highway. At once point there was practically a rushing river. 

I really like the couple who bought the house. I think they will be a fine next chapter for that place. They brought their dog to the attorney's office, a short, very squat English bulldog named Pop-Eye. He was absolutely ugly-beautiful. All of the women in the office had to give him treats. So we got that done and came back home and ate our lunch. A little while later I had to drive back to town to pick up August and Levon and take Levon to his piano lesson. Luckily, I was able to do that, driving again on the interstate. I wasn't ready to risk going the back way I usually take as there are creeks and low-lying areas all over the place on that route. 

I got the boys and drove us to the piano lesson. Here's August, reading his favorite Dog Man book.

I was knitting on the couch and every now and then he'd come over and whisper in my ear, asking me what a word meant. He was very polite. And Levon was quite attentive and did well in his lesson. 

And then, because I guess I'm competing for Grandmother of the Year, I took them to Krispy Kreme and let them get doughnuts and bought a few for Jessie and Vergil and a cup of coffee for myself. I needed it.

Then back to their house where they jumped on the trampoline and Sophie played with them and chased a yoga ball and it was a laff-fest for sure. 

Vergil got off work and relieved me of Mer duty and I drove home, again on the interstate. I passed a restaurant on my way where we sometimes eat. It's the farm to table place where they have gardens and chickens. That whole place was a lake. I couldn't believe it. I knew there was a sort of drainage ditch right beside the restaurant but I had no idea it would be that bad. Strangely enough, right across the highway is the 630,000 square foot Amazon fulfillment center on who knows how many acres of cement. I can't help but think that might have been a contributing factor. 

So yeah, Rob Nucatola wasn't lying. We got some weather for sure. We're fine and I think our new roof did a great job proving itself in such an extreme circumstance. I believe we may have gotten up to eleven inches of rain within 12 hours which is a hell of a lot of water. Our rain gauges are the garden carts and as you can see from the picture at the top and this one

they runneth over. 

I had a great time with the boys and the Dog Island signing went as well as it could have, I think. When it was over, I gave the wife of the couple a hug and as I was doing that, I realized that this lady might not be a hugger which made me feel bad. But what's done is done and hopefully, she will realize that I was handing over a very special place and that I wish her and her husband many years of sweet happiness and glorious sunsets there. 

So I not only survived a day that I truly was not sure I could, there were some good moments in it. 

Tomorrow looks to be pretty open which is great and just how I like a Friday. And then on Saturday, August and Levon are coming to spend the day and the night. We'll pick them up from Aunt Lily's Saturday morning and they'll stay until their mama and daddy get back from their teeny eleventh-anniversary get-away on Sunday. 
I have been advised that chicken and dumplings should be on the menu as well as pancakes and root beer floats. And so they shall. 

I'm going to go make some tacos. I'll try to get around to answering comments but please know that I read and cherish them all. Thank you. 

I think I'll sleep fine tonight. 

Love...Ms. Moon