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.
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 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
That is a lotta water. How did the GDDG store fare?
ReplyDeleteIt is good the Dog Island closing is over and it's on to new hands.
Oh, the GDDG is high and dry due to all the dirt they brought in to build it on but it's a lake across the road.
DeleteYou're right about Dog Island.
That was a lot of weather. Your anxiety dream did make me smile although I do understand how unpleasant they are.
ReplyDeleteA perfect weekend coming up. More chances to win the grandmother of the year award - which you have in the bag already!
But the chances are, that after about 36 hours I'll start to get grumpy and grumpy grannies are not as much fun as the non-grumpy variety.
DeleteWe had that rain storm Wednesday. Lots of wind, lightning & thunder which woke me at 3am & a tornado in the suburbs.
ReplyDeleteBarbara
DeleteYep. Sounds like the same.
DeleteThat's a huge amount of rain in a short period of time even by Belize rainy-season standards! But I surely do wish we had gotten some of it here - it is so very dry . . . .
ReplyDeleteIt'll rain. And oh, won't the frogs be joyful?
DeleteYe gods! 11 inches of rain! We're getting quite a deluge here right now, but nothing like that, to be sure.
ReplyDeleteIt was a record-breaking event, I think.
DeleteThe rain situation even here in Los Angeles/southern California has been scary and epic. The fact that Big Sur is largely inaccessible is heartbreaking. But on the other hand, everything is incredibly green -- I sure hope the powers that be are saving the water!
ReplyDeleteMe too, Elizabeth!
DeleteFlooded garden carts and the little boys looking mighty grown up all of a sudden! By the way, YOU are the best gram mmer luna! No doubt, the prize goes to you.
ReplyDeleteWell, the fact that I'm the ONLY gram mer luna helps. Their grandma Julia is pretty swell too. She just doesn't spoil them the way I do.
DeleteWe have a Krispy Kreme here in Adelaide and one day last week I walked right by it feeling virtuous because I wasn't giving in to the call of sweet things, then the very next day I made a big batch of brownies with caramel chips in them. So much for being virtuous!
ReplyDeleteThat's surely a year's worth of rain you got there in the one night. Hooray for generators.
I swear- I look like I am constantly eating baked goods and ice cream when, in fact, I rarely do. I suppose I make up for that with other foods though. Obviously.
DeleteThat generator is THE BEST!
Wow to the flooding! Hope it clears quickly. What a mess to clean up. I love those boys. You’re already the best grandma. No competition.
ReplyDeleteThere are still roads closed all over the damn place! It takes awhile for this much water to recede, I guess. We need some doves with olive branches to let us know which roads are clear.
DeleteI try to be a good grandma but I have to admit I can be pretty grumpy sometimes.
I'm so glad your home is ok after the storm. Flooding is just awful isn't it. There's no way to stop it. Both my neighbours' basements flood and I swear it started when my now deceased neighbour dug out a small patio in the back garden. We have loads of underground springs here so I reckon he diverted a couple! Sure doesn't add to the value of their homes!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how a patio could affect underground streams but who knows? Not me. We've had two basements which NO ONE in Florida has, and both flooded. Which is why no one in Florida has a basement.
DeleteThat's some flooding. You seem to have functioned fine anyway. I'm glad the Dog Island chapter is closed, and in a happy way. Onward!
ReplyDeleteYes. I think those people are going to be very happy there. They told us that when they first moved to this area, they used to go to Dog Island all the time just to watch the sunset and now they will have the perfect place of their own to watch it.
DeleteGoodness, that is a lot of rain. I am glad you are all safe. Hopefully, Lily's new house won't have a problem with flooding like she has now.
ReplyDeleteI get to watch my 2 grandson MWF starting next week. I'll get them off to the school bus and then meet them when the bus returns at the end of their day. It will be for about 6 weeks so I'll feel so useful for a while! :)
Happy Weekend to you, Mary!
Not only will you FEEL useful, you will BE useful, Ellen!
DeleteWow look at all the water in your garden cart. Roads washing out sounds terrible. I am glad to hear your new house roof performed to perfection. You and the boys always have so much fun. You are definitely the best of grandmother, ever... The new Dog House owners seem like lovely people and you wishing them well is a very nice touch to a closing. It's raining in Massachusetts too.
ReplyDeleteI sort of wish we'd taken that couple a gift to the signing but in a way, all the things we've left in the house are gifts. Books and pots and plates and blenders and, and, and...
Deletethat's a lot of water. I remember one rainstorm when my daughter was in high school the neighborhood was flooded, the school an island, none of the kids could get home. my daughter decided she would try to walk until the water got too deep and she turned around. it was hours before it receded enough for parents to be able to get their kids.
ReplyDeleteI intended to get out and trim that ditch early today but I slept until 8:30 and only woke when my pill alarm went off. deep in dreams.
Oh gosh. That would have been so scary to have the children trapped by the water.
DeleteI rarely get up before 8:30.
That does sound like a biblical flood, scary. Glad that you and yours are safe and dry.
ReplyDeleteWe are all good. Thank you!
Delete