Got Raft?

If you have been watching the news or weather, you may have noticed some moisture in our area.

"A little moisture", as in public school was let out early yesterday, cancelled today, and tomorrow. ( What is that? "Flood days"? )

"A little moisture", as in the Susquehanna River is currently at 36 feet, and predicted to go higher when the flood waters crest later this afternoon. (Official "Flood" level is 18 feet.)

"A little moisture" as in our back yard is now a pond.

"A little moisture" as in our neighbors property is now fit for white water rafting.

"A little moisture" as in our road is now a river.

"A little moisture", as in there is a couple feet of water in the basement of the church. (Thankfully, the parsonage is still dry!)

I'm sure you get the idea.

At five this morning Caleb came into our room to tell us the power was out. My brain was a little foggy, having just come out of a deep sleep, so I couldn't figure out why the child thought the power was out when I could hear the fan still on. If I could just pry my eyes open to look a the clock... Oh wait. My eyes were open. It was pitch black, and my oh my the wind was blowing! At first I thought a branch had come down and knocked the power out. I tried to clear the cobwebs from my brain, and both Dale and I got out of bed to check everything out. I went in the living room and noticed something: No wind.

Whaaat?

I felt/stumbled my way back to the bedroom to listen. That wasn't wind. It was water rushing!

It made my spine tingle and adrenaline pump to hear that water, rushing, and not being able to see it in the dark. Dale by now had a couple of flashlights, and we could shine them a little ways into the back yard. It was enough to tell us that we now had a pond instead of a yard. I went downstairs to check and see if we had any water, and was glad to see everything bone dry.

Isaac had awakened so I rocked him for a bit, trying to get him back to sleep. Dale had lit the hurricane lamps (which, for the record we have never used in a hurricane. In face, when Irene went through here last week it was just a windy, rainy, day. This flooding was MUCH much more impressive, if you ask me.)

Dale went out with the flashlight to look around a bit. Isaac refused to go back to sleep, and by now a few of the other kids were up too. We were, and are in no danger other than getting a little wet. As daybreak hit I could see from the window where the pond had turned into rapids over the road. All the water from the rains over the last week was draining down off hills, into a stream, overflowing into the pond, and now was overtaking out yard, and the neighbors around the immediate area.

Our neighbors across the street are hit really hard. Their property is almost totally immersed, except for a little patch of grass and the house. They were up all night moving equipment and watching the rising waters.

The power came back on around 6am or so, much to our surprise. I started laundry, and filling thermoses, pitchers, and water bottles just in case we loose power again. We decided to do school work. A sense of purpose instead of pacing and watching the water would be better for everyone. Some of the kids finished early and came out to explore the new pond where the kick ball diamond used to be.

There has been a lot of traffic on our little road from people coming to take pictures of the impromptu rapids. One of the men that have lived around here their entire lives said they've seen floods here before, but never to this extent.

Oh, and there is more rain in the forecast.

Smashing.

If you don't see me online for a bit, assume we are bailing out the church, or on a raft making our way unconventionally down the southern tier of NY.

Pics from today:

Egg that Elizabeth found out under the water. When we shook it something rattled around in it. None of us dared open it, but disposed of it quickly.



Esther practicing for the rowing team in our yard.



Somewhere under all that is a yard.



The neighbor's driveway, across the street from us. Ironically, their pond is the one that is overflowing. The water gushing down like rapids chiseled a 2.5 foot trench along the pavement into their driveway.



Our little road masquerading as a river.



The Fellowship hall in the church basement. Note in the background, you can see the brand new fridge we got a couple weeks ago, laying on it's back in the little room in the background.