Get Your Surf Boards Out

 

Yes, get your surf boards out (along with your water wings) and put on a dry suit because this flood water is going to be icy cold.  But this is how it starts.   Just as an aside – yes, I know there’s no waves to catch in the river water, but a number of years ago I worked for a company that was investing in MOTORIZED surf boards.  So deal with it and get one, okay?

Water starts to pool up along the edges of the main stream of the river.  Then after a few days it puts enough pressure on the edges that the ice begins to buckle and heave in the middle.  THEN things start to flow which is a good thing.  We’ve had temps in the 40s over the last couple of days so the snow pack is diminishing and finding its way down to the main stem of the river.

See the water on the sides of the main channels?  Now is when we start proceeding with Flood Plans.  This can also require one to IMBIBE in an ADULT BEVERAGE over the legal limits to maintain just a bit of sanity,  if you know what I mean!!

 

Now we need to get the motorhome up to the house and get it loaded so that if we have to live it in because we have to leave our house, we have all the necessities of home.  Then Ole needs to get all the antique cars started and moved out to higher ground, and take advantage of friends to find a place to store them so they don’t get wet.  Since they haven’t been started since last fall this could become a major accomplishment.  Then we need to protect the house. 

Ole is one cool Finnlander.  Not much ever upsets him – but I think that this year the stress is getting him as yesterday he had “one of those knots” in his stomach all day long.  We’ve been doing this for so many years you would think it would get easier every year – but it doesn’t.  It gets harder.  And I think it’s because we get older (shhh – don’t tell him I told you that, okay?)  

I only wish that we could get a buyout and start our life over AWAY from the river.  The folks who originally owned this property have moved to Nebraska.  Bet it doesn’t flood where they live!!  Tomorrow I’ll tell you the story about how we acquired this property.  (It was dry back then.)

Love, Lena