A long term drought here came to an end in the last few days amid the unrelenting rains of tropical storm Debby. The nearby town, inundated, is literally closed by floodwaters. I’m fortunate enough to be located on a little higher ground.

Some folks have been rendered homeless, and voluntary evacuation is underway in low-lying and riverside parts of the community. The Friends of NRA fund-raiser I should be attending as I write this has been cancelled, and the Baptist church scheduled to host it is now a shelter for those whose homes have been made uninhabitable by the storm.
Significant Other and I spent much of the day moving a ton of stuff off the floor of the pole barn, getting it out of the way barely before the water started flowing through it. It got our minds off our friends in town, who suffered far more damage than we.

But it couldn’t get my mind off a greater tragedy, a good friend’s son killed in a motorcycle accident this past weekend. The flood waters here will recede far sooner than the grief will, there.
All is relative. Out west, wildfires seem to be causing more devastation than floods are here. We’re grateful that we’re prepared for natural disaster, since rising waters have pretty much closed the roads to stores. Power is still on, but the generator stands ready. We won’t be wasting time feeling sorry for ourselves. There are those who deserve our sympathy far more.

This is why they tell you not to drive through standing bodies of water.

 

Smokie says, “Today’s forest fire danger (glub) is (glub) low.”

As a general rule, it’s not a good thing when your headlights are even with the water level…

Saw more than one vehicle that didn’t make it through the water…though these two did.

1 COMMENT

  1. So what did you guys do to tick Gaia off? Glad that you are doing OK. Last time I saw that much water, I had catfish swimming through my backyard.

  3. Been thinking of these huge problems in the SE and out West. Folks need to do some 21st Century prepping these days. Digitize all your records and photos (if you have any old ones). Put all your id info in an Excel spreadsheet. Same with login info, insurance info, acct numbers etc. Then put it all on memory stick. None of this “oh I need a day to figure out what to take with me” stuff. Grab the memory stick and go. Or an alternative put it up on something like Dropbox. Any thing you can’t take, goes into the gun safe. Then it’s adios brother….After you’re prepared, it shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to leave the house. And the “bug out bag” amounts to an Altoids box placed in your pocket.

  5. Sounds like a good time to go through the inventory and insure that everything is properly oiled.

  6. Mas, I hope your damage is minimal. Nature has a not so subtle way of humbling those who are best prepared and punishing those who ignore the need to prepare. Our prayers for your friend who lost his son. They are small consolation but the most we can offer.

  8. Yo Mas: Miss ya man, haven’t seen ya for several years, when you came out to Vanciouver, Wa. for LFI 1 & 2, up at Seattle Firearms Acadamy, then Weapon Retention across the creek, (I am in PDX.OR.)

    Please when it slows down, look at Solar Panels for a complete backup for your home and barn. It will never run out of fuel! I just finished up a Emergency Management program for the last two years at Portland Community College. Gen Sets won’t run without fuel! Hope and Prayers for ya’ll! Stay Safe, Tom Kelly

  9. Mas – Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend’s son. Glad to hear that you and yours are weathering the storm.

    On a much lighter note, that Smokey picture . . . -g-

  10. Keep a bass boat with outboard motor or airboat, and full fuel tank in your yard at all times for alternative transportation in Florida.

    Also, watch out for those gators and cottonmouths, and pythons now too in the southern part of the state. At least, zombies can’t swim – or could they? Maybe you can train zombies to eat pythons.

  11. I am shocked they are letting people drive through that. In Vermont the roads get blocked off by the cops when they flood that badly.

  12. Mas, we were thinking about you all down there during the torrential rains this past weekend in Fla.. Glad to hear you all are on higher ground. Please do
    send some of that rain up to NC and the east coast…we are baking right now in the 100+degree heat this week and next…stay safe…wife and I hope to see you in SC in BELT training class in late fall. Rgds, Redclay7 6/29

  13. Hey Mas,
    Glad Ya’ll didn’t float away. I talked to the kids that bought my place out there and they too are high and dry. Made sure when I bought and developed that piece of property that torrential rains would not be a problem and thankfully they are not. Was shocked to see Live Oak on the national news and even more shocked to see the pics of downtown.
    Poor Chief Buddy looked like he was up to his ass in alligators.
    Hope all are well down there. Stay safe my friend 🙂