My kingdom for an ARK !!!

Does anyone have any actual plans for an ark? We could use one about now.

I'm keeping my eye on my neighbor's boat in their yard. When it starts rocking with the waves, I'm climbing aboard. We've had 4-5 inches of rain since last midnight and we're getting awfully soggy.

Seriously, we have many closed roads in the neighborhood. One actually closed about an hour after I used that section of highway. I told Bill I knew it wouldn't be long before the water encroached on the traffic lanes. Most of the road flooding is more from runoff than river overflow (although they are overflowing). When we went to dinner, I was actually trying to formulate an alternate route home as I had doubts about getting out the way we went in. The County actually announced this morning they would be closing roads before they actually flooded as there were way too many water rescues during the last big rain and they don't want to endanger the rescue crews. (That was a week or so ago, when an Amish wagon was actually washed off a roadway in Kentucky by the same storm!) When the base of the bridge comes within 6" of the water level, they'll be blocking the roads off.

One would have to see just how many rivers, runs and streams surround us, as well as marshland, to truly appreciate this. I made a trip to the Post Office about 2 p.m. This involves traveling around the lake at the end of my block which has a raised embankment (we're talking a 12'-15' berm) which then comes downhill to the roadway. Today there appeared to be a moat around the outside of that embankment at that point which was then flowing over the curb at one end and flowing toward a sewer hole. I then use an 4-lane interstate highway that runs parallel to I-95. In a little over 2 miles, I cross three "runs" ("Runs" are larger than a stream but smaller than a river - I believe runs are tidal and streams are not), a lagoon and multiple marsh areas which are divided by the roadway. All were high - VERY high at 2 p.m. The lagoon was actually lapping at the white line at the edge of the highway. (There's usually a 5'-7' grassy area there.)

I forgot to mention the P.O. backs up to the river. About a block prior to the P.O. there's a small parking lot with a brick storefront (a tatoo shop) that sits just about on the river. The building and parking lot sit on a concrete slab which is surrounded on 3 sides by marshland leading into the river. The river was within about 3' of that parking lot this afternoon. I mailed my package and headed home. Today water had pooled at the base of the trees in the woods along the roadway at a point I have never seen before. I believe that area had to flow onto the roadway sometime tonight.

It's strange though. The stream that crosses the back end of our property is high but I've seen it much worse over the years. (Hurricane Floyd about 12 years ago brought 17 inches of rain in 3 days.) Our front yard has a dip from the street to the house and usually pools some water. It is worse there than either of us ever recalls in 35 years here. It's actually resembling a pond encompassing our yard and our neighbor's and has a true "flow" toward the small drain on the opposite side of our driveway! We've never gotten water in the house (great design and placement on the property) but occasionally have a small bit ease under the garage door. It's never flowed more than 4'-5' in though. (I haven't had the guts to look today. We purposely don't have anything near the door. There's nothing there for it to hurt.) Our 2-car garage is strictly for storage. A car has not been inside in 20 years!

On our way to dinner, we again pass over three rivers and a major run. (We're talking an 8 mile trip.) The first two rivers were within their banks at that time (barely) but the woods surrounding the second river were probably surrounded by a good 8"-10" of water for blocks (runoff). The third river had definitely overflowed its banks by quite a bit but was a good 4' or so below the bridge. (Lots of leeway!!) Again the woods in that area were completely soaked and flowing. The run was what I would refer to as "raging" but it is crossed via a "new" bridge built last year and raised about 10' from its old position. Had the old bridge been in place, that road would have been closed. The road coming into the restaurant was overflowing with runoff but was less than 6" deep. Had we not been meeting someone there, we probably would not have left the house!! The water had risen considerably by the time we left the restaurant (about 7) but had not flooded the roads yet.

All of these observations were made during the daylight. It has now rained, at times very hard, for several more hours. Who knows what lurks in the dark!!! (We've actually warmed up enough the past two weeks that I worry about snakes. When the ground becomes saturated they surface and begin to get a little too close for comfort in my book!)