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Update from Paradise
Rochelle
Misc.
Man, are we paying for paradise today! Tropical Storm Fay is turning out to be far worse than the three hurricanes we have already been through, including a category 3 hurricane.
Things are a little tense here at the moment, for it is quite likely that water may begin seeping into our house some time during the night. But, that is out of our control.
Instead of stressing, I decided to share my experiences today. So, here is a chronical of video I have been taking throughout the day.
First, here is our porch before there was much rain:
Around 2:30 pm my husband decided I should pick up a few staples from the grocery store. You know, milk, fried chicken wings, sour cream. All the things you can’t live without during a tropical storm. So, I took my camcorder with me and recorded my drive. I apologize for the shakyness of the video but I was more focused on driving than on keeping the video steady:
I was in the grocery store for less than 40 minutes. The drive back home was much worse than the drive to the store:
Here is our back porch after many hours of Fay’s rain. This is when I start to get a bit nervous:
It looks worse now (at 7:00pm), as the water is almost to the top of the white line. We still have about an inch of room once it does get to the sliding door frame, but this is closer than I like it to be.
Around 6pm my girls decided to go play in the street in front of our house. Our neighbor was already out there. So, they got on their bathing suits while I figured out a way to record them without getting my camcorder wet. (I put it in a baggy, with a hole for the lens, and covered it with a hat.) The places where the video is covered is where my hat slipped over the lens. I couldn’t actually see what I was recording.
At one point I point the camcorder to my legs. It looks like I am wearing pink pants. Those are actually my legs, and where it is no longer pink is where the water is.
The water was surprisingly cold. I got chilled right away and demanded my girls come back inside. They didn’t want to, but I won out.
[Edit: I'm having problems with this video so I removed it. Sorry...]
I just checked, and the water is now about two feet from our garage. This is the worst flooding we have had. I just hope it stops where it is. Start sending your well wishes, because I think we will need them!
Rochelle
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I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it stops soon!! Hang in there Rochelle.
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Wow, Rochelle, you’ve got me watching this blog like a serial TV program, wondering what’s going to happen next. I hope the flood doesn’t come into your home, and I’ll keep good thoughts for you and your family.
Can’t wait until the next installment! Stay dry!
I hope you make it through the night without flooding. I rememmber my days in florida and hurricane season quite well.
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I just want to know if Ned got his chicken wings…
Yep, that’s what he had for dinner last night.
No, really… Having been through two floods (one in the basement and one in the kitchen) I truly hope the rain STOPS!!!!! Good Luck!
The one thing that helps is knowing that everyone else in our neighborhood is also dealing with this. I’m not saying that misery loves company, rather that we can’t be on a pity pot about this because we aren’t the only ones. And we are all ok, which is more important than any items that may be ruined.
Hey Rochelle& Family
OMG I just tuned in. Everybody positive vision, postive think; ask all for any and all help. You absolutely CAN squeeze through any adversity, by the grace of all the powers and forces that we can connect with by whatever means we have been able to learn. All you have to do is ask!
My thoughts are with you all.
HartLenn
Hey, Rochelle, what’s happening today? Did the water stay outside? Did kitties’ little paws get soggy? Did kids have fun in the temporary lake on your street? Is the sun shining today?
Sure hope your lack of update here doesn’t mean that you and Ned are busy bailing water!
Tell ned to get his sorry ass off the chicken wings and start working the shop vac! You guys could always move back up here to the C-Bus and you wouldn’t have to worry about hurricanes just Tornado’s and Blizzards.
Driving in a Tornado is about as much fun as it looks to drive in a hurricane, just no train sound.
OK. I’ve got the scoop. Rochelle hasn’t updated here today because they were very busy bailing water until it was obvious that that was a waste of time. A friend with a motor boat came to rescus them! They put their 2 kids and 3 cats in the boat, and she and Ned sloshed through waste-deep water out of there!
The house is completely contaminated with sewage-contaminated water. They had one hour to decide what to take with them and what to try to save from the rapidly rising water. It’s a disaster. Their two cars are flooded. So they have no transportation.
It rained 30″ in two days! They weren’t advised to build an arc…. Make of that what you will :->.
Rochelle will update this blog as soon as she recovers. She’s exhausted, poor thing. (Try walking through waste-deep water! It’s like pushing molasses uphill.) But, she took her laptop. So, you’ll get the rest of the story after she’s rested.
Sleep tight, Rochelle. We’re wishing you the best!
Hey Rochelle
We’re all sending all our love your way. Hang on tight to each other and be thankful every moment for the blessing that you have been given: your very lives. Counting these blessings now will help you stay focused on the most important issues and not bog down in despair over losses. Remember, you are never alone! No matter how awful the experience is that you have to bear and how great the loss, there is always a force waiting right there to get you through it when you ask. Every dreadful event of your life can serve to further connect you with the truth of that reality in this world. Your child will now have the gift of this for the rest of her life and it will serve her well.
The power of the storm can be seen in the rainbow that forms when light breaks through the darkness.
Watch for it, wait. Let love fill you; YES, right smack in the middle of disaster.
HartLenn
Rochelle et all,
I didn’t know this was going on. I was dumb, fat, and happy driving east through Wyoming. My lap wasn’t working. No wifi. Had to turn around and come back. Stopped in Gardenerville, NV on 8-24 when I heard about your problems. Talked to your Mother and she gave me uptodate.
She said she was going next week to help. I would like to come help, but my RV is not operable right now. Going to OH Sept. 12. for a week. Moteling it. If I can help let me know I’ll have my cell and I hope my laptop will be working. Or go through Esther. I will be in Dayton for a school reunion at the Dayton Mall..
Keep the faith and my prayer are with you.
Uncle Bob.