Forty days and forty nights
since my baby left this town
Sun is shining all day long,
But the rain keeps coming down.
-- Muddy Waters
It's raining. Again. Like a lot of midwest, we are experiencing what the experts call a "500 year flood," and only 15 years after the last 500 year flood. This one is starting a month earlier than the last one, and if it stops raining today, we're still more than a week away from the projected peak outflow, now estimated to be about 15% more. The Coralville dam has now gone over the spillway, so the Corps of Engineers no longer has any control over the outflow of the Iowa River. When that happened in 93, the resulting erosion left the Devonian Fossil Gorge, exposing stuff that had been buried for over three hundred million years. I wonder what we'll find this time...
Perry called Jeff last night, but he couldn't come out and play because he has to evacuate his house. The city of Cedar Rapids has issued a mandatory evacuation for his area, as well as a 9pm curfew. Bree and Billie, who were planning on getting married on their property by the river this weekend, are now investigating other places to wed, and to live. Sam started his new Americorps job Monday, and yesterday I heard that the entire town in which his office is located has no electricity, and they don't expect it to be back for a quite awhile. Ah, well -- at least he should have access to a good labor force...
I don't know that I'm getting magical, but there is all kinds of symbology. When I was describing the difference between my heart attack and dp's cancer to somebody, I used a tornado/flood analogy. A tornado hit suddenly and briefly, and then, if you're still alive, you can proceed pretty immediately to deal with the damage. A flood starts slowly, builds gradually and relentlessly, and then takes a long time to go away. You can sandbag, and fight courageously to stave off the effects. If you're lucky, and you can outlast it, and after some months, begin to rebuild. If you're not, you still lose everything, courageous fight or not. That's happening on Normandy drive today -- hundreds of people have been out sandbagging there for a week, but as of this morning, they're being evacuated mandatorily.
I can sympathize.
(I didn't take this photo of City Park. Dan Williamson took it for the Press Citizen, and I've shamelessly copied it here.)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Forty Days
Posted by
Kevin
at
7:31 AM
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5 comments:
It was a rough morning in da woods. A lovely tall burley woman who used to bathe Shorty came in to provide that service for Marie after her massage. She started asking questions to catch up on what'd been happening, and pretty soon our tears were flowing like everything else in this watery town.
I have often thought it would be good if N. Dodge would become a river (image of Venice)...
be careful...
Bree and Billy are actually marrying next weekend on the summer solstice. Still hoping to enjoy that wedding at their home, but floating (ha) alternative ideas just in case. Bree said you were generous in your offers of support Kevin, thanks.
Your very punny today, dd.
I've been watching the weather reports daily, hoping to hear the rain has stopped. I'd love to find a way to bring it this way instead. I'm still planning to train out on the 27th, come h*ll or- well, you know.
Dry thoughts to all, especially Jeffy and Faith.
Kevin:
I'm sure you must have heard that an embankment gave way in Lake Delton and the entire lake emptied.. into the Wisconsin River. I believe that it wiped out about 300 feet of Hwy A but missed River's Edge. I am sure the powers that be will rebuild WI Dells in 9 mos, I feel bad for the folks in Vernon county (southeast of here) and Houston co. Mn who don't have the resources to fix, repair, rebuild, ect.
Will you still be doing frisbee-dog in CR this weekend? Can't wait to see you Sun.
xx,
else
Also dd, if Bree and Billy want to get married in Wi. I can perform the wedding!
I appreciated your flood analogy before, but today I feel more of the enormity of your metaphor.
It does grow on you, doesn't it?
Yesterday morning, we were 30 minutes away from each other. Today, you're 281 miles away.
Most of the Clan will be in Wis. Dells today, running for skin cancer. The Sisters are staying on Lake Delton, which drained away into the Wisconsin river Monday. Ann says "we have a lovely view of what used to be Lake Delton."
Lauren's graduation party is tomorrow. I was going go, but I think Madison is something like 9 hours away now. I signed up to do shifts at the City's 'Flood Command Center' today and tomorrow instead. I put air in the bike tires yesterday, since they're asking people to refrain from driving.
I'm working on a t-shirt...
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