Monday's events have knocked me sideways and I shall be retiring to bed with a hot water bottle soon. Delayed shock and the after effects of a lot of anxiety seem to have rendered me exhausted.
The link will tell you the story. We are up high here just beneath the saturated moors, and as the heaviest and fastest rain we've seen yet descended for four hours, fast-moving torrents poured down through our village, washing out semi-made lanes and scattering mud and stones of all sizes, flooding the pub and some houses, and a little way down the hill the house of some friends - water simply cascaded through. They had no choice but to open the back door to let it in, the front to let it out. Later L and I helped mop up and move possessions and take out the sodden carpet. On went the water, down into town, flooding again all the suffering businesses that were just getting dry, getting their electrics fixed, recovering their optimism.
This evening the sky is blue, a sight we had all but forgotten, and evening sunlight slants across the still saturated fields. But it's cold. And the forecast still hints at more worryingly heavy rain to come. More when I have recovered my equilibrium a bit.
9 comments:
This is really awful. To be faced with "the force of the elements" leaves me helpless and devastated and I can understand your exhaustion. How small we are.
Hold on to your strength, it's there, and rest assured that better weather will be on its way.
And thank heavens for hot water bottles.
Oh this is horrible. I'm so grateful that your house was left unscathed but to see others' damaged in this way can't be easy. Fortitude to all, and rest to you.
It really is overwhelming, getting punched in the face by nature. Last year we had to evacuate (with two cats who were as unhappy as we were about things) for a hurricane. The helpless feeling is awful.
I hope you find your center, help those in your circle of influence, and that the sun is soon shining again, both literally and figuratively.
Hugs.
You have been much in my thoughts, I can only imagine your feelings of exhaustion and helplessness. Awful. Much love.
Thanks all. Finding my way through, as is Hebden. Weather forecast looked bad for today but turns out only light rain so far...
Thinking of you all. I'm glad to have heard of no physical injuries, but your words convey so well the more subtle assault.
The above was just me - my comment posted itself twice.
It seems to be so inadequate, but thinking of you both. Stay safe!
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