Flooded. For reals this time.

Awhile back, there was a threat of flood above and below our house. It got precariously close on both sides, but we were never isolated from civilization. The water got up to the road, but never went over. Ah, but now, a mere what, two weeks later we are facing that threat again and it looks like this time, it will actually happen. It's our turn to host the family 4th celebration, but it looks like we'll be celebrating without Mom and Tater and the tots.

We have a friend who is the flood plain coordinator for the county and he told us yesterday that we thought we had problems last time, but now we actually do. My mom had a meeting with the county commissioners this morning for an unrelated issue, but it was adjourned early because of a press conference regarding the widespread flooding. Yeah. Good times abound. I went to Wal*Mart last night and bought enough groceries to get us through probably next weekend if we don't go around eating bread and drinking milk all willy nilly and irresponsibly. We are going to be an island by nightfall. The river is expected to crest in town on the afternoon of the 4th and we crest 12-24 hours after that.

When we first looked at this house 6 years ago, we knew buying a house on the creek and a mere mile from the river, that flooding could possibly be an issue from time to time, but were told that the house had never flooded. We bought the house and have never regretted it. We still don't. And frankly, because I stay at home every day and quite like it that way, this being flooded in doesn't bother me too much. But....Paul has to work, ya know. He called his boss just awhile ago to tell him that he might not be able to make it in. His boss said he'd pick him up at Twin Bridges if he could get out in his bass boat. Then they both chuckled like it was such a silly, yet manly idea. Then his boss offered to send a helicopter. Talk about an employee friendly casino, indeed. Silly, yet manly, but somehow I'm not entirely sure he wasn't serious.

Nana's nursing home will be flooded, so they are moving all residents to one of the churches set up as flood shelters in town. This will wig her the hell out. She obsesses anyway and this will just be a bad thing for her. A couple I used to babysit for are moving out of their house because they are facing a flooded home as well. One factory in town is shut down and so is the college. I went to town this morning and had to drive about 10 miles around town on the west side and it looks like that route may be closed off soon - in fact they are saying that Miami might be very well isolated entirely before it's all said and done.

In 1986 while Miami was flooded, my mom had a kidney stone and we had to drive all the way around up by Quapaw on the north to get her to the hospital. That was probably a 15-20 mile detour from where we lived then. That was also the flood we had to get some friends out of their trailer in Picher by boat. I remember pictures of when the water was all the way up to Love's convenience store on Steve Owens Boulevard. The water is expected to crest about 3-4 feet higher than in '86.

So, if y'all need me this week, find me on the internet -that is the only place you'll be able to get to me. I rented some movies last night, stocked up on toilet paper, microwave popcorn and Cheez-its and the kids have enough fireworks to well, as Kady told someone last night, "We got enough fi-wowks to fwoat a cow!" I'm not sure how much firepower it takes to float a cow, but Kady is obviously convinced we're able if it comes to that. The neighbors might need that if they don't get their cows moved soon.