1. Is the water going down?
Yes, it is definitely going down. Still lots of water, and TONS of mud to dry out, but the water is no longer pressing on the levee to the west of us, so I'd say the danger of our home flooding is gone. These photos (of the same irrigation pivot) were taken about 2 miles west of us, the top one from June, the bottom from last week, just to give you an indication of what's going on:
Also, this photo from the same area--notice the silt that had to be bladed off of the road and now sits piled on both sides:
2. Did they ever find that State Trooper?
Not yet. We have noticed increased "State Trooper Traffic" by our house this week. The newspaper today said divers were back in the water looking for him, but no luck as of yet. Here's a news video on what's going on this week regarding the search:
http://stjoechannel.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=227877
3. Do you have water yet? (Meaning, is your water line fixed?)
Nope. And that situation is complicated by two factors. #1) Where our line is washed away is here:
But I do hope it doesn't start freezing outside....not sure what that will do to our tank and the lines running from it into the garage and house.
4. When will the road be fixed?
Well, that depends on which road you're asking about, and how you define "fixed". If you're talking the road pictured above, I have no idea. If you're talking about Hwy 159 to Rulo, apparently it is passable but not open to the public. You have to have serious railroad "connections" to get thru on it as of yet. We have heard rumors that it might be ready for local traffic only by Thanksgiving, although "fixed" at that point will be gravel. Actual paving and truly "fixed" won't happen until next spring/summer.
If you're talking I-29, particularly once you get into Iowa, we've been hearing it won't be operational (and barely at that) for many months yet. Like the end of the year. Or later. But don't quote me on that.
5. How much did you lose?
That is a tricky question. And the guys haven't exactly told me (I think on purpose.) As far as crops go, we lost a lot. Here's one of many fields that bit the dust in a month's time:
And yes, insurance will cover some of it, to some point, but insurance is a sticky business, too. Claims never really cover everything that should be covered, plus claims affect future premiums. So yeah, there's the whole money issue, but when I sat down here to think about what we really lost this summer, we lost more than money.
We lost our summer. We lost the stress-free days of summer where you can actually enjoy a refreshing summer rain. Where you can sit down on a blanket in the yard and listen to the locusts without being pummeled by humming-bird sized mosquitoes.
We lost time with friends. You simply can't do much entertaining when you're home is either packed up in a semi trailer in your yard, or packed into a gazillion boxes piled in various rooms. And although that might sound like a really interesting dinner party to some of you, between that and the skunks we didn't want to redefine the term "entertaining company."
We lost family fun. When you have to haul your water in with a tank, the Slip-n-Slide is pretty much out. And Daddy is always doing something flood-related, and Mommy is unpacking boxes.
We lost our garden. And although that also meant we didn't have to slave over it, our garden is something we do together as a family. It is a way that we can bless others by giving away the things we raise. And it is a way the kids can learn about responsibility, work, and earning money by selling our produce, particularly pumpkins. Not to mention the fact that canned tomatoes and canned green beans were NOT added to our pantry this year, like they normally are. I guess we'll be buying those this year...unless FEMA shows up with a big truck of them for us. Yeah, I know, don't hold my breath.
We lost trees in our yard. The water table was so high the trees in our yard started to die. Some of these trees are part of our windbreak. And ya know, it is kinda important for a windbreak to be a solid line of trees, so now we look at it and ask, "What's a person to do with THIS?" Some of the trees were ones we paid big $$ for. Some of the trees were apple trees the kids planted a couple of years ago so they would have apples to enjoy picking, eating, and selling. Will there be time for new ones now before they leave home?
Funny thing, I don't remember seeing any of these categories on that claim form from FEMA.
But let me tell you about the things we did NOT lose.
We did not lose a life. And at least one did.
We did not lose our home. And so many of our neighbors did.
We did not lose ALL of our crops. We know several that did.
We did not lose our friends or family.
And we certainly did not lose our faith. Because we know that although God sometimes allows things in our lives that are not pleasant, He also promises to be there with us and for us through those circumstances. And that our job is not to ask why or gripe and complain, our job is to allow the circumstances to refine our character, to increase our dependence on Him, and help us gain a new and valuable perspective that never would have occurred otherwise. Our job is to minister to others, in spite of our struggles, so that we might show those around us what it means to really LIVE what we believe.
So yes, we lost a lot, but we gained a lot, too. And although I'm thankful for what we gained, I'm still hoping for a nice, quiet, completely uneventful year next year. Wishful thinking?? Yeah, probably so.
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