Well, we're all home together now. Thank goodness. The kids and I had a grand time at Grandma's house, but as they say: there's no place like home. And and Toby are already much better behaved, and so am I.

Last night Dan waded out through the waters to stake out where the edge of the road was so that his dad could tractor us in and out without danger of going off the road. The water level has receded maybe a few inches, but that is it. So, clinging to the sides of a wheelbarrow bungeed to the back of a tractor, we rode in bearing a gallon of milk.

There is something about being stuck on our 10 acre house site, no one able to get in, no one able to get out. The garden is still producing and we have plenty of meat in our deep freeze, we're not in any danger of starving. The cats are running about having a grand time catching moles and mice, Dan is (trying) to work from the dining room table. When the kids are too much, we send them outside to feed the kitties, who don't really need it, but are still grateful.

It's not so bad around here at the shire. If it weren't for the mad swarms of mosquitos, it might actually be kind of fun!

Flood Update (by Dan)

We haven't built an ark (yet). In fact, we are better off than many. We (only) got 6 inches in the past 48 hours. And the new drain tile that we installed around the house has passed the "stress test"! No seepage problems in the basement, and the sump pumps are just trotting along at an easy pace.

But, our farm is an island right now, and the amount of water around has at least tied (if not surpassed) the Great Flood of 1993. The timeline:
Thursday Evening - Water starts trickling across our road.
Friday Morning - Our road is passable only via 4WD truck
Friday Evening - Our road is passable only via tractor
Saturday Morning - Water is 2 feet deep; Can't see road and don't want to drive tractor into the ditch. Thus, our road is passable only via boat (or foot). I carried a load of supplies (milk, frozen pizzas, and cookies) out to dad. We're hanging out the rest of today and having a party. You're invited, if you'd like. Just wade on over!

I think the water is peaking this afternoon.

A photo journal of the event:

Flooded Garden:





Ferrying pumpkins to the market, by way of tractor.





Our new lakeside view.






Soybeans, gone...
I would estimate 1/3 mile of our road is under water.



View from the end of the road. (What road?)


View from our house.











Beauty, Amid Destruction

Dan's Commute This Morning

Should have bought that kayak this year after all....

Well, Toby has really hit an incredibly cute age, as you can see. And Ana has a rad new bike (thanks Maddie!).

Sorry folks, that's all I can come up with right now.