How High's the Water, Mama?

We had several days of rain this week. Water was already running rather charmingly down the drainage ditch at the north edge of our side yard. It meandered through the green common area in the middle of our big oval neighborhood pretty as a postcard. It was almost like having water front property.

I'm over it.

Last night just before sundown, the heavens opened and we were hit with blinding rain. First water puddled in the usual low spots and we had an inch deep pond in the side yard nearest the ditch. 

No worries. It was a long way from the house.

Then fifteen minutes later, I started to take the dogs out the back door.

   

Bad idea. Based on where the water has reached on our steps, it's about 2 feet deep.

I usually love the view of the pasture behind our house. Not so much now. Our wrought iron fire pit floated away.

The view out the front doesn't inspire confidence. The water is running very swiftly. The concrete abutment you see peeping over the flood designates where the usually empty drainage ditch comes out after it goes under the road. Notice how high the water is on the mailbox pole.

No joy for Charlie and Mack out the front door either. Keep your eye on the storage shed across the street. It's already broken through some fences and is in the wrong yard. 

Normally, you'd see our driveway and the walk leading up to our front door out this window.

Wait a minute! Where's that shed off to?

Wherever it is, I hope the shed didn't hit someone's house.

Remember how high the water was on the mailbox a few minutes ago?

This is the view out our side yard. The water lapped up past the two bottom slats of siding on our garage. 

Night fell. Then to make it all extra fun, we lost power.

I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool prepper, but I have taken some precautions. We know where our flashlights are and have extra batteries. We have about 50 gallons of bottled water on hand. I keep a well-stocked pantry. We have go-bags packed in case someone floats by in a canoe and wants to pick us up.  

Best of all, we bought flood insurance on March 15th.

Believe it or not, when we bought this house in 2003, we were assured by the city that it was NOT in a flood plain. So we weren't required to have flood insurance by our lender. We've had a few scary moments over the years, so we have tried to buy insurance on our own, but were told we couldn't because we weren't in an official flood plain. Still, each time an impromptu pond appeared on our property, my DH would go down to city hall with pictures and ask, "Are you sure?"

Fortunately, early this year, the county flood plain maps were redrawn and our property was included, along with several other homes in our neighborhood. We bought insurance ASAP, because it has to be in effect for at least a month before we'd be covered. So if we have damage, we'll be ok.

This morning, the water had receded, but since this pic was taken, it started raining again. The street in front of our house is flooded once more, but we're still safe. The power came back on, but we have no phone service. This is frustrating because I can't call my parents to see if they're ok. Fortunately, their house is much higher than ours, but I'd still like to know for sure.

I've been able to text with #1 Daughter, who lives in Columbia and has been frantic about us all, bless her heart. #2 Daughter has been trying to call her boss to let her know she can't make it out of the neighborhood for her shift this afternoon. Church has been cancelled. I've put a roast on to cook in case we lose power again. 

For now, we'll do like we did during the Boston Marathon Bombing. We'll shelter in place. 

Ready, Set, Release!

It's been many months in the making, but A COLDWATER WARM HEARTS WEDDING is finally in bookstores. I have to admit, it was a thrill to find several copies (along with one copy of THE COLDWATER WARM HEARTS CLUB) at the Barnes and Noble when we were visiting Springfield, MO this week. (If you happen to be in that area, I did sign the books in that store!)

If you enjoy my stories about the folk who live in Coldwater Cove, I wonder if you'd mind helping me spread the word about this new release? I'd appreciate it so very much. Here are a few things you can do to get the word out, if you're so inclined:

1. Buy a copy for yourself. And maybe one for a friend. (Ok, that's my most shameless suggestion. Some of the others won't cost you a penny!) 
2. Post something about A COLDWATER WARM HEARTS WEDDING on Facebook or Twitter. If you've read it, wonderful! Hope you loved it, but either way, please share your thoughts. If you haven't read the book yet, but still want to help, you can copy and paste the following message: Looking for a sweet, funny romance? Check out @Lexi_Eddings A COLDWATER WARM HEARTS WEDDING!  https://lexieddings.blogspot.com/p/coming-in-may-2017-read-more.html 
3. Post a review on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N or wherever you purchased your copy of A COLDWATER WARM HEARTS CLUB. I appreciate all reviews. Truly. The gift of your time means the world to me. Thank you.
4. Belong to a book club? Why not suggest A COLDWATER WARM HEARTS WEDDING for the next read? The Sea Island Book Club in South Carolina had a ball reading the first book in the series. Here's a snippet from an email about the club meeting:"They met last night and the response was so overwhelmingly positive. All the members raved about the book and really discussed the reading guide questions. Two members even made the recipes in the back and brought them to the meeting! How fun is that!" 

Thanks, Sea Island Book Club!

You've probably heard the old saw "if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, did it make a sound?" Well, the literary corollary to that is "if a book is published and no one knows about it, will anyone read it?"

So if you would like to help spread the word about A COLDWATER WARM HEARTS WEDDING, I will bless your name! Thanks so very much. Wrap your arms around yourself and give yourself a hug from me!

Happy Reading,
Lexi

Turtle Travel Tales

from Lexi Eddings….

“Wherever you go, there you are!”~Not sure who said it first. Some sources nod to Confucius, but my money’s on Yogi Berra

I’m following a few travel blogs right now written by people who are on board world cruises. Some of the blogs are filled with wonderful photographs and vibrant descriptions of exotic ports of call. Others are more introspective and concentrate on how their travel experiences have made them feel. One couple I follow hurries off the ship in each port only to walk about in search of pizza and beer. I kid you not! Whether they’re in Aquaba or Aukland, it’s always pizza and beer. 

It reminds me of the time years ago when my in-laws went on a tour of Europe.

“Oh!” I gushed. “How wonderful! You’ll see cathedrals and castles and museums galore!”

Turns out, they’d booked a farm tour. They traveled by motor coach through half a dozen countries, visiting family farms all along the way. My DH’s parents were Iowa farmers and they were fascinated to watch European agriculture at work!   

So, I’m coming to the conclusion that travel is more often a reflection of who we are than a way to experience the world in different way.

Take me, for example.

The DH and I are camping in Springfield, MO this weekend. If you’re picturing s’mores round the campfire, you’re sadly mistaken. We “glamp.” Glamor camp. Our little 24 ft trailer has a fully functional kitchen, a 3/4 bath, a queen sized bed, and once we get hooked up to electricity at the KOA, our AC or heater is keeping us comfy. We can watch TV or connect to the campground wifi. 

Roughing it we are not.  

But I am trying a few things that I rarely do at home. If you follow me at all, you know that I am the Anti-Shopper. Whip me, beat me, don’t make me shop. So this morning, the DH & I went shopping.

Well, actually, we went buying. You see, we already knew what we wanted to get before we set out and we knew where we needed to go to get them. My mother and sisters’ definition of shopping is wandering around from store to store in search of some nameless something. “I’m not sure what I want, but I’ll know when I see it” is their battle cry.

Kill me now.

So I guess I didn’t really try anything different today. I always ninja shop. Target. Acquire. Extract. Get in. Get out. No muss, no fuss. 

And, as an old music major, I’m really running true to form this evening. The DH & I have tickets to the symphony tonight. That’s right. We camp for culture.


“No matter where you go, there you are.” Guess Confucius was right. Or maybe it was Yogi Berra. 

~~~

Lexi will be sharing more of her travels as she & her DH camp this summer. She calls it Turtle Travel because they carry their little home with them! If you'd like to follow her adventures--and she promises to have some eventually!--be sure to sign up to follow her blog by email! Thanks!