She marked flood off her 'bucket list'

When it comes to a bucket list of things I want to do before I die, wading in water up to my ankles inside the house wasn’t on it. Nevertheless, we are so lucky. Nobody lost their lives in the flood that hit our town last week. While we will have to replace ductwork and a few other odds and ends we didn’t lose anything major. The lady across the street had her furnace and water heater suffer death by drowning but at least she has insurance. She has family who live close by and who can provide her a place to stay until her home is livable again.
Our tulips, daffodils and other outside plants consider the flood a wonderful thing. They received a large dose of unfamiliar nutrients, a good long drink, and even a dusting of new soil. It was like an exotic meal served directly to their roots. They have responded by stretching their leaves up to reach the sun that blessedly came out after the flood waters receded.
It was difficult to agree with the plants’ optimism and gratitude when I was tossing out shoes and anything else that happened to be on the floor when the water overflowed the crawlspace and crept into the house. We found out the hard way that towels were no match for a river that was determined to infiltrate our home and insinuate itself into every nook and cranny it could find.
As a result of the river’s visit we discovered tile under the carpet that used to be in the hallway. We also found out that even that little bit of carpet was surprisingly heavy when saturated with river water. Plus, the kitty litter that Gracie had slopped over the edges of her box was a mess. The stuff is designed to be absorbent and it certainly was! She didn’t even bother to help me clean it up.
The temporary pond inside the house claimed a lot of books. It broke my heart to condemn the tomes to the trash. Rereading a book is like visiting an old friend. There is always something new to discover. As a writer, I know how much work goes into any piece of writing and it hurts my soul to discard those efforts as unreadable. Nevertheless, it had to be done.
I imagine that lots of those with unexpected indoor ponds have spent the last few days sifting through things that they had no intention of discarding before the water forced them into reconsidering.
We have an affinity for possessions. They make us feel secure. We keep mementos as tangible reminders of any number of things, both good and bad. It is almost impossible to dispose of objects that are saturated with memory. When those things also become saturated with contaminated river water we are forced to decide whether to let them go or to restore them as best we can.
It isn’t easy to do this and many of us feel a range of emotions ranging from shock, to anger to helplessness. Personally I feel defeated. I feel like the town doesn’t want me here and is trying to make me leave.
But when it comes down to it, things are all we have lost. Things are replaceable; expensive, maybe; but replaceable. Clean up is hard work but must be done to keep the miniature mold demons from making us sick.
The visiting river left a lot of destruction in its wake but it didn’t take what was most precious — human life. The tulips and daffodils appreciated an unexpected gourmet meal. They are happy and will reward us with bright colors in a few weeks. Plus, we can all cross, “surviving a flood” off our bucket lists.[[In-content Ad]]