Biblical Proportions

Inspirational song: Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

How things can change in 24 hours. A day ago, they were still resisting calling this the hundred year flood in Boulder County, the one all the residents said was overdue for a couple decades. While the USGS says they don't use that terminology anymore, they did admit that this is that "big one" everyone was expecting. Of course, a day before that they were getting almost a year's worth of rain in a single day, surpassing old records two to three times over for rain in a 24 hour period. Today, I saw articles that now referred to this as a five hundred year flood. It is beyond anything I ever believed would hit this town, even knowing that our mortgage holders required flood coverage based on where the condos are. I ignored the obvious warning signs.

The last major incident that old-timers in the area remembered was the Big Thompson flood in 1976, that killed over 140 people. When last I looked at the news, there were four confirmed deaths, and 80 people still unaccounted for. I am hoping for good news for the missing. Warning systems have improved greatly, and the sirens and reverse 911 systems undoubtedly saved many lives, as did the first responders who were nothing less than superheroes during this crisis. But little can dampen the average college student's belief in his own immortality. Dozens of them ignored warnings and waded or biked through rushing waters full of sand and debris. Unbelievably, the only reported injury on campus was a young lady who broke her ankle sliding on a swamped field. 

I have been wallowing in stress today, focusing on video coming from the flood, planning to deal with insurance adjusters, finding a friend with a shop vac so I don't have to buy one, making a packing list, and trying to remember that federal relief funds are available once I get a look at the damage. But I need to focus instead on the positives. My daughters are ok. My future son-in-law is ok. Only one of the two condos had water come inside. My daughter's godmother is providing a safe place for my kids and all the cats and dog to sleep (the roommates found other digs). And our damage is mild compared to houses up the canyons. As the godmother reminded me, family is safe. The rest is just stuff.

I asked my daughter for more pictures to post. She was feeling too good about coming through this so well, all things considered, that she only sent happy pictures. I will accept her offering at face value, and show you exactly what she sent.