General Discussion

had major flooding of the MO river. My grandma's little burg got hit bad. Before any flooding, we got as close to her house as we could in the car, and then walked from there. We set her organ and piano up on stacks as high as we could get them, rescued some family treasures that we could carry, and then headed back to the car. About halfway there, my boyfriend ended up carrying me because the water was over my hips and I had trouble moving against it. I actually have no idea how we got from her place to the car; it was so long ago, and trying to get the organ lifted and the fear I felt was all the memory I'm left with... that, and being carried.

After the flooding had subsided, we took a drive back to see what was left. Amazingly, her little house had been spared the worst of the damage we saw around us. But it was absolutely amazing the things we saw in the treetops as we drove - even cars. At 16, it blew me away what water could do. Up until that point, I'd had no idea. Seeing it on TV or reading about it doesn't leave the impact like being in it.

My mom used to tell about the flood that hit my hometown in 1957. The family was living above a pharmacy, and they watched the water race down Main St. taking trees and cars and anything else in its way.

I've had bad luck with fire in my adult life... but water where it shouldn't be still scares the bejesus out of me.