I think my feet are still wet...
Jun. 28th, 2006 09:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellyssianJustin, Rachel, and I spent some three or four hours soaked by the sporadic rainfall and ankle to knee deep in the Rachel River, trying to convince it to follow one course and not follow several others.
We succeeded in blocking off the uppermost path - which wandered by our neighbor's septic system, and then cut behind their house and down between our driveways. This was the Eater of Driveways. Now it's just nibbling. Two other flows were shifted somewhat - and will diminish as debris hangs up on the tree limbs we used to block the flow, convincing more water to go where we want it.
The pictures from yesterday are getting developed, and it looks like I'll need them. We're going to go en masse to the next township meeting. I think the only houses that did not flood were mine and the one next door - where the Rachel River was almost lapping at their deck. One of the corner houses had six feet of water in the basement - about half the flow that went under my driveway went through about five houses, filling each one. In maybe 4 hours. The other half of the flow was aimed at about ten or so other houses in the middle of the development.
The guy across the street lost his swimming pool. Sinkhole opened up, the lining bulged and ripped, and that water was gone. He has part of the Rachel River slamming into his sandmound - the second one, so if it fails, the property might not have room to support another - and another flow entirely comes along and causes the sinkholes. And that's not even counting the actual full-time stream just a bit beyond the back of his property.
After we had done all the work - around 10pm or so - it started pouring again. As I was already soaked, and the rain was a nice temperature, I decided I was going to enjoy the shower and stayed out for a while, wandering around the pitch-dark forest. I did not bump into any bears, and the skunk kept its distance (smelled, but neither heard nor seen.) The cats kept up their watch, meowing at me and every once in a while staring down something unseen to me.
Anyway, I can't imagine how tense and knotted I would have been if I had just gone right inside. Yep, shovelling mud, herding water, and dragging trees around by their toes is a more thorough workout than any gym can provide.
If my neighbors houses are any indication, though, it is much more expensive than a gym membership.
We succeeded in blocking off the uppermost path - which wandered by our neighbor's septic system, and then cut behind their house and down between our driveways. This was the Eater of Driveways. Now it's just nibbling. Two other flows were shifted somewhat - and will diminish as debris hangs up on the tree limbs we used to block the flow, convincing more water to go where we want it.
The pictures from yesterday are getting developed, and it looks like I'll need them. We're going to go en masse to the next township meeting. I think the only houses that did not flood were mine and the one next door - where the Rachel River was almost lapping at their deck. One of the corner houses had six feet of water in the basement - about half the flow that went under my driveway went through about five houses, filling each one. In maybe 4 hours. The other half of the flow was aimed at about ten or so other houses in the middle of the development.
The guy across the street lost his swimming pool. Sinkhole opened up, the lining bulged and ripped, and that water was gone. He has part of the Rachel River slamming into his sandmound - the second one, so if it fails, the property might not have room to support another - and another flow entirely comes along and causes the sinkholes. And that's not even counting the actual full-time stream just a bit beyond the back of his property.
After we had done all the work - around 10pm or so - it started pouring again. As I was already soaked, and the rain was a nice temperature, I decided I was going to enjoy the shower and stayed out for a while, wandering around the pitch-dark forest. I did not bump into any bears, and the skunk kept its distance (smelled, but neither heard nor seen.) The cats kept up their watch, meowing at me and every once in a while staring down something unseen to me.
Anyway, I can't imagine how tense and knotted I would have been if I had just gone right inside. Yep, shovelling mud, herding water, and dragging trees around by their toes is a more thorough workout than any gym can provide.
If my neighbors houses are any indication, though, it is much more expensive than a gym membership.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-28 02:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-28 03:07 pm (UTC)The situation now is much better than it used to be, even with the higher volume.
I'd still like to get the Driveway Eating bit and the flow on the street (which washes away the roadside land) taken care of, but that's minimal in the overall scope of things.
As for the awe of nature: yep. I'd probably spend even more time outside at night, except the awe of bears usually overrides the awe of everything except bears. =)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-28 03:24 pm (UTC)This awe is probably wise...:oD