Arks and The Notebook

Anyone, well any adult really, who watches the nightly news as of late knows that the entire New England region is pretty much under water right now.

Though the rain has ceased, the rivers have crested and record rainfall this past month has left monumental damage. Uncanny really.

Places that you wouldn't think would be flood-ravaged are consumed by water. Roads pocketed by worse-than-usual potholes. I mean, potholes in this area after a horrific Massachusetts winter are bad enough, but this is ridiculous. Sinkholes to rival a bad Armageddon movie.

Bridges swept away, homes and basements sump-pumped like you read about. People have lost so much. Memories locked up in countless basements and cellars water-logged and ruined. Finished basements that were once refuges from a long day, now an eyesore of wet carpet and musty smells.

Back in May of 2006 we had rains that came close to this Ark building type rain. I was living at the beach still then. Had been there a few months. In a basement apartment mind you. (I bet you can see where I am going with this)

So I was sitting at my desk one day, and get up to do something. SQUISH.

SQUISH?!

My horrible mauve 70's shag carpet now had a soggy imprint where my foot had just been. Now THIS was not good. I walk the perimeter of my apartment and notice SQUISH all around. My apartment was flooding!! I contacted Satan my landlords and let them know.

I had my best friend' wedding that weekend. (wow that would make a great movie title...) I didn't know what to do! Alas, I erred on the side of caution and went to the wedding and got drunk, I was in it after all!

So, tipsy at 2am I come home...to find ALL of my furniture in the foyer. Windows open fully, rug replaced by new neutral burber carpet (yay, no more 70's mauve shag!)

My bed was COVERED in 100's of picture frames and nick-knacks.

It was 2am and I was drunk. I stacked them on the floor, closed the windows and passes out on the bed. It would be dealt with in the morning.

Now I was grateful it got dealt with in a seemingly timely fashion, but I wasn't home OR notified people would be in my house when I wasn't home. (this would become a common occurrence and a major reason I would leave said evil place residence later)

Gets me thinking about how much I could have lost then. How much worse the flooding is here now. And how miraculous I live in a house built in the 1800's and may have the only basement in Massachusetts that DIDN'T get water during the storms.

And also about other little things you tend to eventually take for granted. Like being in the shower last night (get your minds out of the gutter you dirty birds) and smiling over the fact that his razor is now in there all the time.

The extra toothbrush that now sits by the sink. The scent of that other person that lingers on a certain side of the bed long after they've gone that helps you drift off to sleep a little more peacefully.

Little things. Memories that so many people lose over time. That will likely get locked up in boxes and put into basements all over the world. Boxes that could just as easily have been swept away by raging flood waters.

Just saying.