In the words of Samuel Taylor Coleridge,
“Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink. ”
I have created a new verb.
‘To have rain’
We have rain
You have rain
They have rain
We have had rain
We will have rain
Arghhhhh.
We have never had rain like this in the UK before.
Gloucester is one of the most badly affected areas, and now, as if the floods and the loss of their homes and belongings is not enough, the poor locals are facing this.
” Every home in the town has been told it will lose its fresh water supply.”
(BBC News 24)
So, no hot (or cold) baths, no washing machine, no washing up, no water to drink or cook with, and worst of all, NO CUP OF TEA.
It is the middle of a flood and yet they are in drought conditions.
Does this only happen in the UK or is it a worldwide thing?
Anyway, for all you Gloucester folks out there…
Look at the photo…
Now close your eyes.
Reach out your hand and grasp the handle…
Careful, it’s hot.
Put both hands around the mug and feel the warmth against your fingers,
then gently, slowly, raise the steaming liquid to your mouth.
Can you feel the heat against your face?
That hot damp sensation as steam meets skin?
Yes?
Ok, take a sip.
Just a little one, it’s hot remember.
Big sighhhhh
There, that’s better isn’t it?
And at least you can still have this
and these…
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July 23rd, 2007 at 1:59 pm
No, Jo, sadly it’s not just a UK thing. Many parts of Texas that were suffering from extreme drought are just now coming up for air after weeks of flooding. And of course many parts of Kansas were flooded out recently, too. But I’ve never seen flooding in the UK like that before.
Ever since moving to the south, I’ve kept a case of drinking water on hand, just in case. We keep ours with our hurricane supplies (batteries, flashlight, canned food). The tea was a nice touch *grin* I imagine a nice cup of tea would do wonders.
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Funny you posted about this because I was thinking about you this morning when I heard on the radio about the excessive rain and floods happening there. Are you far from it?
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Oh Jo. I’m so sorry that our weather misfortunes have moved your way. I’ve spent a good part of the last month helping my folks deal with a rental house they own here that had a flooded basaement situation that just de-escalated into hell. I love rain, but don’t want to see it for a while.
On the plus side, you’re right…you don’t have to have water for some of the finer things in life.Alcohol is as non-water as you can get! Will you be directly affected by this?
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Jen, atleast we don’t have hurricanes to worry about. I can’t imagine what they must be like.
Luckily we’ve not been directly affected by the flooding.
We live in the East Midlands and don’t have any major rivers running too close to our town.
We did have one really bad day where a few roads were closed, but nothing like they’re getting in Gloucester etc which is in the South West.
It must be awful for them.
This is one of the few times I’ve been glad I live on a hill.
July 23rd, 2007 at 7:01 pm
wow crazy. that picture of the boy riding the bike is WILD! Weather is weird here too (although not so freaky as YOURS!) cold and rainy. In JULY???
July 24th, 2007 at 7:57 am
Yeah, that happens all over the world. This spring/early summer here in the midwest (but fortunately nowhere near Chciago) was terrible—lots of flooding like that. Lost homes, closed businesses, ruined crops/farms, and people stranded without resources. Food and water was flown in to people in the flood areas and they were moved to shelters. Just terrible.
I always think, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could somehow get all that rain water to the parts of the country/world that are in huge droughts and are experiencing forest fires?” In a perfect world…
July 24th, 2007 at 8:16 am
Driving back up from Cornwall the other day we crossed the bridge over the Avon – the motorway was only a few metres above the water. Not good. They’re saying it’s worse than the devastating floods of 1947. But don’t worry, Cobra has been meeting…(Is that an acronym? If so, what for?)Rest assured, they’ll have been talking an awful lot about what to do…and I bet they’ve been drinking loads of tea too.
Mya x
July 24th, 2007 at 9:13 am
damn that’s some watery bad.
Well, heres me, popping by to spread my brand of cami sunshine…
and ummm… stay dry.
July 24th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Awful for the Gloucestershire folk. A real catastrophe. Anyone flooded will be out of their homes for 6-8 months.
Perth flooded a few years back but has £26m new flood defence system to stop it happening again – hopefully – water always has to go somewhere.
Things are not helped by the neds (chavs in England) emptying the water bowsers for a laugh.
July 24th, 2007 at 11:03 am
God, these floods are awful. Glad to hear you live on a hill. And if those affected have internet access at least they can cheer themselves up with your lovely posting.
July 24th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Absolutely Bananas, the world has gone mad.
Susan, the perfect world thing would be great wouldn’t it?
It’s just so shocking for us as we’ve never experienced extreme weather really in this country, or atleast not over such a prolonged period of time during the summer.
I’m sure alot more people will be thinking about global warming etc now.
Mya, The bridge sounds scary.
COBRA probably stands for ‘Crappy Old Buggers Ranting Away’
Safe journey home sweetie.
Cami, thanks for the sunshine. We just had a fabulous day out on it at a local adventure park. It was suntan lotion and sun hats.
Can you believe it?
David, thank God you’ve got some good defences there.
And how annoying that chavy ned people empty the bowsers.
Some people don’t think about anyone else at all. Gits.
Let’s hope the Gloucestershire folks get the help they need as soon as possible. Though I’m sure it will take an age. I can’t imagine it.
July 24th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Thanks Mother at Large.
There’s nothing like a good cup of tea in a crisis.