Yesterday my little part of the world flooded. Summer storms and a high tide conspired and the result was that my country road turned into a river. Ensconced in a L'Apothecary oil blending session, Paula and I were mildly (then acutely) aware of the rising water outside the window. It rained and rained and rained until there was water lapping at my door and our road was a moving river.
Things I have learned:
I am not a very concise decision maker in a crisis. I need to be told what to do. Once I have a plan I have great clarity of though; until there is a plan, it is as if I have no useful thoughts.
However, I felt this strong and important urge to stay and defend my house. In reality when flood waters come there is very little you can do; having seen it up close, I realise this now. At the time, as the water rose, there was just this odd sense of unreality as all the low plants and flowers in my garden became submerged, along with the wheels of my car parked in the driveway.
I did have a journey to make; I knew I had to collect the children so I braved the road/river in my big car and went out to get them. I felt sure we could get back back and of course I had this 'protect your home' urge going on. I saw numerous smaller cars go ahead of me into the road/river; I figured I could make it. With children, my Mum and the puppy on board, we drove through the flood.
I learnt that cars don't like deep water. Within seconds we found ourselves with no engine power and up to the car windows in water! I called 999 for the first time in my life. Really quite a surreal and scary moment...
I learnt that the British emergency services are, as I suspected, FABULOUS and arrived, both fire brigade and police in about 10 minutes.
During that time we sat in the slowly seeping, bubbling river of water until, in a random act of kindness, three strangers pushed our car to slightly more shallow water. We were within 100 feet of our house...so near but so far! The police did the rest, towing us to safety.
But my car had died :-(
Later in the evening, the water started to ebb away as determinedly as it came. We walked along the road/river in wellies (Hunters really are an essential item of clothing!) People were walking our country road; stranded and with stories of having to get out of their cars through the sunroof. Drama comes in all places.
Later, I could not sleep - I felt as if I had put my little family in danger by driving right into harm's way. There was no way of knowing how deep the water was, yet I proceeded anyway. Odd. I learnt that I clearly do think I am invincible, even against nature! Strangely all worries I have in life are to do with the danger of others; very rarely myself.
The acts of kindness continued today as a friend arrived to take my children to school in his Land Rover and then gave me the car as a loan. It's like driving a cross between a tank and a tractor and will go through any puddle/river. I am prepared for more rain!
.jpg) |
| via i appreciate that |
So in honour of intrepid British spirit, the winner of the
Jubilee 'British Blend' Oil giveaway was Vanessa. Email me and a bottle of L'Apothecary love will be winging its way to you!
