We Are Not in a Flood

Notice in the picture above, the shed sitting in a river, the drowning daffodils, the stones front and center in the picture that I know are at the top of a wall nearly 3 feet high, the trees far to the left that usually would sit near the river bank not well within its stream.

Is it OK to feel relieved that I am not in my old house anymore? We would have been going through our 3rd flood there now. Unfortunately, the people who bought the house are now likely going through their first flood only 8 months after they moved in. They were aware of the flood danger, but that doesn't make the reality of it any easier. We had been in the house about 6 years before our first flood, and then it was another 7 years until the next one. This one has followed only 3 years later. Hundred year floods are getting awfully common.

The picture above is from April, 2007 when the flood gauge at Little Falls, NJ measured about 11.5'. We had about 18" of water in the basement at that time. This weeks' storm will likely reach almost 13', possibly the largest flood of the Passaic River since 1903.

Perhaps it's possible that things work out for the best, that situations like having to move for a job are blessings in disguise. While there is lots of flooding in the Boston area as well, our current house is not in a flood plain. We are not watching the weather reports with fear. We are high and dry. We are thankful.