"How high's the water Momma?"
We had a bit of excitement in these parts the last few days. After dealing with quite a bit of rain, our watershed appeared to have had enough. Several areas in Western Washington experienced flooding- including Centralia. This is something new for us, but for residents who have lived through "The Big One", this is par for the course. Nevertheless, we found ourselves watching the gauges very carefully, making sure we knew "the plan" in the event we needed to leave and pulling out our Emergency Kit, which included provisions for our pets.
All day, the kids and I discussed the readings, what was happening in the watershed and the inherent difficultly of acurately predicting the weather. There was a measure of fear as it is an unknown for us- but it was also an opportunity to help them focus on what's important, what can they do to help themselves feel empowered, and discuss what the plan is in the event we need to leave.
In the end, we had a bit of water around the barn, but nothing to write home about. So, as the old Johnny Cash song goes- "How high's the water Momma?"......." 13.49 feet and Lowerin'......Thank you Lord".