After the storm
Thanks to all who sent me little notes of encouragement during the 1000 year storm in Colorado last week!
When you live by yourself, kindness is appreciated, especially when my daughter was across the river unable to get to this side of town and her phone and internet was down (poor thing)!
What you’ve seen in the news isn’t ever what is happening on the ground. Anyone who’s been in a major disaster knows what I mean.
The National News (even what you’ll see tonight with Brian Williams) will be all about Boulder, where less than 200 homes were lost. That is a horrible tradgedy!
I don’t mean to underplay what was lost in Boulder, but here in Larimer County we’ve lost 1500 homes, flooding is still happening out on the plains right now, 20,000 homes are damaged and rescue helicopters (the big ones that can carry 20 people) have been flying low over my house since yesterday.
Over 100 people are still missing here…and rescues are going on as I write this!
Bridges, roads, businesses are gone and farm animals will need feed…if not found dead. 13 Post Offices are gone, sewage plants gone. http://youtu.be/IfvfIEMZ0tg A Short from Friday before copters could get in the air for assessment (Monday was the first dry day).
This 1000 year storm is our Katrina.
Tea
Granddaughter Schey called… the phone service was on at the house, and internet so I invited her to tea at Happy Lucky’s and dinner at my house.
Some of the bridges over the Poudre River are open (but not all).
The sun was out, people were flocking into the shop for tea and to talk about the flooding.
I ordered this tea, knowing that Schey loves mint, and we chatted with all the people coming and going. Joe’s mom, Paxton from Firehouse Bookstore, and Maggie (a new tea slinger who lived in China).
When we finished our tea and visit we went to one of the candy shops for malt balls (needed for watching Derek with Ricky Gervais on Netflix). On the way back, we saw something new…which neither of us had seen before. A Hummingbird moth flitting around the flowers in a large flowerpot. It looked like a tiny hummingbird without a beak. http://youtu.be/Jn9zx1gHD6I
I’m mindful at the best and most challenging times of how blessed I am to have kind people in my life. People here on Steepster, kind people at my Tea Shop and a granddaughter who regularly checks up on me and meets me for tea.
If you get a chance to see the new Netflix series Derek, pay attention to the main theme which is kindness. It is charming and refreshing.
Enjoyable to watch with malt balls candy and Chocolate Mints (made some at home too) by the pot! (I’ve indulged myself!)
FYI To people who have sent me tea to review, I have been too distracted with the storms and not sleeping well. Weather alarms, helecopters and all… I couldn’t do a good job reviewing your tea… but will get back to normal soon with some rest.
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So glad you’re safe and staying well Bonnie
Agreed! Given all the damage from this 1000 year flood, will you be OK this winter?
I’m glad you and your family are safe Bonnie, we just have few images here in French news and it looks terrible. they are also only speaking of Boulder and I thought it was because it was “better” in your area…I was wrong, I send you hugs from France
Looseteaman, our snowy months are March and April with an inch here and there the months before. Average rain in the Fall and Winter is almost zero! Our rainy month is May…and this is a semi-arid zone, very dry! Unless we have a 1000 year snow, we’ll be good in the lowlands but there isn’t time to rebuild all the bridges and mountain roads that are gone. The road to Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park was destroyed. They get snow up there through more of the year at 7000ft and higher.
Thanks for the hugs Ysaurella! I know you have storms there too!
The fact that more lives have not been reported lost as yet is promising and NO looting at all! 20,000 homes damaged and thousands in shelters and NO looting! There is even feed and hay banks for animals and staging with vets for herds of cattle, horses and goats. The Prairie farms have been flooded, not just the mountains. Tonight one prairie town river is cresting 11feet above flood stage.
And so it is.
Wow. Glad you’re all right!
Thank you for the broader insight into what’s happening. Here’s hoping for a smooth, full, and relatively speedy recovery (one can dream, no?).
I remember when we didn’t hear from people during hurricane Sandy…even Stacy at Butiki had losses and power outages. When theres trouble I worry about my steepster friends!
So glad you’re safe and staying well Bonnie
Agreed! Given all the damage from this 1000 year flood, will you be OK this winter?
I’m glad you and your family are safe Bonnie, we just have few images here in French news and it looks terrible. they are also only speaking of Boulder and I thought it was because it was “better” in your area…I was wrong, I send you hugs from France
Looseteaman, our snowy months are March and April with an inch here and there the months before. Average rain in the Fall and Winter is almost zero! Our rainy month is May…and this is a semi-arid zone, very dry! Unless we have a 1000 year snow, we’ll be good in the lowlands but there isn’t time to rebuild all the bridges and mountain roads that are gone. The road to Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park was destroyed. They get snow up there through more of the year at 7000ft and higher.
Thanks for the hugs Ysaurella! I know you have storms there too!
The fact that more lives have not been reported lost as yet is promising and NO looting at all! 20,000 homes damaged and thousands in shelters and NO looting! There is even feed and hay banks for animals and staging with vets for herds of cattle, horses and goats. The Prairie farms have been flooded, not just the mountains. Tonight one prairie town river is cresting 11feet above flood stage.
And so it is.
Wow. Glad you’re all right!
Thank you for the broader insight into what’s happening. Here’s hoping for a smooth, full, and relatively speedy recovery (one can dream, no?).
I remember when we didn’t hear from people during hurricane Sandy…even Stacy at Butiki had losses and power outages. When theres trouble I worry about my steepster friends!