THE DAY FROM HELL

What a day I had yesterday. We had horrible thunderstorms, and at one point, it rained so hard I could barely see the end of the driveway. Of course it all opened up about the time I was due to go pick Spencer up from school. The rain gage said we got 3 1/2 inches. I was working on my current WIP, First Degree Innocence, and had gotten side-tracked. I was finally starting to make some progress after being side-lined for a few days. I'm trying really hard to get this one finished because I have a 'veiled' interest in seeing the completed story after a publisher read my first three paragraphs. NOT chapters...paragraphs. So, I'm excited, but my muse keeps taking naps. I happened to glance up at the clock and panicked.

Anyhow, I was on my way to get Spencer, running late and made even later by having to continually pull over for Emergency equipment. They were headed in the direction of where I live, but I wasn't concerned because Spencer was at school He's always my main worry and priority these days.

I picked him up and headed home. When we got our street, I recognized the flashing red lights that I'd stopped for on the way to school. Evidently, a power pole had fallen across the road and live wires were dangling to the street. It happened just shortly after I went through there. I whispered a silent prayer to God for letting me pass safely.

After we sat for some time, I got impatient, plus I chastised myself for not going potty before I left home. I decided to backtrack and take the next street over and around. Bad move!

Hilton Lane is the street that the tornado hit and removed most of the trees and destroyed homes. It never occurred to me that there would be flooding. Yikes. Lots of rushing water collected and streamed alongside the road, but it wasn't I until drove through a pool halfway up my tires to get on the bridge that I realized there was a raging river on the other side of the road. Logs were floating by, and there was no way I was going to risk continuing on. You'd have to have a death wish to do that. Really, it was horrible and scary at the same time. Here we were, on a narrow bridge, in a small car with the turning radius of a Mac truck, and the water behind us was rising too.

Spencer sensed my fear and started to cry. I wanted to cry with him because driving through the first pond of water was scary enough. My husband had warned me many times, and common sense tells you not to drive through water crossing the road. But I was on a narrow road with other people with the same bright idea behind me. Now what?

The young man in the truck behind came up and assured me that driving through the water ahead was not an option. I told him I was old...not stupid. Noah had an ark, I had a PT cruiser. *lol* The nice fellow offered to turn my car around and drive it back through the rising water, so I took Spence out of his car seat and held him on my lap as we ventured back through. I have to say, I'm sure the water was up past the bottom of the door this time, and the car floated a tad, but we made it safely.

So, we went back and sat , waiting for the lines to be repaired until my DIL called and reminded me of yet another country back road. I had to choose, go behind the utility box on the side of the road and pee or risk another road. I decided to be brave.

It was ten miles out of the way, but we only had to ford one small creek over the road, but at least I could still see pavement. We got home safely, only to sit in the dark for three hours, but at least we weren't in the car, waiting in line to get here. Ah nothing is as sweet looking as the commode when you need it. Flashlight for ambiance. :)

After telling my son of my experience, he drove his big utility work truck over and blocked the flooded road so no one else got into the same predicament. Using Hilton as an alternate is common knowledge, but yesterday it wasn't such a hot idea.

The poor people left on that street after the Tornado suddenly had lake front property. I think they've suffered more than enough.

By the way, I'm not trying anymore shortcuts from now on. :)