Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Watery Wednesday : April 19 1997

The emails from 1997 continue.
Subject: Sat…still here

Hello everyone, we are still holding our own, Day 11 of high water.

Grand Forks is in trouble, talked to Gene’s Cousin Bonnie and Wayne, they are getting ready to evacuate.  Fargo is not in wonderful shape either, today is sunny and clear, no rain yet!

It is getting to be a really long time stranded, heard that UND closed for the rest of the semester, so there may be hope for NDSU to do the same, have not been in any shape to study.

It is encouraging to get all your messages, we appreciate the life line out of here! 

The water has receded an inch in the last 24 hours, we have two pumps going full time, two more just part time.  Everything is still pretty soggy, pray for NO rain.

Gene was really discouraged yesterday. WATER, WATER, he has never been real patient.  He got a good nights rest, I let him sleep til he woke up.  I watched TV in between dike watch, some old movies.  We had a muskrat looking for solid ground, I scared him as much as he scared me, I think he was on the dike but swiftly swam away.

Geese and ducks are going north, Gene says they are all laughing at us dumb people as they fly over.  We have many birds on our island, I am feeding them, even the poor sparrows and grackles.  We have a whole group of robins getting worms out of my south flower bed up next to the house.

We will hang in there another day, wish we could have some idea of when this will be over.  Sometimes we think it will never end. 

Hope you are all fine.  Gene and Connie
April 19 water
Our island home
April 19 water 2
Water flowing between us and the neighbors to the north.
Backyard water April 1997
View from the deck…that Mugo Pine caused us so many problems.  When the original sand bags were laid, some were laid on the branches and that cause the dike to leak.
View of house front April 1997
Our Cul de sac
*******
The radio station KFGO was our lifeline, our radio was hardly ever turned off. We used our computer for email and to check river levels.
Other than a neighbor boating over,  or my parents bringing supplies we had no company…it was just us and the water…an enormous amount of water.  Water as far as the eye could see.
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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

This must have been awful. So glad you survived. Hope it never happens again.


Shirley H.

Cynthia said...

I'm surprised you had electricity through this. Or maybe you are using a generator. If you had young children, they would be going nuts from being cooped up so long! As I'm sure you were ...

Tired Teacher said...

This struggle was not for the weak - emotionally and physically. I'm glad you persevered.

Leah said...

Wow - those pictures are something... Certainly can understand how you would start to go stir crazy.

troutbirder said...

It's beyond belief. I've seen similar photos of my sons in laws home in Bismarck and he also was a NDSU during the great flood at Fargo...

Rita said...

The pictures really bring it all home. Kudos to you for even thinking of taking them--and for saving the emails! :)

Karen said...

This post seems very timely. Places in the Okanagan are dealing with flood threats. We have often wondered about the dykes along the river and some of the lower lying property next to them near Oliver. I think I would be going stir crazy if I was in your situation, but I too would have wanted to stick it out as long as there was hoping of protecting the house.

Far Side of Fifty said...

We had electricity throughout the whole ordeal :)

Red said...

Eleven days! What a life time to sit and wondering what the water might do.

Henny Penny said...

It really does look like an island home. You folks must have been so happy when this ended and you could see the ground again. And to think that I complain about the weather being too hot or too cold or a few rainy days.

Sam I Am...... said...

What an ordeal that must have been and the not knowing would drive anyone nuts!