Water Water Everywhere

Mother Nature is obviously pissed! She's giving us all she's got, although I probably shouldn't say that, as I've seen her do worse... But that was in Malaysia (with rain literally washing down as if out of buckets) or Japan (a taiphoon there can still teach these hurricanes here in Britain a lesson or two), so far far away. However, there's one thing to be noted: Down here in England you don't expect that kind of thing! 

I've seen the pictures on TV for quite a few days now, storms washing away parts of the coast, Somerset turning into an inland sea, but even then it seemed so far away. But now it's right at our doorstep.  As in my work neighbourhood.

Good news is: They keep sending us home early from the office, to give us a chance to get through one of the few roads that are still open. From the train or the bus I take home parks and fields have turned into ponds, a river I didn't even know was there has turned into a lovely waterpark, and the Thames in Staines which I cross every day has majestically claimed back the paths along its side (well, it's called the Thames Path after all). That and some houses, buildings and plenty other areas along with it. She has asserted herself most powerfully, you don't mess around with Queen Thames! There is now only a few sandbags between the river and my regular supplier of beer, The Swan in Staines. Even the calanisation can't take it anymore, water is coming up the drains, and even breaks through randomly along the streets, right through the concrete. The town now really needs to be renamed again, from Staines-Upon-Thames, a title it has only just received in recent years, to Staines-Under-Thames. By the way, that's not from me, I am not that creative...

So imagine, you go to work every day, and it's just the same routine, nothing ever happens apart from, well, work. I've been watching the river rise, and even seeing it climb over the banks and flooding the path didn't seem too unsettling, what's a bit of mud after all? I assumed with the tide ebbing it would just move out again. Well, nowadays it doesn't. 

Instead the army moved in. It makes you feel very uncomfortable to see the army passing your office in convoys. OK, they are armed with rescue boats and sandbags, which is so infinitely preferable to weapons, but despite all the help and support they are giving people in the area, seeing them pass just triggers images from war zones. Well, technically I guess we are in a war zone by now, just that you can't shoot Mother Nature and be done with it... Not for lack of trying, I am sure. 

Well, now all we can do is wait. Wait for the rain to stop pouring down, for the wind to stop pushing the water inland, the rivers to get to grips with the amount of water and sticking to their normal course. It may be a while, though. I should've joined that rowing club after all...