DDolfelin

Spurs seem to be doing better than when they used to play against dustbins - and the dustbins often won 4-0. That fellow Defoe even had time to write Robinson Crusoe at half time.

Expensive things, logs. Couldn't you make something out of them, Gordon?

Happy Sunday to all those who are waiting for trams, exams and coffee.

"What do you all do to keep calm when you got an exam or something similar coming up?" As my Doctor looks a little like Aleesha Dixon (?sp), I quite look forward to getting sick.

There are more interesting body parts.

Respite in cloudbursts has kept stream at reasonable levels. There is, of course, the problem that the ground is saturated and it won't take a lot to fill it to the brim. Await hosepipe ban. Have a good time at Warley. It's now confirmed that alcohol helps avoid heart attacks.

Feel very sorry for that Policeman and his family. Just trying to do a very difficult job in horrendous conditions. Others still missing but with communications down one hopes for the best. The aftermath of these events tends to get overlooked. Apart from the disruption and perhaps the loss of treasured possessions, everything is contaminated. There is a knock-on with Insurance Premiums for everyone (my own two claims in nine years are well into five figures). Then there is the concern that it could all happen again. The wildlife also takes a bashing as well as farm animals lost - not usually widely reported. The only plus points I can think of is the way folk rally around at such times. I well remember a neighbour (farmer) delivering a hot dinner through an upstairs window in a JCB bucket!

Strewth.

Staggering amount of water. Just imagine the weight alone of a 12" cube of water, then multiply it by the whole area - and it is on the move!

Well, todays flooding was a 'damp' squib here. Although it was very miserable we didn't get anything like the 8 - 9" they had in Cumbria. More rain forecast tonight so it's just a waiting game really.

Here's a nice little exhibition:

Untidy sort of fellow, that ghost.

North Wales BoD. I made one design error - I made the door opening outwards to maximise inside space. Now it's sandbagged there is no rear exit!. There is already flooding in several nearby villages. (Nearby in rural terms is within a half hour drive).

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20091119/tuk-fresh-flood-fears-as-storms-persist-6323e80.html

Now forecast to catch the tail end of 8-10 inches of rain today.

Having been flooded twice before (one in a previous house) one assumes a sort of fatalistic outlook. I have taken certain precautionary measures - including a 6" deep concrete slab on which the Sun Room is built to protect the back. If my calculations are correct, any flood water should be diverted to the side of the property and thereafter run downhill in the road. Previous experience suggests that, once the bank overflows, the water in full flow tends to take the path of least resistance - ie down the mountain.

Water still outside. Now 5" rain forecast in other places - that's a monsoon. I blame Strictly Come Rain Dancing.

They may sell them in Bootes.

Flood affected areas are: The lower and upper Dee valleys, Clarach Bay tidal, the River Wye at Builth Wells, River Dyfi, Machynthlleth, River Clwyd, Ruthin, Conwy Valley, the rivers Mawddach, Wnion and the town of Dolgellau, the Meifiod area excluding the defended areas of Meifod Town and River Ritec at Tenby. Ferries cancelled to Dublin.

Llangollen canal has flooded. Bala is bad. Betsy Coed (nice girl) flooded. Llanwryst flooded. Several roads shut. Hope Martin is not travelling today.

Water gone down 12". More to come tomorrow. Re-arrangement of 20 sandbags. Very heavy when wet!

It's about 12' wide at the moment. Normally it's about 6'. Sand bags have been in place for three days. I've broken up the canoe to help with materials for a raft. Yes - it is fed from the top of our mountain. General chaos locally and in North Wales generally. Floods, trees down, traffic accidents etc. All quite normal really.

For those that are following the story of how I started to build an Ark too late:

You can't castor aspersions like that.

Watching the stream/river again this morning from studio window. 2" of rain during night ... and still going. High winds have brought down trees locally. Pic. is through rain streaked double glazing: