[Gathnet] Good times in St. Louis

[Jonathan Gathman]

Greetings Gathnetters,
   As you may have heard earlier in the week, we've had a lot of rain in 
Missouri.  While the Meremec, a nearby river that feeds into the 
Mississipi (or maybe the Missouri then then Mississipi... I'll have to 
look that up), flooded it's banks, we have been essentially unaffected 
on that score.

   However, the rain had saturated the surrounding hills, and all the 
streams had been running lickety split.  Two such streams converge on 
the entrance to our "private drive", and then later on the shared drive, 
there is a low-water bridge.  Both were under water.

   Now I can basically tell how deep it is, and I knew, assuming the 
bridge was still there under the water, that I could make it though the 
first hurdle, except there was a big wad of sticks stuck in the middle, 
looking like a beaver's dam.  I was afraid if I plowed through, the 
sticks would get caught in the undercarriage, which would be problematic 
with all that water.

   New Tractor to the rescue.   I simply got out the ol' 4 wheel drive 
tractor, and reached over and in with the bucket, and loosened the 
sticks, which then cleared by water force.  I toddled down the concrete 
bed (actually now part of the raging stream... it seemed like I was 
driving a diesel canoe), and then essentially did the same for the low 
water bridge.

   The biggest issue was that my glasses were so rained on, it was hard 
to see.

   When I got in, my pants and shoes were soaked too, so I changed, 
before heading out with the car.  I waited until it stopped most of the 
rain, and had subsided just a bit, and made it through.  The force of 
the water when I plunged through the low-water bridge, however, managed 
to bend my license plate back and in...

   Anyway, that was tuesday, and it's been calm since.  The kids have a 
nice 3 inch snow to play in, and it certainly makes for pretty pictures.

   Oh, and the drop in temperature made it so the mailbox locks froze... 
had to get it open by heating with propane... :)  fun in rural 
America... :) Makes for good stories...

   So anyway, that's life in St. Louis.


-- 
Jonathan Gathman
"Think, Speak and Do Well"
Urquhart Family Crest