The Flood of 2008

To the left is the bandshell at Riverside

Park. The river is usually at least 100 yards behind the bandshell. To the right is a picture of what is left of our Island. It is now covered in water.

Below is the foot bridge to Tivoli Island. Usually the river just flows gently under the bridge exposing rocks where we used to like to climb around on as kids. Now you would be swept away in the rushing current.

To the left is the overflowing creek

in Riverside Park taken from Hill St.

looking toward the baseball diamond.

Normally this is a slow meandering creek

that is fun to cross on the exposed rocks.

The picture below is
one of our many bridges.

This one is on Second St.

Normally you would be

to stand up under that

bridge.

The picture below is the flooded Spaulding St. The

water is at least two feet deep at this point and

there are subdivisions to the left that are not

reachable at this time.

John and I took a walk yesterday to take a look at all the flood damage around Watertown. The Rock River runs through Watertown and it has jumped its banks in many places. When we see the houses with the water running over the sandbags we indeed feel very thankful that our only problem is water in the basement. We didn't know the appropriate words to use when we would see these homeowners moving their furniture out to the curb. I am sure many memories are tied up in those belongings. Everywhere we walked we were joined by people with their cameras in hand trying to document this hopefully once in a lifetime flood. It was refreshing to watch the children as they ran barefoot through flooded streets and rode their bikes through the water with waves spraying up high in the air. Even in the midst of a disaster, children can take it all in and find ways to enjoy it. They will file these memories away and tell the stories to their children and grandchildren years from now. And life goes on... These won't mean much to anyone unless you know Watertown, but I am using it as a way to document the Flood of June 2008. Now our prayer to God is Please no more rain!

Note to Tizzy: My message to you today has nothing to do with the flood. Instead it has to do with Father's Day. Today Grandpa got his first Grandpa card. He wondered how you got it here all the way from Africa. What a special little girl you are to be able to do that for him. He is going to put it up at work for all to see! He is very proud of his little Tizzy!