Just An Observation

We have a big yard for being on the lake - sort of a triangle, but not. It is 100' across the front but 300' across the back. That means 300' of seawall, which in this part of the country is a lot of lake access. It also can be a lot of work. Each winter the Corps of Engineers draws the lake down anywhere from 3-8 feet to kill the algae before it can get started and to allow homeowners to do repair to their seawall. Two years ago we had to have our seawall repaired and it didn't come cheap.

This spring we had a lot of rain in Arkansas. A lot of rain. The lake above our lake got too high and they had to let a lot of water out at one time so they opened all the flood gates up and the water came up over our seawall and into the yard. We were lucky, really, because our house is set way back from the lake and because by the time the water got to us the force was considerably less than it was up closer to the dam. We have friends up the lake whose dock and pontoon boat was torn loose by the water and taken 9 miles down the lake where it hung up on the buoys right before it would have gone over that dam. Others weren't so lucky. Their docks and boats went over the dam and ended up toothpicks on the far side. The only damage we had was that our dock floated out from the seawall about 8 feet and the walkway fell down into the mud at the bottom where it's buried to this day. We've called a dock repair company to come fix it but their list was long and we weren't crucial so we wait. That won't be cheap either. Meanwhile we can't get out to the dock but that's ok; my husband waded out and got the boat, brought it up to the seawall and we can use it from there.

In Arkansas, like a lot of places, when it rains it pours. And when it doesn't rain, it doesn't rain. We water our yard from the lake so we're better off than most. Except this past weekend our pump quit. It went to the hospital but it was dead on arrival. It couldn't be resuscitated - CPR didn't work and neither did begging. So we either buy a new pump or water from the hose, which costs megabucks for a yard this size.

This week it has rained all around us. And I do mean all around us. It rained at WalMart 8 miles away. It rained at the nearby market 3 miles away. We live on a square and it rained on the other side of our square. Yep. The other side of our square - 1 block away. My husband, who is the glass half full kind of guy, wasn't surprised because if it can cost him money, he thinks it will. I very kindly explained to him that the Rain Gods are unhappy with him. If he would close cabinet doors, pick up his bath mat and newspaper, and cook dinner once in a while his luck would change. Rain Gods like that stuff. Don't you agree?