Tuesday, December 26, 2006

soaked

The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless.
Chamfort
If the temperature in Eugene had dropped below freezing, Mum and I had estimated that we would have gotten a very white Christmas, indeed. For, we have quite a lot of water about. Well, actually, "a lot" doesn't even cover it, really. Maybe Dad and I should start building an Ark...

Or a schooner. I'm fine with either.

Anyway. Mum and I, in absolute desperation, went out today hoping to find someplace open. We only found 3 places: a Thai restaurant, Rite Aid, and Starbucks. We ventured into none. Instead, I suggested to Mum that we drive over to Alton Baker park to take some "action" shots of my brand-new, soft and sumptuous, utterly lovely clapotis.

It was as we crossed the Ferry Street Bridge that I felt the stirrings of slight panic. I had looked down (yes, I know this was stupid of me).

And saw that the river was swollen. Really, really swollen. It had flooded onto the concrete paths of the park. The river was maybe 15 feet below the bridge (10 feet higher than normal, I'd guestimate). Mum refused to go into Alton Baker park until we did some recon.

There were, amazingly enough, other crazy people out and about the park. Mum agreed to park the new Honda and get out with me. It became immediately clear to me (just about as I hit the rain and cold air) that there was no bloody way I was going to take my coat off to model my clapotis. But, I had brung the digicam and was determined to use it.

If only to document the frighteningly high level of the river. In fact, as we walked over to the duck pond, we saw that the duck island was completely submerged. The ducks looked cold and wet and miserable. And immediately flocked over to me, wanting bread. I ignored them.

Okay, see that brown sliver behind that tree and going under the bridge?:

That's the river.

I had stepped up onto a concrete barrier to take the pic, and looked down to see the flock of geese and ducks had surrounded me and were grousing loudly at the fact that I hadn't fed them.


I apologized to them for my terrible faux pas and made my way to the river, ignoring my Mum's worried musings. She was worried about a flash flood. I replied that we were witnessing one, and kept going. I'm a terrible child, I know, but I love seeing things:

Above: that's were the bike/ runner's path usually is. Right now it's the tide.
Or, quite possibly, under several feet of water by now.

I looked back over to the duck pond (there was a very slim sliver of concrete running between the river and the duck pond, likely also submerged by now) and noticed that the man-made island in the center of the pond was also submerged and that the benches were also a bit damp...


And that two, clearly insane, people were walking wading out to said man-made island:

Right-O.

I had to get pictures of this. It's so Eugenian. Hell, I might even have done the same thing - if my Mum hadn't been with me, cuz it'd have given her a heart attack (don't even ask about the Yellowstone geisers). I offered to photograph their endeavor and email them the pix later (I'm gonna do it, I promise). The family thought that would be cool.

Oh, and look!, ducks swam by the girl and her father as they waded (slowly through the current) to the island:


They both paused halfway to wave back at us (the Mum and son were standing on dry ground with Mum and I):


The girl and her father kept teasing her brother about not going in with them. He just shook his head and laughed and refused to go any further than ankle deep.

He's far cleverer than we give him credit for, I think.

After a while, the duo started back (again slowly, and the water was rising at this point):


By the time they got back to land, they seemed soaked to the bone. I promised to mail them the pix as we all rushed to our cars (we were all cold and wet at this point). As we both jumped into the car, I looked up and saw that there was an emergency vehicle trying to drive down the bike path (or what was still left of it). I suggested that maybe they were trying to close the park.

At this, Mum and I gave up on any chance of walking around somewhere (that wasn't cold and wet) and just came home. I've never been so glad to see my sweats, that I can recall anyway.

Are you completely bored with my narrative? No? Okay, I've got more ^_^

For our Good Crafting News section, I'm glad to report that both Maura and Tamara have both recieved their wacky ducky prizes.

(magic yarn ball for Maura - I love winding these things!!)
(oh, specs: painted Rowan Big Wool with other thingies inside)

and...handspun/ painted Optim merino plied with firestar
(and some duckies for her and her daughters)
{I was too tired by the time I finished to make it a magic yarn ball :( }

I have also been informed that my spindling foster student loved the roving I sent. I also finished L's "surprise" last night (I even sewed the buttons on and everything). This means that I only have three wacky ducky prizes left to make: one for TheBon, one for Penny, and one for Crimson (I'm also neglecting to mention that I bloody well need to finish Xa's Yule gift and Penny's Channukah gift, too).

I am soooooo close to finishing up my holiday December crafting! Just three people left (*glee*).

Because I didn't feel like spinning, sewing, or dyeing anything (picky, aren't I?) I got out my knitting. I'm so bad, I know. I cast on a lace stole that I designed whilst watching Love Actually this evening. I have no idea if it's going to work or not, and I kinda don't care. Experimentation is fuuuun. I also finished, um, 1/2 of something special and secret. No, I can't tell you what it is. I also made progress on my thrums scarf - a scarf I'm making with all my left-over blue, green, or purple thrums (such an original name, I know).

I also embroidered another Hebrew word onto "that Judaica thing" and knit another repeat of the lace border. I might be able to get it done in a week, if I can manage to keep working on it.

But, with a pink alpaca lace stole on the needles... well, what're the odds on that? Penny's in Vegas for the holidays, maybe she can tell us.

Labels: ,


Click
& Quack
Recent Posts
  • Subscribe with Bloglines
  • Knit-A-Longs:
    • blogroll:
      random pix
      • www.flickr.com
        This is a Flickr badge showing public photos from fyberduck. Make your own badge here.
    My Photo
    Name:
    Location: Portland, Oregon, United States

    I'm a recent graduate of the University of Oregon, a Peace Corps nominee, and trying to knit, spin, and craft up my stash before I get sent off to a foreign country for 2 years.

    Comments:
    some 'props to: