A river runs through it


The rains have finally stopped in our area of New England and, other than a very soggy yard, we’ve been very, very fortunate. But, watching the news of all of the swollen and overflowing rivers brings back memories of a time when the knock on the door of my childhood home was from a policeman telling us to evacuate.

I grew up in Agawam, Massachusetts, just a couple of streets from the banks of the Connecticut River. In June ’84, the banks overflowed and came down my street.

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(the Barbie sailboat was my sister’s and often had a beer floating on it for my dad who stayed behind to pump out our basement and watch our cat)

The water never entered the first floor of our ranch, but it got pretty close (our house is the yellow one to the right).

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It was pretty surreal to see our street covered in water, a boat bobbing by the curb.

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My sister and I thought this was great fun when we had to stop home for dress-up clothes for my BFF’s high-school graduation.
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My mother, however, was a nervous wreck.

And now, after watching our yard fill up with water, checking to see if our basement was dry–still dry–, hearing the news stories of evacuations and damage and crumbling dams, I finally understand why she was so nervous.

Mother Nature, take it easy on New England this spring, ok?

Comments

  1. Boston Mamas says

    Wow, it is phenomenal that you have those photos! It's been a crazy beginning of spring for sure (says she of the second time soggy basement)

  2. Boston Mamas says

    Wow, it is phenomenal that you have those photos! It's been a crazy beginning of spring for sure (says she of the second time soggy basement)

  3. It's funny what time and parenthood (and a mortgage!) do to our perspective, that you and your sister could enjoy the oddity of the situation back then and you realize the dangers of it now. Hoping the spring dries up for you!

  4. It's funny what time and parenthood (and a mortgage!) do to our perspective, that you and your sister could enjoy the oddity of the situation back then and you realize the dangers of it now. Hoping the spring dries up for you!

  5. Oh, I don't know what's more startling about those photos: The water or OUR HAIR??!

    *shudder*

    Yeah, I totally get mom now. And think how much daddy would have LOVED this.

    I spent two nights barely sleeping on the couch so the kids could share my king bed on the other side of the house, away from the swaying, soggy-footed pine tree. The days were spent staring at the wetlands next to my house, watching the water inch up the back and side yard, closer and closer by the hour.

    But we were spared. We know several friends and neighbors who had to be evacuated. Others have inches of nasty water in their basement.

    I wish I kept the Barbie boat to float in our new backyard wading pool. Instead, we have a family of mallard ducks.

  6. Oh, I don't know what's more startling about those photos: The water or OUR HAIR??!

    *shudder*

    Yeah, I totally get mom now. And think how much daddy would have LOVED this.

    I spent two nights barely sleeping on the couch so the kids could share my king bed on the other side of the house, away from the swaying, soggy-footed pine tree. The days were spent staring at the wetlands next to my house, watching the water inch up the back and side yard, closer and closer by the hour.

    But we were spared. We know several friends and neighbors who had to be evacuated. Others have inches of nasty water in their basement.

    I wish I kept the Barbie boat to float in our new backyard wading pool. Instead, we have a family of mallard ducks.

  7. Chicky Chicky Baby says

    There's a small pond in my backyard and one in the front that weren't there two months ago. And we got off easy in this part of the state.

    Keeping my fingers crossed for a dry late spring!

  8. Chicky Chicky Baby says

    There's a small pond in my backyard and one in the front that weren't there two months ago. And we got off easy in this part of the state.

    Keeping my fingers crossed for a dry late spring!

  9. Suburb Sierra says

    OMG. You two look exactly the same then as you do now. In fact, didn't you wear those outfits to FOF's graduation dinner??

    Glad you are dry. We lucked out too. Abs and I saw some impressive flooding in other areas of our town. And our little Spicket River is acting all big and stuff…

  10. Suburb Sierra says

    OMG. You two look exactly the same then as you do now. In fact, didn't you wear those outfits to FOF's graduation dinner??

    Glad you are dry. We lucked out too. Abs and I saw some impressive flooding in other areas of our town. And our little Spicket River is acting all big and stuff…

  11. Your pictures are amazing… I've been looking at the pics of the flood on Boston.com and feeling very lucky that we only got 5" in our backyard, and a few puddles in our basement. (Of course, we do have 4 sump pumps after we got 18" in the basement a few years ago!) Hope you're enjoying the great weather today!

  12. Your pictures are amazing… I've been looking at the pics of the flood on Boston.com and feeling very lucky that we only got 5" in our backyard, and a few puddles in our basement. (Of course, we do have 4 sump pumps after we got 18" in the basement a few years ago!) Hope you're enjoying the great weather today!

  13. kiwi gomes says

    Wow! I'm not sure what was more eye catching – the water or the hair!

  14. kiwi gomes says

    Wow! I'm not sure what was more eye catching – the water or the hair!

  15. Mom enjoyed these photos. And we realized that during that flood, she was about as old as we are now.

  16. Mom enjoyed these photos. And we realized that during that flood, she was about as old as we are now.

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