Here We Go Again

Cedar Rapids is once again bracing for a large flood, although this time not as severe as the hugely destructive one that swept through in 2008. Still, the same areas will be damaged and people have been evacuated from their homes in preparation for the flood waters. Cynthia and the girls volunteered to help sandbag along 3rd Ave and then I helped sandbag on Saturday. We bagged a few dump truck loads of sand and then ran out of sand, so we began piling the sandbags around houses and businesses in the neighborhood. That went surprisingly quickly with so many volunteers helping, so we started helping people move their belongings out of their basements. It was kind of a war zone and sad to see how distressed people were since many of them had lived through the mess of the first flood. It was exhausting work, but thankfully it was cloudy and cool much of the day. And it didn't rain!

In the evening we went to Cole Herb's wedding reception at the Elk's Lodge. John and Roxi were there, too and it was great to catch up with our old neighbors. And the food was awesome!

Close

i'm so close to something
something so near to me
in the air near my fingertips
just beyond where i can see
buzzing words in my ear as i fall asleep
and in the morning so suddenly
the ghost in the corner of my eye
never where i expect it to be
it scatters the order of my thoughts
only to retreat so hastily
and ripples through cold waters
sending my ponderings into the sea

i know something now
that i didn't know then
the moment is almost upon me
but still i don't know when
it's so close