First off it has been a little while since I last posted. I know I was determined to keep this moving along with less spaces. But as mother nature has done many times in many places she took us to task. She has unleashed a flood that has ripped up a lot of the city in many locations with many people impacted, including beyond the city to small towns and places that many do not consider when they think of southern Alberta.
I found myself in the dark after 4:15 am on friday. What was strange was I had rode my bike on Wednesday and managed to dodge a bunch of rain, there were no signs of flooding or near flooding. It was simply high water. Thursday was supposed to be a messy day rain and lots of it. I woke up had the biking bag packed and looked outside. The rain was coming down. But I have good rain gear for riding so I am not really put off by the rain. However, the wind was up and I thought it was a day that I would rather not mess with things. The wind was gusting very strong so much the rain went sideways at time. As Thursday moved to afternoon I realized how good the decision to take the train was. I am not certain I would have made it home on the bike path. So I get home it is cold and wet out. But I am home.
1:30 am the police drive through the neighbourhood telling everyone that it is time to leave and that you should consider a 72 hour departure. I found this a bit much considering we are not that close to the river but we decided to see how it goes. 4:15am, power is off and we are very much in the dark. The better half sits up around 5:50 am and goes your late for work. I look outside the rain is coming in buckets and by buckets I mean the gutters are at least 2 feet wide in water. It has not stopped since Thursday AM. I thought about work, not happening in my mind an evacuation order flooding expected in the downtown. Now what? Cellphone rings at 6:30, my boss, wants to know if I can help with some issues at work. My comment the power is out, I have no computer or internet except a laptop that will run for a while. He asks if we are still at home and I said yes, he asks if I can get to our company web portal. I mention the part about no power and internet again. He is a little distracted right at that point, we will let it slide.
So no work that day. Couple of cell phone calls and we begin the plunge into a world with no power. How very strange, it is like a novel or a movie where you know the character should not go in there but they do and you know they are going to get attacked by a crazy zombie or something. As the morning moves along I find that there are people everywhere. Kids, I did not know these kids existed in our neighbourhood. I am in awe by some of it. We go to the park and look at a river swollen and raging like an ill tempered child trying to grab anything and everything to keep from being hauled away by it's mother. I am shocked. I think of my cycling, I have pondered this all year how it seems that my cycling goals will be cut short due to the fact mother nature just makes it hard to get to them. I think of my route to work, I know already that it is devastated beyond repair in some places. I am crushed in that respect. Not being selfish here it is just that feeling when something you enjoy is taken away. I have not had time to digest it or even think about finding new ways to reach my office at this point is still the darkness of now power.
So we pull out of the basement an old sony walkman. It has a radio and we find an old set of speakers that my wife had to go with it. This was 1986 vintage gear coming out of the basement (why we have it still I do not know). Two batteries and a slotted screwdriver to tune it and we have AM radio. Yes AM radio, we have the outside world. Keep in mind up the hill in parkland or queensland the people have no issues, power and all the luxuries it brings are theirs to enjoy. So this may sound bad but it is not like we are living in isolation. I think it just brings to mind how much we are taking for granted each day. Back to the radio, our piece of contact from a world we are detached from. I keep hearing from people on the radio and I have no way to see or know what it is like they are taking about it but I can not visualize this. I want to see it I want a connection or tv. I have no power. I hear the safety people say go to the website for information. I swear at them, I have no freakin internet you idiots. Yes I can go to a hot spot I can go to a library but I do not want to leave the house. What if something happens our dog can not be left behind that is not an option. So we wait. Night rolls in. I find myself walking into rooms hitting the light switches out of habit. Only to think how silly I am. No power you putz. No power. Candles. Not much romance but candles. Think back to the romance they once offered. Oooo la la.....the romance. Light.
We go to bed I am stir crazy, caged or at least feeling like that. Saturday offers daylight. It offers hope and maybe the possibility of less water. Desperate for something other than being locked in the house. My wife and I have been up running the generator to keep the fridges cold and freezers colder. Power. I have kept my phone charged I am on call for work but no power no internet I can not help. I get a call in the AM from a coworker we can get access to our data center on the edge of downtown. I have to go and replace a drive. I head down to new world with services....many services. I am refreshed and relieved. I feel at peace again, I can read the news and see the pictures see the downtown a little see what has become of things. See the temper the river has unleashed on the city. I am coming back home now. Feeling better. A call, the power is back on. We are alive and able to feel the freedom it gives us. We don't look back. The old walkman sits on the front table. It's temporary services no longer needed. I think we will keep it. Saturday night I feel different I feel like I am part of it again, no longer left out. Like being left out of the joke that everyone else knows but you do not.
Sunday, light, sun shines. I am feeling good time to get doing some things that need to be done. Back to the data center to replace the second failed disk. Sadly the parts replacement group screwed up the delivery and it did not arrive until Sunday. I replace the disk and drive home. Slurpee. It is a good day. I am happy again. I feel for those that are still looking at large amount of mud and water running through their homes. I have seen the pictures now I know what it looks like.
I am back. Work enters my day on Sunday for 3 and half hours as we sort out the issues our President is having. Important person so you do what needs to be done. Not going to complain as it was really a nice opportunity to feel productive. But it was not my first choice.
Finally we are seeing the river levels drop people are starting to feel the relief. But now the shock and horror of what has happened is visible. The wounds are left bare and unattended. You see it everywhere the river is running. It continues to be big water not something to play with. But it is ugly, it makes you hate the river that most of the time is a beautiful part of this city. I have the pleasure of riding along the pathways all summer enjoying the river as a companion on my commutes. But now it is not a beautiful thing it is still an angry river that is slowly returning to normal.
Monday. I work from home, no hope of going downtown today, no desire. Maybe Wednesday. Maybe. I spent the work day getting caught up and discovering that so many people had no clue what was happening in Calgary. I am not shocked I am embarrassed as I to have ignored other issues, not to the same degree just brushed them off. I will look at those things differently.
Finally I come to a final point in this long tale. For those that choose to read this thank you for walking with me on this journey. Couple of final points. I have heard how people have come together to help others. People are saying it is what we do in Canada and Calgary. I am proud to be Canadian. But I ask you this why does it take an event like this for people to want to come together to help, to be friendly to be human. Why is that bit of compassion and human friendliness lost until we get to a crisis. Can we not slow it down and show a lot more of this type of action more often. I have a guy on facebook that I hardly know but he is a realtor, he has done nothing but help people and try and get help for people. Yes it is good business but I do not for one think that is his primary goal, he is just a good person helping people he knows. Try it out a little more often people it can maybe change our world or neighbourhoods and our lives. Kindness.
Last thought. I have potentially found a bike path that will allow me to ride about half of the way from work that I usually take the remainder will require I drive my truck to a spot. Not ideal. But it is something. I am thankful.
Thanks for reading. I hope this never happens where you live.
This is the bridge that I cross the bow on that is near our house. I can not even get close.
Monday
what remains of the water out behind our house in the park
Saturday
When hell and high water were at their peak, see the picture above it is the sam area.
As my grandfather likes to say "god willing and the creek don't rise", well it rose!
