My adopted town of Hereford's been in the news today because of the worst flooding in 60 years, with the river Wey rising to 6 metres above its normal level in places.
My relatively recently purchased house is only about 50 metres from this scene:
That's the bridge I usually walk over to get to the gym, where there's normally about a 3 metre drop to the water, completely submerged.
Looking at the flood map gives you an idea of how lucky I've been (my house approx location circled):
The river's usually as wide as one of the larger streets on the map, so this is unusual to say the least!
NB I did look at the flood map before I bought the place, and I knew the river flooded south, and I'm north, but these recent floods have exceeded all previous records - I think I really did get lucky!
My favourite picture of all, which really puts the floods in perspective:
The news reporting was more terrifying than the reality... in one item a reporter boated up to various houses and interviewed residents who'd refused to be rescued through their upstairs windows.
There was lost of 'yocal' affirmation - 'Hereford born and breds' and 'lived all my life's and never seen it as bad as this', but the yocal prize has to go to the guy who said:
"I've got chickens in the bath, dogs in the bedroom, and cats everywhere, too many animals to move out."
It's sort of a reminder that I'm definitely not yocal, maybe I didn't get flooded 'cos I haven't earned the right?
Maybe in another 60 years?