Stormy weather

I've often expressed my yearning for real winter in this hot country. Oh, how I love wearing those chunky sweaters, wool coats, knee-high boots and listening to Nick Drake. Well, you know the cliché "be careful with what you wish for?" The past 3 days a storm was raging through the country. The winds reached 100kph. Yes, winter has arrived with a vengeance.

Last night we went to sleep under our down comforters feeling warm and happy listening to wind and rain falling outside the house. I was quite surprised to wake-up at 2 in the morning and find the rain inside our house. The house was FLOODED. The drain pipe in one of the porches was clogged and the heavy rain caused the water level to rise and enter through the door. There was lot of water entering! I was shocked for a second and then immediately woke the Husband and we both got into action. Usually it takes my brain ages to jump start after waking-up but I guess the sense of emergency rendered me very focused and efficient. The water flooded the top floor and a gentle waterfall was created down the stairs flooding the hall and kitchen. We sprang to action: my husband went outside to the storm to try and open the block while I tried to fight the flood with a mop. The water covered our feet and just kept coming. I felt like a character in one of those movies where the poor family sleeps in a shack and the rain is entering through every crack in the house. My brave husband finally managed to partially fix the drain and we switched roles: he took the mop and I went to calm down our youngest son and put him back to sleep after he realized his bed is actually an island. The damage was very minor, a few wet shoes, a wet carpet and some books that were left on the floor.  After an hour of vigorous mopping and sweeping the water the house was dry.

The pump!

First thing we did this morning was calling the guy with the pump (you can see the magical device in the picture).  I must confess that my image of a winter night was much more romantic than waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of water dripping inside my house.

But I am still very happy it rains, and here is a Nick Drake song for a wintry week.