Asterisk and the Forty Year Flood

Okay, so I know it’s Sunday, which means I messed up on this whole all day every day all weekend thing, buuuuut, contrary to popular belief I do have a social life, so updating all weekend is a bit difficult.

That said, here’s the rest of the catching up.

Following my return to West Coast Best Coast, I studied for my comprehensive exams, drove back to college, took said exams, and then began the new semester.

Aside from my thesis class, where I’ll be writing my thesis (ohgodnooo!), my schedule was the perfect set up: reative Nonfiction, Intro to Teaching, and Contemporary Painting Techniques.

Yes, everything was back to normal and flowing along ever so nicely.

…Then our school flooded.

Tiny little Pringle Creek became the formidable Pringle River

I was glad I had moved my car.

Actually, because I’m a student and therefore a commodity to be protected, I thought the flood was awesome.

*I would have volunteered to do relief work, but I don’t have any waterproof clothes, and there was no way I was getting into contaminated floodwater in converse. Flood water is like 30% sewage at least.

I love freak weather as it is, so it was beyond exciting watching our campus turn into a beach was outrageously exciting, especially once the flood waters rose up to completely surround our building.*

*Note, flood damage in the community is actually rather lamented. Flood damage on campus is hilarious, though, so I enjoyed that quite a bit--especially since my building was the one that was primarily affected. I feel entitled to have enjoyed the experience.

Some others later wished they had moved their cars. 

Flood takes the parking lot, and then the sidewalk. 

Honestly, not the best day for a picnic.

 The emergency response e-mail from the university referred to my building as an island, but I preferred to think of the building as a castle with a particularly nasty moat.

I live on the top floor, so I got to feel like a princess.

Naturally, this princess saves herself (or calmly watches the university build a bridge out of sandbags and then crosses it herself), so after the creation of the Golden Gate Sand Bag Bridge, my friends and I all braved the elements and made the trek across campus to the local pub for Pint Night—all knowing that it was possible we wouldn’t be able to return home. It was worth it...

First installation of sandbags. 

One of my roommates, crossing an early sand bag bridge.
By the end of the evening, they had built the bridge to be three sandbags tall.
Three sandbags barely contained the relentless waters.

...And we were fine. Everybody made it back, although my roommate wore boots with a heel and punctured a sandbag. While we questioned the wisdom behind that decision, we have to admit it makes for a good story.

The next morning the flood had drained, for the most part, and the campus and down town were a-okay.

The one casualty we are aware of is our 24-hour cheap Mexican food joint.

Muchas Gracias, you will be heavily mourned by all.

 Here's hoping you've all survived the rough weather winter, 

 ~Asterisk