red river

This will most likely be my last post for a week or two. Not that I have been great about keeping you updated lately. We are one of the last towns that the Red River runs through in North Dakota and she is moving quickly our way. Our town is as ready as it can be.

We are new to all of this so we asked around to get some advice on when or if we should leave. A friend gave us some good advice:
1. have all valuables up off the ground or basement

2. decide a river level which you want to leave at and be ready

We decided to leave at 52 ft. because at 53 ft. our town will become an island and there will be no getting off for who knows how long. Or worse, the town could flood and we would be stuck here. Some people who live in the country or outside of town have already had to evacuate because the roads to their homes are under water. See the house in the background?

Where are we going, you ask? We will be staying in a hotel about 70 mi. away. Some people who have already evacuated prefer to stay close to home and family. We don't have family here and don't have a motor home either.

Our hermit crabs and beta fish will join us but our dog will go to the doggy sitter cause pets aren't allowed at the hotel. We are hoping not to be gone for more than a week but who knows at this point.

The crappy thing (yes, crappy) is that we have to turn off our electricity which means all the contents in our fridge will spoil and most be thrown away before we leave. Yes, I have considered bringing an ice chest but really only for the most important stuff. I can't put frozen meat in it with milk and expect it to keep for a week or more. Another thing is that our office /craft room, and bedroom are on the bottom floor of this house. We have so many things to bring to the top floor and we have only done the office so far. We will have to carry our mattresses and 1 dresser plus clothes and shoes up stairs still. And since I am pregnant I am unable to help with this and my poor husband is breaking his back.

As of this morning the river level is at 50 ft. It seems to be rising about 1 ft a day.

At this rate we will be gone in 2 days but with mother nature you never know which way she will go.