Terrible flooding here in Germany :-(

The jet stream has moved south, so that we now have a stationary zone of low pressure sitting over northwestern Germany. This zone rotates anticlockwise, fetching lots of water from the North Sea. When this reaches a line from Aachen to Hagen via the Nürburgring it encounters hilly territory (Eifel mountains, Sauerland hills) so all the rain gets dumped over this area. The ground there was already saturated from last months' thunderstorms, so the water rushes down the hillsides into the narrow valleys there. The narrow valleys with their small rivers can't shed the water quickly into big rivers like the Rhine, so the little rivers burst their banks and water rages through the village streets.

Houses are destroyed and even washed away, leaving the old village centres in ruins.

Aerial views, e.g. of the village of Schuld show the extent of the destruction. But even the houses that remain standing are so structurally weakened many will have to be knocked down. House and grounds worthless, who would want to build again there?

Of course other towns are rushing to help, sending their fire-brigades and infrastructure teams. However often access is impossible as the roads have been washed away.

People there are sandbagging their doors and windows where possible, to stop the water getting into their houses, and are pushing their cars onto higher ground (if there is any).

About 160 people reported dead so far (drowned or in collapsed housing) and 700 found safe but 600 still unaccounted for. We can just hope they took flight early, fleeing the area to go stay with relatives on higher ground. Those remaining have to move to the second or third stories of their housing there. No clean drinking water, sewage backed up, no electricity, no phone service, no buses or trains etc :-(

Personally, we are still safe here in Henglarn, most flooding is 60-140 miles to the west of us. However, Lake Diemelsee, just 20 miles south, has overflowed its dam and so the little village of Udorf (16 miles south) is under water (knee-deep?). The river through our village is up a few feet but still 20-30 feet below our house. Back in 1965 this village was totally flooded and several were drowned that night. So flood precautions were built upstream which are holding up well for now. Fingers crossed.

Thanks to John (UK) and Jenny (Ibiza) for asking after our conditions here. All is well.

All these photos are screenshots from news channels which I found on the web. None are mine. If one is yours, tell me and I'll take it down if you insist.

Comments(5)
Peter (UK) wrote "wishing well in your present circumstances hope you remain cheerful"
John (UK) wrote "I hope that's a bit of a relief - prepare snorkels anyway." All is well.
Jenny (Ibiza) wrote "Flooding looks like an absolute disaster; glad you are not affected (yet)!" We expect to stay safe here.
Doug (Canada) wrote "Heard about the big flood with over a 1000 people missing in Europe and a number in Germany. I hope you and SWMBO are safe and well" then added later "Just saw your post. Glad to hear your family is safe. This, climate changes bringing severe weather events to large portions of the planet, is fast becoming the new norm." Indeed, Doug, we can expect a lot of these changes in the future. Glad we didn't move to the islands as some friends did.
Cop Car wrote " Hi, Stu. I’ve fallen behind in commenting on your postings. That means that I am terribly late adding my best wishes for your & SWMBO’s 31st wedding anniversary. (It wouldn’t hurt my feelings were you to call it your 41st in recognition of your successful practice.) Having purchased my walking cane on the infamous 9/11/2001, I can hardly fault you for falling back on the use of your handsome walking stick. Fortunately, my use of a cane lasted but for a couple of weeks when I bought it (an ugly thing) and for an additional week or so several years later. Perhaps you should have purchased an ugly walking stick to minimize your dependency? I feel for you. I also feel for all of the people impacted by the awful flooding in your part of the world. Thanks for the photos, even if you stole them. If 'they' come for all of us image thieves, they won’t have room to keep the multitude in custody. 73." The rain has stopped there now (it has moved SE to Bavaria) so the people in the flooded areas have 3 days to clear away the mud before it dries and sets as hard as concrete. The military is helping with the clearup.

Copyright ^© Ole Phat Stu on July 16, 2021 permalink Comments Email

Bastille Day

Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L’étendard sanglant est levé, (bis)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes!

Aux armes, citoyens,
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons!
Qu’un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons!

Que veut cette horde d’esclaves,
De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,
Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? (bis)
Français, pour nous, ah! quel outrage
Quels transports il doit exciter !
C’est nous qu’on ose méditer
De rendre à l’antique esclavage !

Aux armes, citoyens

Quoi ! des cohortes étrangères
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers !
Quoi ! Ces phalanges mercenaires
Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers ! (bis)
Grand Dieu! Par des mains enchaînées
Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient
De vils despotes deviendraient
Les maîtres de nos destinées !

Aux armes, citoyens..

Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides
L’opprobre de tous les partis,
Tremblez ! vos projets parricides
Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix ! (bis)
Tout est soldat pour vous combattre,
S’ils tombent, nos jeunes héros,
La terre en produit de nouveaux,
Contre vous tout prêts à se battre !

Aux armes, citoyens

Français, en guerriers magnanimes,
Portez ou retenez vos coups !
Épargnez ces tristes victimes,
À regret s’armant contre nous. (bis)
Mais ces despotes sanguinaires,
Mais ces complices de Bouillé,
Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié,
Déchirent le sein de leur mère !

Aux armes, citoyens

Amour sacré de la Patrie,
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs
Liberté, Liberté chérie,
Combats avec tes défenseurs ! (bis)
Sous nos drapeaux que la victoire
Accoure à tes mâles accents,
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !

Aux armes, citoyens

(Couplet des enfants)
Nous entrerons dans la carrière
Quand nos aînés n’y seront plus,
Nous y trouverons leur poussière
Et la trace de leurs vertus (bis)
Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre
Que de partager leur cercueil,
Nous aurons le sublime orgueil
De les venger ou de les suivre.

Aux armes, citoyens

Just as well that The Former Guy didn't come up with anything as bloodthirsty and inspiring as this, back on his 6th !

Copyright ^© Ole Phat Stu on July 14, 2021 permalink Comments Email

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Monday, July 12, 2021

4-2-3 and 31 : personal issues

There are negative things in life, but positive ones too.

4-2-3 stands for mobility. When we were infants we crawled around on 4 limbs, unable to walk at first. Later - for many decades - we could walk and run around vertically on two legs. Now I've just entered the 3rd phase of mobility; I need a cane (walking stick) now and am having to learn how to get around on three "legs" in a stable manner. Better than needing a wheel-chair, but I guess that may come at some point in the future. At least, the cane prevents me falling. The snapshot below shows the top of my new tartan walking stick.

On the positive side of life, SWMBO and I celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary today; we married late, after "practising" for a decade or more ;-)

Comments (3)
John (USA) wrote :- "Happy 31st wedding anniversary. And the same to your wife." Thankyou.
Doug (Canada) wrote "Congrats on the anniversary cherish each other . I miss Diane terribly as we only had 13 years together. As for the cane I’m not quite there yet but need a hiking stick when out walking trails. I seem to have developed a tendency to fall over." Thanks, Doug!
Schorsch (D) asks "So how is your biking affected; what's most difficult?" I've only ridden a few hundred miles this year, in the winter. None at all the last quarter. Most difficult to negotiate are stairs/steps without a bannister.

Copyright ^© Ole Phat Stu on July 12, 2021 permalink Comments Email

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Friday, July 9, 2021

Scrap Metal Statue

We have added some new art to our back garden, in the form of a scrap-metal statue of an owl. Imagine the owl's prey at the bottom left of this photo, with the owl about to pounce.

The main stand is a rusty adjustable wrench. The leading edge of the wings was an old chrome bicycle handlebar. The tail feathers are made from rusty cutlery. The wing feathers are partly cutlery and partly small spanners. The eyes are made from an old rev-counter and a speedometer respectively. Scrap forks make up the talons. The body is just various scrap pieces welded together. However, I think it is recognisable as a hunting owl, scale 1:1.

What is your opinion?

Comments (1)
John (USA) wrote "Mr. Savory, I rate it 99%. I see only one eye. Otherwise, Great!" From that angle, only one eye is visible but I assure you it has two when seen from the front.

Copyright ^© Ole Phat Stu on July 9, 2021 permalink Comments Email

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Sunday, July 4, 2021

Oldtimer Quiz

Today we had the annual meeting of the Buren Oldtimers Club. Needless to say, I took a bunch of photos. But instead of identifying each vehicle for you, as I did last time, I'm turning this into a quiz. Here are a dozen photos , in order of increasing difficulty (for SWMBO) , for you to identify. Hint ; the first is my own oldtimer.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

I expect that Liz Hinds husband will do well at this ???

Comments (2)
Pergelator wrote :-

Liz Hinds sent her husband's answers :-

Copyright ^© Ole Phat Stu on July 4, 2021 permalink Comments Email

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Link to the previous month's blog.

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