Buses stopped

Seventeen months ago we reached the end of subsidising our student son on a four-year civil engineering course. Fifteen months ago he was lucky enough to get a relevant job. This morning he sent me a text: 'I was thinking of popping round this evening to see u and inspect your flood defences. Apparently your local gauging station is within 2mm of the highest it's ever been and still rising.'

So I abandoned my planned day and went to see the lie of the water for myself. This is the bottom end of the main road into Oxford that we live near. Close by I found someone contemplating an ark. In the other direction from our house, two streets away, the ever-impressive fire brigade was helping neighbours pump out flooded basements and five minutes further on further on I got a new view of the cathedral over Christchurch meadow.

Time for me to stop being flippant about water...

This evening I found out what a gauging station is and then S and I dug out the sandbags we've kept at the end of the garden since the floods five years ago and piled them up against the back door.

We'd have helped him to study whatever he wanted, but I reckon civil engineering was a pretty ace choice.

Thanks for appreciating yesterday's - it basked in spotlight for a short while!

PS Please don't be concerned for me. Like the media, I am seeking out the worst pictures and then aiming for the most dramatic angle. It is appalling for those who are flooded but we are still above the floodline, we have power and water, and we have access to the rest of the world, even if not southwards.