Flooding

I'm a bit flummoxed by all this flooding. I spent pretty much all day on Friday writing furiously about the catastrophic flooding of a biblical nature which was about to bring impending doom to Oxford. Or at least general wetness.

Then, following a shamefully but deliciously drunken ball on Friday (knee-length black dress with sparkly diamante bits and a black silk sash, if you wanted to know), I spent the weekend wondering absent-mindedly where all this water was - it's completely dry in east Oxford. Even wandered along the towpath alongside the river (which was admittedly rather fuller than usual) in search of floods, but didn't see anything up to much - other than lots and lots of people with cameras taking pictures of swollen waters.

So, then on Sunday night I got a sequence of text messages from my boss warning me that I needed an alternate transport plan (his words, not mine) to get to work - then saying that it might in fact be flooded - then saying to get in as close as was safe, then walk the rest of the way. Then Monday morning, I got a call at 7.30am asking me to park in the town centre and walk - and bring wellies and be prepared to wade.

Then all Monday was spent furiously writing about flooding - with our deadlines moved forwards several hours in case the actual building flooded, we ended up with approximately three hours to finish the paper. And, thanks to the Environment Agency, we were facing dire predictions that the river right near where our offices are had not yet peaked and could well burst its banks, flooding the island.

But that didn't happen again, and we kind of stood down a little bit of the flooding front. Except just as we were leaving, the water suddenly started rising and coming over the banks. And now the late shift has been advised to leave the building (naturally, the electrics are in the floor so if it comes inside, we're all screwed). I have no idea what's actually going to happen tomorrow, I am told that I may be working from home and filing copy via e-mail, or they may be sending some of us to the district offices. It's all a trifle confusing - don't know whether I'm supposed to be worried or not because there have been a lot of predictions which haven't been fulfilled.

Oh, and the best news yet. My funky, trusty, Glastonbury-veteran wellies appear to have started leaking. Slightly. This is not good news.

More on that story later.