Our water-logged English friends
 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070725/...ain_weather_dc

I know England is no bigger than Rhode Island but I was wondering how you all were making out with the flooding????

Re: Our water-logged English friends
 

The weather has been bloody awful. We have actually been having warm summers recently with temperatures regularly in the 80s and 90s (yes, in England). Now we have this. I live in South-east London, about 7 miles from the Thames. It isn't very high up here but the chances of flooding are pretty small at a guess (famous last words).
Miss Gcat and I drove past the River Thames on Monday, pretty much along it for a couple of miles. To say that it was ready to flood is an understatement. It isn't a great surprise that it has happened. All this has happened way to the west of London. Central London isn't likely to flood because of the Thames Barrier:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Barrier

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...nfloods425.xml

Re: Our water-logged English friends
 

Greetings from watery Oxford!

For those who've never visited, Oxford is, basically, a drained swamp, with branches of the Thames (which, for reasons no one has ever explained to me, we call the "Isis") another smaller river called the Cherwell, a canal, and many side and back streams. So the flooding has taken place in several different parts of town. The roads into the city from the South and West are blocked. Oxford has terrible traffic at the best of times and trying to get about is now a complete nightmare.

Last week we had 5 inches of rain in 24 hours, which is a lot for a temperate and moderate place like Oxford (there's normally 25 to 30 inches a year).

I live in a house that is actually alongside the river Thames, although it is a branch that is now a side-stream. It hasn't flooded here for fifty years but the last couple of nights came close and I've been perfecting my Paul Robeson voice to sing "River Stay Way from my Door". So far, my singing has been as off-putting as ever. :) Reports say that the water has now peaked, although there was more heavy rain today. On the other hand, the forecast for the next couple of days looks good.

Compared to Hurricane Katrina, of course, this is nothing, but, still, it has been a worrying and distressing time for a lot of people.

Re: Our water-logged English friends
 

England has a great seafaring tradition. I'd hope a little extra water doesn't ruffle too many feathers. :D

Re: Our water-logged English friends
 

Actually, our major national tradition is being miserable and anticipating disaster. When something bad happens (provided that, like this, it isn't TOO bad) it usually cheers everyone up.

Re: Our water-logged English friends
 

AH so you'd fit right in here,with our calvanist mind set.At least I think its Calvanist ,maybe its puritanical. :rolleyes:

Re: Our water-logged English friends
 

No, Americans are quite different, in my experience. They show great initial optimism, but easily move on to witch-hunts/lawsuits when things go wrong . :)

Re: Our water-logged English friends
 

Lol, you forgot tar-n-feather, rail tying, cross burning, roid rage, drive by shootings, talk radio, reality TV and Oprah.

Re: Our water-logged English friends
 

After a summer of binge-drinking chavs, OK magazine, the tabloids and Big Brother, all of that seems surprisingly inviting.

Re: Our water-logged English friends
 

...not to mention washed-out cricket, kids stabbing each other to death and the fact that even more NFL games are going on to Sky. :(