A Change of Plans

August 30, 2011 / Saloma Furlong /

Last night after dinner, I had plans… I was going to take a quick spin on my bike with David before it got dark, and then post on my blog. Those plans were suddenly changed. I was just ahead of David coming down over a steep hill when I saw that the pavement was gone from the road in front of me, with a huge dropoff into gravel. I tried braking, but my front tire hit the gravel and skidded and down I went. Thank goodness for my helmet, because otherwise I’m sure I would have had a head injury — I hit the left side of my head onto the road pretty hard. As it was I untangled myself from the bike (with David’s help) and found I had scrapes and bruises, and I was pretty badly shaken, but felt otherwise okay. He went home and got the car and brought my bike and me home. Then we cleaned and dressed my “wounds” for the next few hours. David said it looked like I’d been in battle, when we were done with a patchwork of bandages and Band-Aids on my left arm, left leg, and a toe where I got “road rash.”

I am thankful that I feel as well as I do today and that I tend to heal pretty quickly. It could have been a lot worse. And thank goodness for David! I don’t know how I would have made it home by myself.

I decided to read in bed, and then before falling asleep, I thought I’d check my email. That’s when we lost our electricity. Man — talk about dark! So David and I collected our candles and read in bed for a while. Just after we had settled into sleep, the lights all came on. We were out of power about three or four hours.

We are not out of the woods yet, however. We live a stone’s throw from the Connecticut River, and it is expected to crest tomorrow morning. It is already really high! Tonight David and I were watching YouTube videos of floods in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, only about a half hour from where we live. Wow! If you want to see the power of water on the loose, you can watch an example of it here.

Vermont seems to be the surprise in all of this, with all the floods they had. We have many friends there, so our thoughts are with them. And please join us in hoping that the Connecticut doesn’t flood. How did you fare in the storm/hurricane?

I will blog again in a few days to post what I’d planned to last night.

Here is a photo of the “Bridge of Flowers” on a calm day in Shelburne Falls, Mass:

Photo from MassLive.com (originally from The Springfield Republican)

Here is a photo of what the Bridge of Flowers looked like yesterday:

Photo from MassLive.com (originally from the Springfield Republican)

I am counting my blessings that we are safe and sound and my prayers and thoughts go out to all who did not fare so well during this powerful storm.

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Saloma Furlong

10 Comments

Carolien on August 30, 2011 at 1:54 pm

I’m glad you are safe and sound and hope you will recover quickly from that nasty fall.

Dutch greetings, Carolien

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Sarah Forgrave on August 30, 2011 at 6:14 pm

Wow, Those pictures are unbelievable. Sobering. Hope you heal quickly from your fall!

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Botanist on August 31, 2011 at 12:21 am

I always find it astonishing how easily our seemingly safe and simple plans can get overturned in just a microsecond.

Thankfully this was just one evening upset, and not a whole lifetime. Hope you mend quickly.

And I love that bridge with all the greenery on it.

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BLD in MT on August 31, 2011 at 1:11 am

The power of water is really something that cannot be described in words. The photos and videos begin to touch it.

I hope you heal up quickly. I’ve had two serious bicycle crashes, one rain and leaves related and one car driver without a blinker on related. My helmet saved the day. I am glad yours did too and that you had a helping hand when you needed it.

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Lynn Kimmerle on August 31, 2011 at 3:44 am

Saloma, glad you’re okay and not badly hurt. It’s been a hell of a summer! XXXOOO

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Rosslyn Elliott on September 1, 2011 at 4:33 am

I’m glad to hear you are OK! That is such a scary feeling, when the road drops away. How many thousands of lives have been saved by helmets, I wonder?

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Laila Knight on September 1, 2011 at 7:59 pm

Hey there, saw you at Views from the Bald Patch…following. 🙂

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Karen on September 2, 2011 at 8:40 pm

Ouch!!! I hope you’re on the mend!

Thanks for those pictures of the flood – and the ‘before’ pictures. Terrifying!

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Botanist on September 4, 2011 at 3:16 am

BTW, Saloma, I tagged you with the Liebster Blog award recently. You can pick it up over at my blog.

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Joanne on September 4, 2011 at 8:08 am

Thank God you are Ok! Did you go to the doctor? Hitting your head can be a very serious thing even though you might feel ok. Hope your feeling better.
Blessings, Joanne

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