The Flood Aftermath

I normally blog about happier topics. It may give you an impression that my life (used to be) is perfect... but it's not. I live in the real world too... in a third world country no less.

So here is a snapshot of real life... Life after the floods! 

I do realize that we were still very lucky, because the flooding from last week was not as bad as the floods from typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) three years ago. But seeing our house after the flood has subsided (?) still makes me feel sad.

Taken on my way home today after three days of sun.
 I got quite traumatized because the battery and engine lights on my dashboard
started flashing because I attempted to drive through it for quite a stretch.

Our house from the outside looks like it didn't even get flooded.
The room above the garage was built as our flood contingency plan after Ondoy.

This is our garage. Most of the things that got flooded are being dried here.

As you can see, the yayas know their priorities.
These are all our Lego manuals that got wet.

Sofia's toys are all lined up to be cleaned.
This McDonald's stand from Santa is temporarily out of business.

Sofia's new SUV also got flooded! 

The wood flooring of our room was so damaged, they already ripped it out.
But Sofia's drum set was saved from getting wet.

I hoarded Lego Friends sets for Sofia's birthday.
The boxes are being dried but yaya organized all the contents in separate bags.

Our Collector's Edition Modular Building were not harmed!

All of the things yaya saved were placed in Timmy's
new room above the garage.

See all the TVs and speakers?

They even brought up Sofia's gigantic bear.

Timmy placed my new bags on the top shelf on his room.

Dindin's instant noodles from Singapore made it too!

Ady's room was already cleaned.

She was so happy
because she saw all her shoes that yaya saved.

I only saw two pairs of heels that yaya saved for me.
I have seen no sign of my favorite blue shoes! (sadness)

In fairness to yaya, they saved my expensive bags,
even the ones that aren't new.

This flood was more forgiving.
Our painting made it untouched.

Our house looks pretty much ok, it just looks extremely messy.

and you accept that some things you just need to throw away!
I sort of rummaged through our shoes that died.
They were really yucky and stinky,
but I was happy I didn't see my blue shoes, so there's still hope.

Yaya was also drying my books from my past French life.

I guess the bottom line is I am sad because we've been in denial. We had a flood contingency plan - Timmy's room, but we honestly never thought we would have to use it so soon (just 3 years after Ondoy! when Ondoy was the first flood that happened in 30 years). 

I guess the first thing I'd do when we move back in is to sort our things very clearly. On the lower shelves I will put everything that I am willing lose to the floods (and perhaps sell on ebay - because if I am ready to lose it, then maybe I don't need to have it), and on upper shelves or plastic containers, I will put the things that I don't want the flood to damage or to take away. I will also have garbage bags ready on all the shelves that have things worth saving, so if the water rises, the helpers will have the tools to just put it in and bring it up. I am irritated we didn't learn this after Ondoy. Our yayas really did a good job. 

Now if only the government can do their share (they charge us a freaking 30+% tax rate!!!), the Filipino people don't have to suffer so much every time nature decides to test us. This wasn't even a typhoon, it was just rain... and our country can't handle it. That's sad. Just Saying.