Saturday, April 12, 1997
Listen
We're having floods in Minnesota.......
It's been especially rough in the Red River Valley, between Minnesota and North Dakota --- the Red River flows north, which is not a good idea for a river, because the upper river is thawing while the lower river is still frozen solid, so every year they get a flood and this year there has been bad flooding combined with a blizzard ---- we're talking to Mrs. Deeanna Brower up near----
SS: Hello? Hello----
GK: Turn your radio down, Mrs. Brower.
SS: Okay. --- Couldn't hear you with the sump pump going.
GK: You've got the sump pump running in the basement?
SS: Got two of em. Two of em going.
GK: So how bad is it up there, Mrs. Brower?
SS: You mean here?
GK: Yes.
SS: Oh, it's not that bad.
GK: No?
SS: No, no. It's not that bad.
GK: I heard that a lot of people were without power.
SS: Yes, that's right.
GK: You're without power?
SS: That's right.
GK: So the pumps are working off a generator---
SS: That's right. Got the generator going.
GK: So you're in candlelight or kerosene lanterns----
SS: We've got both. Candles and lanterns.
GK: What about heat?
SS: We're burning wood in the fireplace.
GK: Isn't it cold in the house?
SS: It's not bad. Forty-five. You wear a sweater, it's not bad.
GK: Now, I heard that a lot of farm places up there are surrounded by water--- you're on the farm---
SS: That's right.
GK: Is your house surrounded by water?
SS: Right up to the back door.
GK: So --- you have firewood in the basement?
SS: Nope, basement's full of water.
GK: So what are you burning, Mrs. Brower?
SS: Well, I been breaking up this old dining room table for firewood.
GK: You're heating the house by burning furniture?
SS: Never cared that much for it.
GK: Do you have animals?
SS: Cows --- yes.
GK: Are they okay?
SS: They're fine.
GK: Are they calving now?
SS: Yes----
GK: How do you get out to see to them?
SS: They're all up here in the house.
GK: Your cows are?
SS: We've got a lot of extra bedrooms with the kids gone.
GK: So they're fine----
SS: Everything's fine. It's not that bad.
GK: How about food? Are you running short on that?
SS: No, no. Got plenty. Got pasta, got canned soup, got a whole freezer full of stuff.
GK: How about the cows?
SS: We've been feeding them linguini.
GK: I see. And they like that?
SS: Spinach linguini. It's not that bad.
GK: So you and your husband and the cows are going to just sit it out together, huh?
SS: No, he's not here.
GK: Your husband's not there?
SS: He's in the barn.
GK: I see.
SS: He went down there after we drove the cows up to the house.
GK: I see.
SS; He was checking to see if there were any more, and then I guess the water got too high for him to come back.
GK: Well, how is he?
SS: He's okay.
GK: You're sure?
SS: He's fine.
GK: Is there anything to eat there?
SS: Silage.
GK: He's eating silage?
SS: I tried to float him a Tupperware dish with linguini in it but the water is flowing the other way.
GK: I see. So he's eating silage. What does silage taste like?
SS: It's not bad.
GK: Okay, thank you very much.
SS: It's like cole slaw.
GK: Thank you, DeeAnna Brower, from the Red River Valley.
© 1997 by Garrison Keillor
