Paint Table Saturday

My wife and son head down Chertsey Lane today

Another late start today as we had to go over to Staines to check on my parents in law's house by the Thames.

The army's here now

What a contrast a week and some TV coverage makes.  Last week we went over to lift all the furniture as it looked like the water was going to come in and on Monday, when they were evacuated by boat by the Royal Engineers, it was only about half an inch from pouring into their house from both sides.  

Truck loads of sandbags but we needed them last weekend

There was no-one helping last Saturday but today the army was there in force handing out sandbags.  Too late for most people along Chertsey Lane, however.  

Fortunately the water has dropped about a foot since last Monday, which must have been disappointing for Spanish TV, who had come to film in the area. 

All of the water in the foreground is actually garden.  The Thames is in the background.  Fallen tree on the right.

The water didn't quite get into my parents in law's house, fortunately, although in the big storm we had last night one of the trees in  the garden came down.  There is still a lot of water in the garden but it has now moved away from the house and they still have power, although the waste water isn't working yet.

Anyway. as a result of all this flood protection activity last weekend and again this morning I got very little painting done.  Tomorrow we have to go over and get all the furniture back in place.  So my paint table is pretty much what it was last week: a mixture of steampunk and pirates.  Hope to get an hour or two done this afternoon at least.