05 June 2016

A flood cometh before the fall

Yesterday, I went to the market down in Saint-Aignan. We wanted some strawberries. The man we buy them from was there, despite the widespread flooding. He and his son grow the berries over in the sandy soil of the Sologne woods, on the opposite side of the river from where we live. He apologized and said the berries would be sweeter and juicier if the weather weren't so gray and chilly. We think the strawberries are pretty damn good anyway.

June 2016

Above is a photo of the Saint-Aignan bridge that I took yesterday. Below is one that I took in May 2010, which I found on the blog. These images clearly show the difference in the level of the water.

May 2010

I parked near the river, and I had remembered to take my camera with me. The water level wasn't visibly different from what I saw on Thursday afternoon, the last time I went to look. In other words, the flood hasn't subsided but hasn't gotten a lot worse either. All the regular vendors seemed to be present at the market, and while it wasn't what you'd call crowded there were quite a few shoppers out and about.

For now, the road ends here. Those little bushes and trees in the middle of the image are on the normal riverbank.

After I went to the market, where I got not only three little tubs of strawberries but also a bunch of local white asparagus and a pound of local mushrooms, I decided I should walk up to the château grounds and take a few photos of the river from up there. In the image below, you can see that the park on the island across from Saint-Aignan is almost completely submerged.


Several other people had the same idea but for a few minutes I had the château terrace all to myself. From up there you have a panoramic view toward the north, taking in the Cher river and a body of water that's called Le Lac des Trois Provinces, on the upper right. The old Sologne (in the Orléanais), Berry, and Touraine provinces meet here at Saint-Aignan.


As I was walking back down to the car, I made a bad move. I decided to take a shortcut that involved walking down the little old stone staircase you see in the image just below. I knew it was dangerous and I was being as careful as I could be. There is no hand rail. I was carrying my camera in one hand (on a wrist strap) and my shopping basket with the other.

The first two steps down were fine. But when I put my foot on the third step — the first that is so worn down by centuries of use — my shoe found no grip at all.

I hadn't realized the damp stone would be so slippery. My right foot slid right out from under me and down I went on my gluteus maximus... bump bump bump... all the way to the bottom.

I guess I'm lucky I didn't hit my head on one of the steps as I slid down on my backside. I was busy trying not to crush the strawberries or break my camera. I didn't do either. I'm a little bruised, but not really injured. And feeling stupid.

17 comments:

  1. I just hope you feel fine and you didn't break anything. Also, muscular contusions can be very painful. Wish nothing of that happened. Don't do too much exercise today.

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    1. I don't feel as much pain and stiffness this morning as I thought I would. My back feels okay, my legs and joints too. Just a bruised derriere.

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    2. Maybe a preventative hot bath would help soften your derriere tissues?

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    3. Sitting on a hard surface like a bathtub is painful. Maybe I can just stand in the shower and let hot water run on my miches.

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  2. Wowza the water level ! Our stone steps at home (and there are many) get very slick in damp weather. I fell once on black ice and once carrying a laundry basket full of sheets up the steps..... Now I am especially vigilant and try to carry very little. Very painful those stone encounters. You are lucky you didn't injure yourself any worse. Bon courage

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    1. At my advanced age, you'd think I'd learn to be more prudent. The mind thinks the body is more capable than it really is, I guess. Thank goodness I was able to get up, continue walking down a long, steep flight of steps (less worn) and drive on home. And I didn't break my camera that I love so much!

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    2. At my advanced age, you'd think I'd learn to be more prudent. The mind thinks the body is more capable than it really is, I guess. Thank goodness I was able to get up, continue walking down a long, steep flight of steps (less worn) and drive on home. And I didn't break my camera that I love so much!

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  3. the flood looks dangerous. take care

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  4. I am sure you are feeling a bit sorry for yourself, Ken, and hope you are able to have a very gentle few days to recover? You were so lucky not to have knocked yourself out on those steps. Our family joke when anyone is feeling a little under the weather is "Peel me some grapes, please". However, maybe you should just head for the strawberries! Your photos from the chateau are amazing.

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    1. Right before I fell, I had passed an 80-something-year-old lady pulling her shopping cart up the fairly steep, rough gravel path that leads up to the château grounds and terrace. She was having a short rest, and when I strode by she said bonjour and said it looked like going down the hill was a lot easier that trudging up it. I laughed and answered that it certainly was. I guess I got cocky, and that led to the fall. Walt made a strawberry tart yesterday afternoon: pie crust, pastry cream, and raw strawberries glazed with apricot jam. Oh boy!

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  5. Count yourself lucky to have taken a fall on those steps and were able to walk away. You need to stay fit for walking up the Pantheon steps soon! We are finally getting some much needed rain here today. I hope the river will return to its banks asap.

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    1. At least the river is not still rising. Things will dry out one day soon. Walt checked today a reported that the garden plot is all mud. Can't plant, still. One day.

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  6. Dear heavens, thank goodness you didn't break a leg or ankle or arm or something!
    Good job saving the market goodies and the camera :)
    Amazing flood photos.

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  7. OMG, those steps do look dangerous; not surprised you slipped. :( Glad you don't seem to have broken anything. A hot shower sounds like a good idea. ;) Be careful from now on: better safe than sorry. ;) Those water levels look really bad. Things are pretty bad here (NL) in the south as well.

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  8. Oooh, ouch! Glad you got away with nothing worse than bruises.
    When you feel up to a tub, soaking in Epsom salts can help sore muscles.

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  9. Merci pour les photos et j'espère que vous vous êtes remis de votre chute . Bonne journée .

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