From The Narrows (Photos)

I’m safe and well.

As most of you may know middle Tennessee has been devastated by floodwaters.

Fortunately, my house sits several hundred feet above the Harpeth River. All five families though who live within the Narrows of the Harpeth have been without electrical power for several days, now.

The flood waters rose above the only road in and out of Bell’s Bend of the Harpeth early Saturday morning, leaving us all stranded and inundating the home of a neighbor and friend who lives below me.

Adjoining his property is a 60-acre farm that houses horses. It too was completely flooded. Unfortunately, the owner of the farm lives on the other side of the Harpeth River. Sunday we were informed that there were possibly six horses locked in their stalls in the stable. By the time we began the rescue the stable had five feet of water in it and was nearly 300 feet from shore.

My nearest neighbor is Anthony Curtis. Anthony and I after some serious deliberation reluctantly decided to try and make our way out to the stable tethered to a 300-foot rappelling rope. The river current was very strong. The floodwater was shoulder high on the horses and disgustingly foul. Debris had collected with the current up against their stalls. Fortunately, just as we reached the stable, three young men in a rescue boat arrived out of nowhere. It took all five of us nearly two hours, but after some difficult and harrowing maneuvers we successful released all six horses.

The rain finally stopped Sunday night. By Monday morning the sky was clear and blue. I spent much of the day, yesterday, helping the neighbor below me clean out his house after the river subsided some. His father-in-law crossed the river in a boat and brought us a generator. He was going to take his daughter back across when out of the blue a rescue helicopter arrived.

The generator has allowed us to recharge both our cell phones and computers. Otherwise, I would not be writing this to you.

Thanks to all of you who have emailed me expressing your concern and good wishes.

Dee