Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Flotsam and jetsom...on my lawn

Welcome to the summer storm season. For those of us who live in the "low country" on Cumberland it simply means that it is time for that seasonal "plus" of ......drumroll.....our very own lake! (I just heard Monty Hall).
The base of my driveway has disappeared, a water skier has just gone by, and my front steps have been transformed into a pier.
So, I haul out my fishing gear, pull up a chair, and start casting into Lake Cumberland for muskie. It's our very own seasonal recreational feature, a bonus if you will, of living on Cumberland. The waves lap gently over my lawn and.....wait.... there goes an enormous tree branch. I hear it's sigh of relief, and I swear I hear it say, "This is the place." For it is true-my place on Lake Cumberland is where all good tree branches go to die. Then, quite obediently, all the leaves, twigs, and wrappers follow suit. A unique blend that I call, "Cumberland Flotsam and Jetsom".
Now, I know that somewhere beyond the wilderness of Lake Cumberland there must be a Park Ridge city engineer who has some explanation for my lack of sewer drainage. A wise, sage-like keeper of all engineering knowledge. Should I leave Lake Cumberland and go in search of this creature who knows all about what dwells beneath Cumberland? I have heard from others who have tried that it is a long, dangerous quest that can only lead to one place.....a city called Park Ridge.....it is there, I am told, that I will find a council of caring elders who care about what happens to all who dwell in the land of Park Ridge. The citizens of Lake Cumberland wonder about that.
Let's invite these leaders to spend some time on Lake Cumberland, do some fishing, and learn something about life on our wild life sanctuary. Perhaps, then, it won't seem like the ideal North/South route through town that should be extended. That would ruin the fishing.
Say NO to Cumberland extension!



7 comments:

ParkRidgeUnderground said...

Interesting post -- thanks!

Question -- how long does the water remain on Lake Cumberland?

Question -- have you ever been told that holding the water in the street is part of the mechanism for easing the flow through the storm sewers?

Adrienne said...

My lake can linger for a day or more....and then it tries to visit my basement.

ParkRidgeUnderground said...

That sounds too long for most rains. The system is kind of designed to hold some water in the street for a time, but --

You can inquire of your friendly Public Works department if your sewer drains need some tlc via "vaccuum".

Adrienne said...

Thanks Undergrounder!

Anonymous said...

Just a thought:
We might be able to use Lake Cumberland to impede increased traffic, by diverting it into a moot across Cumberland we could take out a few trucks.

Anonymous said...

I like your thinking Anonymous!
A "lemonade out of lemons" approach.

Anonymous said...

Hey, PRU - nice to see you here.

"Question -- have you ever been told that holding the water in the street is part of the mechanism for easing the flow through the storm sewers?"

No, but we've been told that it's part of the mechanism for diverting the flow off of other streets! ;-P