A tribute to the very wet, wet, wet

I'm not sure how this has been reported abroad, but here in the UK the British stiff upper lip has faced a bit of a battering. Ok, it's summer and it's rainy. Most people probably wouldn't react with a sharp intake of breath, bu it's the extreme consequences that have caused the huge problems for so many people.
Today we were meant to be going to a wedding in the Cotswolds, which was only called off 40 minutes ago.
The middle of England has been worst affected, with Hereford, Worcester and the Cotswolds the epicentre.The village of Beckford, where the bride's family live, is the site of the village hall, which was the reception venue but now serves as a refugee camp.
The bride got stranded at the next village over when she went to get her nails done. for 18 hours she wasn't able to get back to her family or Rich.
We'd called around loads of B&B's to book our accomodation and ended up booking lodging with a lovely retired lady name Denise. Yesterday I spoke to her and she said our flat was flooded but she offered us her house for free - today she said all the neighbours were "rallying" and that she was off to get a pump to get the water out of her neighbours house. That we were still welcome to come but that she heard a man turned off the M5 and floated away!
Beckford was today under 5 feet of water. According to the BBC around 2,000 people have been taken to emergency centres in Tewkesbury (next to Beckford), Gloucester, Cheltenham, Chipping Campden and Moreton in Marsh. The roads to Beckford were cut off entirely.

Oh, and we're in JULY??????????????????! Lesson learned for the day: wedding insurance. Me and Alex pooh pooed the idea and now we're definately on board.

Something that makes me smile is that the wedding was only called off at 10am. Friends of the groom that we know were all still prepared to brave the M5. The plan was for many to camp overnight after the party, including the bride and groom, but with this weather they'd have floated away! Our friend Cosmic at 9.30 said he was eyeing his tent with a lack of confidence... Anywhere else they'd have cancelled it the day before, but not in Britain. These mad, lovely people were determined to have their wedding come what may. God love the togs, the stiff upper lips, the sheer obstinacy of the Brits and the wet, wet, wet!

A Road in worcestershire

Chipping Camden, Gloucestershire

Tenbury Wells - where Lauren at work lives and whoose 500 year old bridge collapsed a couple of weeks ago in the last flood

Beckford - from the old english "Becca's Ford". Entered in the Doomsday book (1085 AD) as Beceford. http://www.beckford-village.org/gallery_frame.php?gall=gallery