Hi, I'm Chris Kuenster. I live in the little red house next to the 124th bridge. I've been there for 45 years, and we've never experienced or expected anything like this. In 2009, we got just a little water in the house, and that was the first time since it was built in 1933. But this time, a smaller flood was forecast, so I prepared like normal, had everything on relatively high ground or raised on platforms. According to the forecasts, it should have given us 6-10 inches of safety, and I would have just watched the water go under the house (which is on stilts).

Well, Mama Nature fooled us all. The Snohomish didn't drain the valley, and things backed up. The Fire Department had to come in their boat and rescue us. **UPDATED** I just got into the house, and its not nearly as bad as expected. Only 6 inches to a foot of water came inside. It didnt do any serious damage to anything except the flooring, carpet, and the like. Its still awfull and requires a lot of work, but not what I imagined.** Outside the house, the tractor, lawn mower, generator, and whatever was in the toolshed was submerged completely. I'll need a mechanic for those to see if they are reparable.

Anything people can do to help will be appreciated. Clean up alone is a nightmare, and I can't really wrap my head around the recovery.