Flood!

[zotz]

We've just had notice that the flood barriers are to be put up here, every night until further notice, as the end of my workplace where I actually work is handily situated on the floodplain of the Granta. The effect of this is to seal off the two most low-lying doors from late afternoon until morning. In theory, should there be heavy rain and the water level rise further, the building will be secure aginst the water which will almost surround it. In practice . . . well, let's just say I'll not be leaving anything valuable on the office floor when I go home. The flood defences haven't really been tested in action yet.

Also, of course, it looks like we'll be having a fire strike, so certain forms of hot work will be forbidden (although this doesn't directly affect us), most electrical appliances will have to be disconnected overnight (presumably not including the various fridges and freezers) and smokers are being asked not to, anywhere near the building. One wag suggested that they could just be asked to stand in a bucket of sand - regardless of whether they happened to be smoking at the time.