I woke to an ominous sound this morning - steady rain, falling heavily. We've had weeks of wet weather and for some days the news has been showing film of rising waters around Tewkesbury, where there were major floods in summer. Even here, a long way from that, the ground is saturated: I didn't put the rabbits in their runs yesterday although it wasn't raining because it was just too wet.

Half way through the morning I had a call from the friend who was due to host home group this afternoon. "We're calling it off," she said. "The beck is rising and I just wouldn't be able to concentrate."

A beck is a Yorkshire word for a stream or small river: there is one flowing just feet from her home, but normally well below the level of the houses. The beck flooded in November 2000 and theirs was one of the houses where the water came in. They had to have floors replaced and are understandably nervous now the water is again pouring across the terrace six feet or so from their back door. I remember that in 2000, someone told me they had 20 minutes from when water appeared in their road, until it came into the house. Since then, the Council has done a lot of work to improve the water course but even with this work in place, it threatens to be overwhelmed now. Not only is water falling on the town, it's pouring down from the moors, which means there will be more to come once that water reaches lower ground.

I looked out of our window at the back garden, which is on a slope. When houses were built behind us a few years ago, one small patch of lawn developed the ability to collect a puddle of water, but it only comes when the weather has been very wet. I suppose the housing and roads having replaced the agricultural land, means that that area no longer absorbs water so well (a reminder that those of us with gardens shouldn't pave them over!)

Anyway, you guessed it - the puddle has reappeared and what's more, there is a new puddle to one side.

Now, wet though it is, the position of this house means we are highly unlikely to flood, for which I'm thankful. The rest of the week is forecast much nicer weather, so once this water has a chance to go down, it should do. However, there is just no let-up in the rain this morning: the beck must still be rising.

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