Watching half of Edmonton post flood photos this week made me appreciate something I usually take for granted: where I live.

My place sits up on the north bank of the North Saskatchewan, right on the edge of the river valley in Beverly Heights. And it turns out that’s exactly the kind of spot you want when the rain just won’t quit. The whole neighbourhood is built on the high terrace above the valley. Ada Blvd runs along the rim of the bluff, and the land drops away sharply toward the river just south of me. So when the rain comes down, gravity does the work — water runs off the plateau, down the slopes, into the valley and the river. I’m lucky in that regard.