FLOOD VICTIMS FINALLY AT HOME

A discount furniture store truck brought James and Clara Probst their second new bedroom suite Wednesday, courtesy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In mid-July, the Mississippi River flood ran the Probsts out of their rented four-room home at 1317 N. Water St. Today, they're moving back in.

Sitting on a new turquoise couch that folds down into a bed and has an attached recliner, 46-year-old James said, "We came out blessed. But not even...you can't ever get even."

The Probsts, both disabled and living on Social Security Insurance, lost their battle to stay home last July when the creek behind their house rose suddenly, depositing two feet of water inside.

Clara also lost her two hearing aids in the floodwater, and just now is replacing them with the help of government agencies.

The renovated house has new gray carpeting, new paneling and new paint inside and out.

"It seems to be in better shape than when we first moved in," Clara said.

Fortunately, their landlord, Delbert Walter, had flood insurance. Three weeks after the water receded, his insurer sent an $11,000 check to cover the damage. Walter said he spent about $14,000 renovating the house.

"I do have a better house," he said.

Walter's is one of the few flood-damaged houses on the block that's been renovated.

For the past four months, the Probsts have been living near Gordonville in a mobile home Walter owns. FEMA and the American Red Cross have paid their rent, and anteed up when repairs took longer than expected. "They were taken care of," Walter said.

The time span was lengthy because much of the work was done evenings, Walter said. "If we could have worked at it steady, we could have done it in two months."

Already a bit frustrated and feeling trapped because they have no vehicle, the Probsts were ready to move in last Monday when a heater set a plastic trash can afire, filling the house with black smoke and film.

"We had to fumigate and repaint the whole inside of the house," Walter said, describing the event as "a traumatic setback."

"I'm happy to get back in town," Clara said. We were out there like we were locked up, just like jail."

They're thankful to Walter for finding them another place to live and for getting their house back in shape. "He's a fine man. He helped all the way through," James said.

James said they will have a regular Thanksgiving dinner today "if we can get up the groceries."

Though the Red Cross and FEMA have done their part, someone else was most responsible for getting them through the ordeal, he said.

"I think God is the one that supplied the help."

James and Clara agree that living in temporary quarters has been stressful.

"You know you can't stay there, so you can't get into a home feeling," James said. "This is happier, to be able to say, `This is home.'"