Sandbag

– The rain doesn't look like easing up. It seems to have been going on for months now.
– You certainly begin to feel that the novelty has worn off. A few sunny days would not go amiss. But we should count our blessings: it is worrying that much of England appears to be under water at the moment.
– Though mainly the south.
– That is reassuring, I know. But, even so, it is a shame to lose the entire south of England. It has its uses, after all: cream teas, the Royal Family, the London Underground, to name but a few.
– Perhaps we should make preparations in case the waters reach this far north. In case the river breaks its banks.
– We are quite far from the river. And the canal. And located halfway up a hill.
– Even so, you never know how bad it will get. Complacency is the biggest threat to our safety. Some of the guttering was overflowing menacingly earlier on.
– I suppose we are not well equipped to cope with extremes of weather. Where is our emergency stock of tinned food, for example?
– I've let it slip. It kept going out of date. Apart from tuna: there is usually a tin or two of tuna in the larder. And some jars of interesting sauces. Though nothing that would actually go with tuna.