‘What if there is another deluge on same scale?’

I don’t live in Brechin – I live about 17 miles away in the Kinnettles area of Angus – but my cottage flooded during Storm Babet.

It sits near the Kerbet Burn, normally a shallow, calm body of water – but one that turned into a raging torrent during that fateful weekend.

Six months on, after furniture and white goods have long been skipped, floorboards have been ripped up, and a cluster of industrial driers have been installed, it’s been issued with a “drying certificate”.

The next step will see builders carrying out reinstatement work but I have no idea when this might happen.

It’s been a stressful time. In the immediate aftermath of the flood, I tore up sodden carpets and watched as green mould appeared on some furniture and wooden floorboards buckled and warped.

Compared with folk in Brechin, though, I’ve been let off lightly. I had no mud in my house.

I’ve been staying with my mum in Aberdeenshire, with the odd overnight in hotels when I need to be down Tayside way.

I have absolutely no idea when I’ll be able to return to my house and await the next steps.

My fear, like that of many others, is – what if this happens again? And why would it not?

We’ve endured myriad storms – but what if there’s another one on the scale of Storm Babet?

Could dredging the burn be an option?

Nobody has mentioned the possibility of dredging the Kerbet Burn, or whether this is even an option.

The road that was washed away beside my home remains closed and will likely remain that way until goodness knows when.

I’ve Googled flood gates and flood defence mechanisms. But these don’t come cheap – and would they work?

My hope is that someone will come up with a cunning plan.

If such a plan is to rebuild my house on stilts then I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for a lottery win...

“I have absolutely no idea when I’ll be able to return

Gayle and her dog Toby at her mum’s in Aberdeenshire.