Tag: flood

Healing and House Repairs

Two weeks ago today I fell over one of our dogs and broke my right wrist and a finger.  Timing couldn’t have been worse as we are in the middle of repairing our house from a flood – small though it was – that is requiring new flooring, bathroom shower stall, and repairs to damaged walls.  This means 3 bedrooms need to be moved into the living room, things taken off closet floors, vanities demolished, toilets replaced, and a new shower stall door.  So, in the process, this also means buying hardware, such as shower drain, shower valve, and shower head, and while we are at it, bathroom fixtures and towel racks and so on (and on, and on).  The proverbial $20,000 for the new toilet.

And that comment is true – I have heard it from others, and now I am seeing it in action.  In a way, it was the kick in the pants we needed to get some things around here fixed.  Things were okay, but rather shabby, such as the original bathroom vanities from 40 years ago.  Taking things apart has revealed some interesting things – rather like an archaeological dig:

  • Josh found a flyer for “edible body paint” under one of the vanities – very 1970-1980s!
  • He also found that the master bathroom vanity top was originally too long, so the builders pounded it into the drywall under the window – leaving about an inch-deep indentation.  If they hadn’t done it, the shower would have had a vanity shelf in it.
  • The tile setter showed us how poorly constructed and improperly done was the sealant and prep below the tiles he removed.

Despite my broken wrist, I am able to help pack things up.  It just requires some thought and not lifting anything heavy.  I’m glad I can help because one man shouldn’t have to do it all alone while I rest in my delicate condition.  Yay, Josh!

Dang! Water!

dang-water

Over the last 24 hours, we got 4 inches / 10 cm. of rain.  Here, the soil is clay, and drainage is very poor.  As well, the infrastructure for handling massive amounts of water is not the best because we don’t get rain.

Rain?  What’s that?

We haven’t seen much in the past 6 years!  In our own back yard, we were flooded, literally, with inches of water creeping ever closer to the back patio doors.  Finally, Josh took a submersible pump and hooked it up; we pumped out about 1800 gallons based on a 2-hour run with 900 gallons / hour (about 3600 l. / hour).  He ran a hose from the back yard to the corner of the sidewalk, and the water poured into the street.  And this was in the dark of the night . . . 

20170217_184726

So, what do we get out of massive rain besides mudslides, flood damage, fallen trees, tipped-over fire trucks, and general chaos?  Greenery!  New flowers!  Mossy rocks!  Mud!

And to celebrate – and explore – I returned to the park I went to last weekend, different cameras in hand.  Just in a week’s time, new growth is more than evident – buds are now tiny, bright leaves; the water in the creek is a bit higher.  There were little changes, too, such as the mossy rocks are greener than before, more palm trees are dead(ish) – for which I say, “Hooray!” – and little mushrooms coming up from under the fallen leaves.

Mushrooms in the Leaves

And more rain is on the way!