Friday, June 14, 2019

Rising Waters

"Into each life some rain must fall." So goes the old adage. It never said "Into each basement some rain must fall." Probably because not everyone has a basement. But I do. And fall it did. Like a waterfall.


It came up through the floor (at a point I've known needed repair and I just hadn't done it). And, it came in through the windows, dribbling down the wall in some cases. In the worst, it was gushing as loud as a waterfall (not exaggerating -- it woke me up).

After plugging as much as I could with towels to at least slow it, I tried to start cleaning it up. I tried two shop vacs and neither could handle it. Finally the best method was dumping buckets of water into the utility sink until the floor drain could finally handle it and it began to go down. I'll be very good at bailing boats, should the occasion arrive.


And don't ask me how this happened but at one point I saw a small frog or toad, which I captured and released outside.


That was Tuesday. It's still damp in parts and smells grim but at least I can work on the clean up -- and I have been for the past few days. I am far from done -- so far, 15 trash bags are in my bin and the car is packed to the gills with things for charity that aren't damaged or smell. And there is so much more to come.


I look at every weather report with trepidation. In this, our year of rain, there is plenty to worry about but no way any of the repairs can be done right now. There are many (including several of my neighbors) who have it much worse -- they had carpeted, living basements. Mine is just storage. I lose "stuff."  They not only lose stuff but have significant renovation work that must be done.


 So back to the basement I go once I get my morning brain working. As soon as I can get things away from the walls and purged as much as possible, then I can call the de-molding people to come do their thing. It will be a dent in the England 2020 fund, but hey, it could have been so much worse. Lots of things that mattered were in plastic bins and to be honest, it forced a job that has been moved from one to-do list to another for far too long.


There have been a few good things this week, though. Rick got on a bike on the road this week. Well, riding around the neighborhood and then he realized he was doing it earlier than he should be so that might be on hold again, but he felt glad to be back on two wheels, even if the going will be uphill for awhile.



My friend Jane, whom I hadn't seen in several years, came through town with another we'd been longing to meet -- Mike, who was a great support to Rick after the accident, even though they'd never met. We enjoyed some wonderful conversations during their visit and a great lunch, too!


(This is my soup sampler -- nettle soup, seafood chowder, French onion and Peppedew Tomato. All excellent!)


Jane brought a me wonderful vintage cookbook (1941) by Ruth Wakefield, who invented the Toll House cookie. In addition to tons of recipes it has hints on stain removal and first aid!


For those of us who appreciate cookbooks as historical records of food during various periods, it offers a wealth of tidbits about cooking, serving and entertaining in another not too distant time.


I hate to think I'll ever be using the first aid advice from the 1940s, but some stuff is timeless!


Five years ago this week on a day that looked like rain but ended up being gorgeous, these two were married!


In the time since, there have been new jobs, an MBA program and best of all, two Baby Grands we adore to the max! And of course, having Molly in our family is four star! Kevin couldn't have made a better choice!


This weekend we'll head to Detroit area and for a bit of Grandlittle time while they go celebrate and the next day celebrate Father's Day. And on that note, I wish those of you with Dads around, a wonderful holiday. And for those of you like me who have made that final farewell to Dad, sweet memories.


I miss you, Dad. Every day.

57 comments:

Sketchbook Wandering said...

You have an incredibly healthy and calm attitude!! I used to spend hours getting my wet basement to dry in my other house...and I used to fret a lot. Was this an exceptionally big storm? Anyway, love your sense of humor about it, toad and all!
Yes, gratitude can bring calm and peace of mind in times when anxiety really wouldn't be of help anyway.
Congrat's on the wedding, and Rick on the bike and the great little lunch party. I miss both my parents too, everyday...

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

Happy Father's Day to Rick and your son. Sorry about the basement flood, I guess it is best to put more important things up high. The soup sampler looks delicious, I love soup. Have a great trip to Detroit. Wishing you a happy day and a great weekend!

Vicki @ lifeinmyemptynest said...

Hate wet basements! Soupspoon Cafe?

R's Rue said...

❤️

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Water in the basement is about the worst thing of all. We had the problem a few years ago and installed a second sump pump necessitating jack-hammering through the concrete floor and installing new pipes - and it didn't solve the problem ($5,000 later). Then we took the drywall off in a closet, found a crack, had it professionally sealed, and have had no issues since. And my office is in the basement with a small fortune in books, and Miriam's sewing room with a small fortune in fabric. Keep your finger and toes crossed that it is resolved for all time. At least neither one of us had raw sewage backing up and you do hear of that happening.

Sami said...

You're taking it all very calmly Jeanie, but I suppose it's best to accept what can't be undone. Hope there's no more rain so that you can clean out and dry your basement.
Congratulations to Kevin and Molly on their 5th wedding anniversary and enjoy the visit to the grandkids this weekend :)

Valerie-Jael said...

Sorry, it sounds awful and I feel for you. Hope it's soon sorted. Time has flown by for Molly and Kevin, glad they are so happy together. Look after yourself, hugs, Valerie

William Kendall said...

Water in the basement... what a headache!

Mae Travels said...

The basement problem sounds really depressing, but you seem to be holding up very bravely. I hope you can get everything resolved asap!

A soup sampler! Someone is really brilliant. Much better than a catsup sampler (yes, there's a restaurant that did that).

Happy father's day to one and all of the fathers in your family.

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Joyful said...

Very sorry to hear about all the rain in your home and in your neighbour's homes. It's a lot of work for sure and I wish you well on it. Most important is getting rid of that mold. I'm glad you had some recent company and that you all enjoyed good food and conversation. Your soup sampler looks good. I've never seen one here and I think that's a wonderful idea for those of us who love soup. Have an awesome weekend with all the grand babies.

Tanya said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your basement flooding. I hope your recovery is smooth and not to stressful. We flooded during Hurricane Harvey in Houston, and I'd hate to go through that again!

carol@The Red Painted Cottage said...

Jeanie, I feel so sorry you have to deal with all that water in your basement. Knock on wood, I've never lived anywhere where we had water in our basement; but I can only imagine how much it would ruin and the mildew and smell. I hope it all gets cleaned up properly and you can make your next trip to England as planned!

krishna said...

Hope everything will be fine in your basement.

thepaintedapron.com said...

Oh Jeanie, I am so sorry about your flooded basement, your attitude is amazing, I would have Freaked out! I love the way you illustrated your tale with bright and happy photos! Great news about Rick at least getting on his beloved bike again! Keep calm and bail on!
Jenna

My name is Erika. said...

Oh no! It sounds like you had a major catastrophe on your hands. I guess if you look at the bright side it does force you to clean up. I know that doesn't help while you do the cleaning though. But just get it done so you don't get any of that black poisonous mold. (Not to be negative just would hate to hear you have caught something). Glad there was some good things in your life this week besides that. Hugs-Erika

Jenny Woolf said...

I am glad you're getting on top of it even if it will take awhile. What a lovely face your dad has - he looks as such a cheerful and friendly person.

Jenny Woolf said...

Oh, and glad that Rick is back on a bike!!

Lynne said...

The rain just doesn’t seem to want to stop.
It started off sunny here this morning, (the 14th) and by noonish the rain returned in several downpours.
Sorry you have had to deal with the SOGGY in your basement.
Keeping you busy I am sure.

Liked seeing your cookbook gift . . . and felt a bit of remorse at those I have tossed onto the giveaway/recycle pile.
I enjoy the little tidbits included in many a book. Stain removal .. . YAY . . .

Happy weekend with the littles . . .
Handsome/beautiful couple.

Looking forward to our “meetup!”

Pamela said...

Sorry to hear about the water problems! It's the rainy season here in Japan, but I live on the second floor. The soup sampler looks great! I would order that too.

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

Water in a basement is serious stuff. I had 4 inches in mine 5 years ago and had to have a professional come in to vacuum it out, use giant fans to dry it and treat it for prevent mold. Mold kept reappearing for rest of the summer and more treatments before it was finally stopped. Remember to keep checking for mold before it ends up all over the house.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Welcome to my world, Jeannie. Only YOURS is far more colorful and fun to read than mine. We seem to share the same fate, albeit in different states.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I forgot to wish Rick and his sons a happy Father's Day.

Joanne Huffman said...

You have a great attitude about your basement issues. As my daughter says, being an adult sucks. I hope all goes well with the mold removal.

Amy at Ms. Toody Goo Shoes said...

So sorry to read about your basement woes. Yes, year of the rains it surely has been. That soup sampler looks delish! Enjoy your time with the grand kids!

Iris Flavia said...

Oh, my goodness! And you still cared about the froh, good on you!!!!
Oh, I so know that "smell" - Ingo´s apartment flooded twice, second time the water was that high it went into the bathtub. Furniture was moved by the water (weekend relationship, he was safe with me in Braunschweig).
He was able to abandon the place and now we live together.
Near river Oker, how "clever" ;-)
Ohhh, that piggy is so cute - I made a wish, too! (is touching the screen an option?).
Yay for Rick!!!! It´s a start!!! Also for the heart (as in being happy to move on).
Online friends helped me through when Ingo was severly sick. It´s wonderful when - not breaking down cause they cannot hug you - you meet them when all turned out well!
Those soups look yummy! Small portions so you can taste a lot, great concept, I wish we had this here!
The book sounds very interesting, too!
What a beautiful couple!!!!

I miss my Dad loads, too. To all Dads...


Iris Flavia said...

Oh, my goodness! And you still cared about the froh, good on you!!!!
Oh, I so know that "smell" - Ingo´s apartment flooded twice, second time the water was that high it went into the bathtub. Furniture was moved by the water (weekend relationship, he was safe with me in Braunschweig).
He was able to abandon the place and now we live together.
Near river Oker, how "clever" ;-)
Ohhh, that piggy is so cute - I made a wish, too! (is touching the screen an option?).
Yay for Rick!!!! It´s a start!!! Also for the heart (as in being happy to move on).
Online friends helped me through when Ingo was severly sick. It´s wonderful when - not breaking down cause they cannot hug you - you meet them when all turned out well!
Those soups look yummy! Small portions so you can taste a lot, great concept, I wish we had this here!
The book sounds very interesting, too!
What a beautiful couple!!!!

I miss my Dad loads, too. To all Dads...


DUTA said...

Roofs and basements can accumulate water and cause great trouble. I have no basement but I'm under the roof, and with climate change striking heavily in the upcoming years, I'm considering moving to a safer place.
Your food pictures are a delight to the eyes!

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Oh Jeanie, what a royal pain in the patoot!! But as you say, it forces a bit of a purge and maybe that's the positive in all of it. Nice that Rick was out on his bike (even if a bit early!). What a stunning bride! Your pictures in this post were spot on. Where did you get that colourful one right at the beginning? It really pops! -Jenn

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Dear, dear Jeanie, GOOD MORNING! Oh my dear, your basement.....the weather is reeking havoc in so many different ways in so many different areas. Our basement has been fine so far; we haven't have the torrential rains yet but what's happened here is the very WET winter. It's drowned some of my once tolerant boxwood plants and my back garden looks awful. However, the severity of this weather has changed so many landscapes at different levels, that all I want to remember is that being safe and healthy is the primary concern. I hope you can get this fixed and carry on! And Father's Day is a double-whamy hit for me. My mummy died on Father's Day and of course, I miss my beloved father who would be 104 years old!

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

How unfortunate this experience is for you. I can’t imagine water coming in like that. I hope you can get it all cleaned up. We’ve been having rain for the past couple of days again. Man will summer ever start?

Latane Barton said...

Oh you poor thing... that's a ton of water to have to deal with but it appears that you were up to the task. I have a new blog that I hope you will come by and see.

Rita C at Panoply said...

Ugh, Jeanie, I empathize with your water issues. To this day, a lot of rain can make me feel anxious. I owned a home (which my daughter later owned and just sold this year!) in which the sound of gushing water awakened me one night, pouring into living space of the downstairs. Even after B-Dry system was installed, it drew water. Not the kind of purge project one wants to take on, but you always seem to highlight the good.
Happy Rick is not only getting back to normal, but seeing what his limitations are and adjusting accordingly.
I hope your weekend is enjoyable.Safe travels and Happy Father's Day to all the dads.

La Table De Nana said...

Oh dear..what a trooper yet again!
Exceptional rain and cool cool weater here this pitiful spring..doing it as I type.
Not fun Jeanie.
Bon Courage!

Sandra at Maison De Jardin said...

Oh, Jeanie - so sorry about the water in your basement. We have had the same, but certainly not the amount you experienced. Your situation was terrible from your accounts. So glad your friend came through your area and brightened your day and the cookbook she gave you looks like a treasure.

So glad Rick is getting back to normal. Hope your basement will soon be dry and you can begin the needed repairs. Also so glad you were not away when this occurred. Have a great weekend and enjoy your little ones.

Carola Bartz said...

Gosh Jeanie, what a mess! I'm so sorry that you have to deal with all this flooding in your basement. That truly sucks, but I do admire your attitude about it. This year has been extraordinaire so far when it comes to the weather.

Victoria Zigler said...

That really sucks about the basement flooding. Sorry you lost stuff to it. Glad it wasn't worse, but still... Sounds like it was bad enough. :(

Great to hear about Rick's progress though.

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your flooded basement. It happened to us one time when we were out of the country. A frozen pipe broke but thankfully it happened just hours before we got home. Thankfully we got to it in time before it caused any real damage.

Red Rose Alley said...

Oh no, rain got your basement! I do hope that there was no damage done. Are those your colorful fellows on the fence? That frog is so pretty. The soups look delicious, especially the French onion soup, YUMMY. The vintage cookbook is so cool. That is such a treasured picture of your dad with the fish, Jeanie. I miss my dad very much, especially around this special holiday. : )

~Sheri

The Liberty Belle said...

So sorry to hear about your basement. I hope everything gets settled to your liking. The cookbook from your friend is quite a treasure. I love books like that.

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear about your basement flood! We don't have a basement, which is probably a good thing because I think it would be flooded on a regular basis. This week the garden has been sat in a couple of inches of water at times.

Evi Erlinda said...

I agree, those soup look very excellent.

A great daddy with a big smile :)

Thank you Jeanie, I follow this blog so I won't missed the post

Prims By The Water said...

Flooded streets near the canals on this side as the wind was pushing the already high river water inland. Our dock is is bit under water, but thankfully our house is safe. Lots of rain this year. Hope you dry out soon, What a sweet couple! Janice

shoreacres said...

Now I'm home and can comment again! I need to see if I can work out the issues before I leave home again -- whenever that is. I'm so sorry that you're stuck with that mess, but I think I remember it popping up before. It just wasn't such a messy mess then! I hope there aren't any lingering problems, and you can keep that pretty-good attitude through it all!

Pam Richardson said...

Jeanie, you seem to make the best out of a bad situation. I don’t have a basement but friends of mine have experienced your current situation. I know you have enjoyed the baby grands!

Marilyn Miller said...

So sorry you had lots of water in your basement, not fun one little bit. Hoping you don't have lasting damage. How wonderful to see Molly and Kevin celebrating 5 years. So much to celebrate from Rick's healing, friendship, anniversary, and memories of your father.

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Oh Jeanie. What a mess. I am so sorry you had to deal with this. Our basement flooded when I was in high school and it was such a huge mess. 3 of our 5 bedrooms were in the basement so it was a huge headache. I remember waking up and stepping out of bed onto carpet that was floating on water. Eeks. My parents had lived in the house for about 15-16 years with no flooding so they were not expecting it and lost a lot of stuff that was in cardboard boxes. I remember how our garage was full of wet boxes for quite a while as they had to dig through everything and figure out what could be salvaged. I hope we have a long dry spell so you don't get more water in your basement. It's been such a wet spring in the Midwest!

Happy Anniversary to K & M! 5 years and 2 babies - what a grand start to a life together!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

So sorry to read about the flooded basement, Jeanie, you have the right outlook in saying it’s only stuff, but still no one likes to see everything destroyed, best of luck on the cleanup. The vintage cookbook was a nice gift.

Katie Mansfield said...

I'm so sorry. I hope the 2020 fund is built back up in no time. Sell some art perhaps?

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

Oh, what a pain in the rear to have to clean all that up .

You have a beautiful family!

Sherry's Pickings said...

wow we really need some rain here, though not if it goes into the basement - not that i have a basement:) we did have some horizontal rain a few years ago that just came straight thru the windows and the tops of the glass doors. not fun. Well as you say, it encouraged you to do some sorting at least... How lovely to get on so well with your daughter in law. such a blessing. chin up and keep up the good work! cheers sherry

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

It is after hearing a horror story like this that I am glad I do not have a basement....We too have been getting quite a bit of rain.... Surpassing last year already which was our wettest year on record!! So Sorry that this happened to you but as you said, it would be much worse if your basement was finished off.....
Hugs,
Deb

Danielle L Zecher said...

I'm so sorry about your basement. Dealing with water damage is never fun. I'm glad the things that really matter to you were mostly spared damage, and hope things are back to normal soon.

Your soup sampler looks delicious. I love that idea, too. That just sounds like the perfect meal for a cold or rainy day.

Anca said...

Aww, what a mess with the flooding. It must have been such a hassle to sort everything out. Hugs xx

Pam said...

Now I see what the issue is with the mold and water. I am so sorry. Glad things were in plastic bins. I am a firm believer that is the best way to go esp if you have a basement you store in. Even though I do not have a basement I still have my Christmas stuff stored in plastic bins. Too many keepsakes in there not to take that extra step. Congrats on the weddding....again, feel better soon.

Barb said...

So mold is the culprit. You've been through quite the stress and so much work. No wonder your immune system had to take a break. I hope that you'll be feeling better sooner rather than later. Glad Rick took a little spin, but I sure hope he takes care til that leg is ready! Don't visit me or answer - you need to rest!

Anne Jeffries said...

I'm not quite sure I understand what happened, Jeanne. I get that there is water damage but from what? Where? What room(s)?

Lowcarb team member said...

So sorry about the flooding.

Your soup sampler looks delicious.

All the best Jan

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