Good News and Bad News!

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The good news first!

We got measurable rain yesterday! 1 1/4 inches and there is supposed to be more on the way today. WooHOOO!

Now for the bad news.

I did not get anything done on the posting for eBay yesterday. I got stuck on trying to figure out a program called Turbo Lister. Hours I spent. It reminded me of the year I spent 6 to 8 hours a day, for months on end, trying to figure out some programs to start an online store. I had a strong set up for business, however my program skills were non-existent. Trying not to spend money, instead I spent most every free moment trying to figure stuff out. When things began to get very stressful at home, I just couldn't do it anymore and had to lay it aside.

I hope learning this program does not take that much time!

However, that's not the complete reason I did not get it done. I'll post a few photos and you see how long it takes you to figure out what else happened yesterday.

(By the way, this house WAS perfectly neat and clean and ready for guests tonight.)





















Any ideas yet?





There's more.





































Yup. It took me about 6 years, but the day I dreaded finally happened. I left the bathtub running as I was working on figuring out this program.

Michael was trying to describe how he felt as we saw the inch and half of water over the entire bathroom and closet floors, and part of the master bedroom fl. I told him that's what 'surreal' means. Now he gets it. I love 'teaching' moments, don't you?

Nope, I did not get any photos of the tub overflowing or the water on the floor. I was busy. So I found this as an example.





I usually set the timer when I fill the tub, but I was so engrossed in what I was doing that I forgot to do so. I don't know how long it ran. It was at least an hour, it might have been two or more.

When I saw the water my heart constricted. It's not the carpet, it's not the furniture, it's not the wallboards you need to worry about. The damage is the subfloor, the joists, the wall studs. That's the danger. You've got to get as much water out as quickly as you can. Anything in there destroys the frame of the house. It's not enough to sop up water you can see. If you stop there your home will have significant reduction in lifespan.

In any case, my son was my hero - he comforted and worked like crazy. My dad was my hero. My dad knows a lot of things, and I was not thinking really clearly. He arranged someone to come out as quickly as possible and we began sopping up as much as we could. Michael kept his head and co-managed the whole operation, while I just kept apologizing and wringing out towels. I may have even apologized to the fake plants, I'm not sure. Not real good stewardship on my part.

The equipment is to stay here til about Friday morning. I pray the damage is not too great. My parents paid the bill. So kind of them. I would turn it into the insurance, but the money would go directly to my husband and he would not reimburse my parents, he would keep it for himself. He has never reimbursed people who paid for the operation to save my finger, or the bills to keep my car running. This will be no different.

So I learned a bit about water damage that I did not know. The super-duper dehumidifiers work to dry out the air so greatly that it wicks the water back out of the subfloor and walls. So it is hot, dry, and very windy in those rooms right now. It's probably about 120 degrees and climbing, but much more comfortable than you would think, due to the dryness and wind. Yes, wind. The doors are to stay shut. Statistically, the guy said one in 100 houses a year experiences a flooding such as mine. Ladies, watch those tubs!

I can't wait to see the electric bill this coming month! Whew!

So, while doing school, guess what else I'll be doing? Yup. And I'm going to try to find a timer for my wrist that I will leave at the tub faucet. No filling the tub without putting that on my wrist.

I think I may have just found a new need to fill, for Joeleen Public.

~Faith

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