Monday, May 7, 2018

Water, Water, But Not A Drop To Drink

It was one of those "interesting" weekends.  Actually the interesting part started on Thursday.   I noticed a weird smell coming from our basement.  It's a finished basement...very big and carpeted.  I went down and checked out the bathroom down there to see if that's where it was coming from.  A little later I went back down and when I entered the family room I was sloshing in water...the whole place was saturated!  I called Jack down and we couldn't believe how wet it was and of course were perplexed as to the source of the flooding.   It took Jack about a nanosecond to figure it out.  The pipe from the well that enters the house had sprung a leak.  It was leaking right above the shutoff valve so that was another problem!  So he called a plumber, turned off the power to the well pump and the next morning I called the insurance company to get a referral for someone to clean up the mess.  Goodbye carpet, hello big fans to dry out the cement floor.  Hello higher insurance rates I'm sure!  Anyway, that will be an ongoing saga so I was happy to turn our attention to family coming over on Sunday for lunch.  Jack and Evelyn and the kiddos...along with our Granddog Kip...came for a little cookout.   We're going to be at Mom's next weekend for Mother's Day so they brought me some Mother's Day gifts...beautiful flowers, a fabulous picture frame with new photos that the kids put together and a really nice surprise.  My son Jack likes wood working and he made me a lovely bench for outside.
It's so cool!  I'll find a really special place for it...come on over and sit a spell!   We had such a pretty day and the kids played outdoors with the dog.
Blossoms and super green grass!
Kip was worn out chasing the soccer ball.
He's so adorable...but he's ginormous too!  (I have to keep an eye on the food since he's as tall as the kitchen island!)
Yep, I'm sure they all slept good last night.   Later we  had a little lesson on fire building.  If you read my post on burning brush you might think I'm not too good a teacher on how to build a fire.  But I told Cameron I would show him how to start a fire with a potato chip.  He didn't believe me but after putting a match to the chip and throwing it on the pile of wood in the fire pit he was a believer.  Yep, all the grease in chips really make good fire starters!
That little chip started this pile burning and even when rain came in it kept on burning all evening!  I should have used potato chips instead of 5 gallons of gasoline a few weeks ago!  So even with the soggy mess of the basement, it was a nice weekend. 
The sky looks like it's on fire but I assure you I didn't start it!

8 comments:

betty said...

Ick with the leak, but glad you found it sooner than later so to speak, though it does sound like there is a bit of damage. I like that bench :) You need to find it a new place with a view :) Did sound like a nice weekend to get together with family and enjoy an early Mother's Day celebration :)

betty

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, Yaya!

What a calamity, dear friend! There's nothing I hate more than dealing with a leaking pipe and indoor flooding. I'll never forget the time a few years ago when Mrs. Shady got the brilliant idea to "fix" a clogged sink pipe by pounding on it with a hammer. She jarred the pipe to such an extent that it developed a crack inside the wall. The wall literally filled with water and we soon found our entire bathroom floor sopping wet. A plumber was called in and needed to remove a large chunk of the wall to get at the crack and repair it.

I am very happy to see these pictures of a pleasant spring day with everything on your grounds looking lush and green and happy grandkiddos playing with Granddog Kip. It does my heart good to once again see a pooch on patrol at The Pines. Jack Junior crafted a very handsome bench for you. It looks inviting and will make an excellent addition to your outdoor furnishings. I was in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts but never heard of using a potato chip to start a fire. You're right. It is a much better idea than 5 gallons of gasoline. :)

I wish you a happy week, dear friend YaYa, and a safe trip to Chicago to visit your mom for Mother's Day!

acorn hollow said...

I always love reading about your family and what a beautiful bench!!!! So sorry about your water issue but it will be all new and fresh again.
happy spring
Cathy

Rick Watson said...

Plumbing problems are often a mess. We had a small leak that went undetected. It seeped under the tile in the kitchen and my bathroom. We had to replace the flooring in my bathroom.
Not fun.

Kay G. said...

Love that bench but sorry about your flooding, we have had the same thing although for us the water damaged our son's favorite childhood books! Wish I could sit a spell with you!☺

gin said...

That flooded basement isn't fun for sure. If you're like me, there's always some little problem to face. I love that puppy dog!! Your bench is perfect! Happy Mother's Day to you and your Mom. Nice that you can be with her. Enjoy your visit and I'll enjoy seeing your mom on your post when you get home.

CHERI said...

Oh my! What a mess. But sounds like you took it in stride. Love the dog...and definitely love that bench. Been looking for a bench for awhile for an area of my yard but just haven't found one I like (that I can afford)!!! Thanks for dropping by my blog recently. I'm trying to get it started up again as I've missed writing. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Julia said...

Oh Yaya, water can cause such damage. So sorry about the mess you found yourselves in. I'm glad you caught it before it caused more damage.
Love the beautiful bench. I'm coming over to sit and sip a cool drink.
Hugs, Julia