Blessings and curses

"What the heck is that?" you ask?
Why, that is both a blessing and a curse. That is the reason my house flooded. Well, that and the three days of torrential rains we experienced recently. The same torrential rains that flooded a nearby large city. Yes, we were the recipients of that lovely storm first.

The storm that flooded streets within a few short hours.

The storm that washed out roads and bridges all over the county.

The storm that caused sinkholes large enough to swallow cars. (I mean, seriously?)

I had no idea what that was until a few weekends ago. That is apparently a sump pump and not only had I never seen one before, I certainly didn't know that we had one under the house. The hubby did. What we didn't know was that it broke right when we needed it the most. We didn't think to check it. We live on a hill and seriously....it has never, ever, ever, ever, ever flooded here. Ever ever. Until now.

We found out pretty quickly that it was broken when water started seeping under the walls across the entire far downstairs wall, which stretches across the entire back of the house. It was a hellish and exhausting few days afterwards (mostly for my hubby, bless him) but we got through it. That was obviously the curse part of that. So here is the blessing part of that.

This horrific nasty mess has been removed, never to be vacuumed again!

The "storeroom" was purged and is now actually a storeroom!

School was closed for TWO days!!!!!

New flooring is waiting downstairs to become part of our home!!!

The remaining horrific carpet upstairs has been removed!!!

My furniture was spared!

There is still much to be done but we are very fortunate. There are so many who have suffered/are still suffering so much worse. In the wake of what this storm has meant to others across this state, our experience is merely an inconvenience. Well, ok, a major inconvenience, but not a catastrophe. My house is still turned upside down while we wait for the moisture reading downstairs to drop low enough for the new flooring to be installed. I created an excessive amount of work for myself by having the upstairs carpet removed but I figured I owed it to the beautiful unfinished oak that was lying underneath. I mean seriously. Hardwood floors should be held captive by centuries old ratty carpet for only so long before something must be done. And that time is now! I'm trying to overlook the fact that 3 main living areas in my house have been rendered temporarily useless. I am kinda tired of bumping into the bookcase that is currently in the hall but after another week of this chaos, maybe I'll remember its there. Thankfully its the beginning of the summer so I have plenty of time to put things back together after all the flooring situations have been resolved.

So thanks, Mr. Sump Pump! When you broke in the middle of the largest series of storms this area has ever seen and failed to pump hundreds of gallons of water out from under my house, you weren't nearly the curse I thought you were at the time. And curse you, I did. No, you really turned out to be a blessing in disguise. You forced us into some home improvements that have desperately needed to be made. When its all said and done, I hope to have a reorganized home with beautiful, clean flooring throughout. Even though you cost us well over $3000, I hope to see a return on that investment one day with added value to my home. I feel like I should have you bronzed or something. Ok, maybe thats taking things a little too far but you really did do me a big favor by forcing us into labor and expense we were too lazy and poor to commit to until you forced our hand. Thanks, Mr. Sump Pump!

(It's more than a little disconcerting to me that as I prepare to hit the publish post button, there is currently a flash flood warning with 3-5 inches of rain over the next few hours predicted and the sound of thunder and rain is pretty impressive. The new sump pump had better be working or you will all hear me scream as I fling myself from the balcony. What is up with this weather???)