It started out pretty good. Jake had to ballgames on Friday night. He got to start both games in center field which made him very happy and he had a couple of really good hits. I love it when my kids come home from an event in a good mood. Saturday started.....not so great. Apparently, sitting under those big pretty shade trees on Friday night kicked the already agitated allergies into overdrive and upon waking up on Saturday morning....I was miserable!!! We were supposed to go trail riding with friends Saturday afternoon which I was really looking forward to since I hadn't been on my horse Little Bit since last fall when I started her!! I decided an afternoon in the "wilderness" would not do my allergies any good whatsoever so I opted to stay home and attend the BBQ afterwards. Joni was going down so I could ride with her. The roller coaster of life took a MAJOR downswing a few hours after Larry loaded up his horse on my brother's trailer and left. Keep in mind, Larry is going an hour away from home, sketchy cell service, without a vehicle or transportation of his own (okay he had his horse but think about it!). So.....a storm brews up...sigh....the lights go out....nope not gonna panic, not at all. Call the neighbor, nope, no electricity there either. I start through the house unplugging everything so nothing blows up from a surge when it comes back on. I should note here that unplugging the computer, internet, and Xbox all mean going downstairs where the surge protector is plugged in (don't ask....I couldn't get anybody to put a plug in where I wanted it so I made do myself!). Start down the basement steps with a flashlight and ummmm.....that looks like water where water is NOT supposed to be. Yup, I'm correct....the drain is plugged and the water from the last load of laundry is bubbling up in the basement. Thank goodness our basement is not finished although the water is headed towards the pool table....easy fix, I'll move it out of the way. HHMMMMM that water looks to be advancing......I pick up all Jake's stuff off the bare floor in his "teenage cave" and strategically place a toothpick on the floor to check the rising water level. I should mention I have tried to contact Larry at this point but no answer....no surprise...he's in the boonies somewhere!! Tried my brother, got his voice mail, left a message to have Larry call me. Checked the toothpick...okay, it is raising a little faster than comfortable so I need to do something. The rain and wind has stopped but we still don't have electricity back soooo........phone rings...it's Larry....should he come home?? Okay, I want to say HELL YES but my "polite" replay is....let me see what I can do. If I can't get it I'll call you back.............
To the barn I go....get the 50 foot sewer tape and head to the horse lot where our drain empties. Start the sewer tape up the drain......I'm standing in "mud" if you get my drift and sinking......YUCK YUCK YUCK YUCK GAG YUCK YUCK YUCK!! I have 6 feet of tape left (remember now, it's a 50 foot tape) and I hit something solid. I ram the tape about 3 times and voila!! we have a gush of water......ping pong balls, wiffle golf balls, a hacky sack ball, AND the remnants of melted gladware lids. That's where they have all gone.........my dishwasher melts them. They start solidifying halfway down the drain and then the cats toys get caught on the pieces of plastic and VOILA...I have a flooded basement.
To top off the afternoon (remember here that I felt like CRAP so I didn't go riding!) I'm throwing the sewer tape over the fence back into the yard because it is hard to roll back up and I figure Larry can do that when he gets home and it starts to brew up another storm. This sewer tape, mind you, is METAL, and I can see lightening about 3 miles away.........the sewer tape is still laying right where I dropped it!!
I get to the house...still no electricity and Joni is planning on picking me up in less than an hour. I think you can probably imagine what I looked like. Ever tried to take a shower in the dark?? It's not as easy as it sounds. I did manage to get all the "mud" off, used half a bottle of body wash mind you - but shaving of the legs did NOT happen! Good thing it was just my brother's family and some friends at the cookout....they understood the stubble issue after hearing my story!!
Now I'm not the type of wife that expects hubby to do EVERYTHING....most of the time it is easier to just do it myself. BUT, I'm telling ya......listening to him laugh as I was describing my day while he was on an afternoon trailride...yeah, not so much gonna get you on my good side dear!! The good news is, the basement is once again dry, Larry is responsible for replacing the drain cover that is broken which allowed all the balls to go down the drain, and Father's Day yesterday or not - he owes me BIG for this one!!
Yup, that is the wonder of my weekend....I think I'll leave everything plugged in the next time so I don't have to feel the need to take care of the situation before he gets home :sigh:
I found the frame at Hobby Lobby and used my Old West and Camping cartridges on my Cricut to cut everything out. Hubby really wondered if I had lost it when I ask him to help me cut the nailheads off some paneling nails to use on it but he adjusted quickly....he usually does. He has learned not to ask too many questions!
