Pages

October 31, 2009

An Autumn Adventure

Well my dear internets the plan was, initially, to have solar panels installed on our home. I know you just love the new green me, it's exciting. So the solar guy came and said the tree in the front yard would cast too much shade on the panels; of which we need city clearance and our power company’s rebate in order to install plus some of our own monies. What you may ask, ok ask…Yes it’s true, power companies (maybe yours too) are offering rebates to folks that install “Renewable energy” ie solar AND there is more~ don da don ~IRS Tax break, un-taxable added real estate value your home! If possible you really should check into it especially since “IF” we are approved by the city and power company after the solar is installed we get to SELL back our unused solar energy. Yes virtually no electric bill…if all goes right ~ God willing.


So on with the story of the trees, some of you may recall that in our backyard there are a clump of three trees, 2 pines - 1 oak, that scares the poo out of me. The pines creak and scrape against each other with their wonderful big a$$ branches hanging over the power lines that come into our home and that of the neighbor. So we called a tree crew out for an estimate. With the details and money settled the boss man said they would be here at 8 AM on Saturday and low and behold they were. I started a load of laundry before they got here. Dressed and ready for action I grabbed my camera and headed outside with the rest of my family. Those five guys on the tree crew were like monkeys they climbed with ropes and chainsaws. The amazing flock of chain saws buzzed over the morning air, squirrels barked and ran, acorns fell and hid in the aging grass. Before long with a crack, swoosh and plop the tree in the front yard was down and lying horizontally across the street in a sad state for the green me.



Why is it, do you suppose, we must destroy nature to become green?




Having gone back in the house baby girl went in the kitchen for something, I don't remember as things really got exciting then with the tree crew moving to the back yard and tying off limbs so as not to break power lines and what not (the new shed). The sound of chain saws buzzing in my ears and the fresh scent of sawdust still in my nose, baby girl squeaked out, “There is water all over the kitchen floor!” So I told her to turn the dishwasher off because that was on. Beloved said mop it up. Both of us thinking that the dishwasher had sprung a leak. WRONG! Baby girl said, “I don't think I can, there is a lot of water.” I headed for the kitchen and yes indeed there was a lot, really a whole lot of water. My tennis shoes were instantly covered... what ta hell?

Apparently while we were out watching the tree crew in the front yard my happy old washing machine decided to become very energetic, really I guess I should say it became very, very thirsty. You see the water cut off, the thingy that tells the machine it is full just sortta stopped working. Hell it gave up the ghost and died. WATER JUST KEEP FILLING AND FILLING forever, until I shut it off that is. Holy crap! The water, millions of gallons of water, was all inside the laundry room/pantry, kitchen, dining area and managed to find its way under the laminate flooring into my beautiful freshly painted living room walls. Shit it was leaching out from under the walls onto the breezeway and into the garage. OMG---OMG I said!




It would have made a great scene in a sit-com or reality show-heck it was reality- to us. Having thrown all our bath towels to try and stop the progression, we are trying to get the shop vac outta the shed (behind the tree crew) sucking up crazy amounts of water and well I just couldn’t decide what to take pictures of the water or the falling trees. Now don’t forget to count into all the excitement that my left hand still has stitches and my right one ain’t so good either. So forgive my less than focused photos…



My surgery I suppose was just the beginning of our wonderful Autumn Adventure. And yes this story shall continue so worry not that I am avoiding you because I am not, I'm just up two my eyeballs in our RL home ownership issues. That and insurance claims out the wazoo. And where ta hell is that solar guy?

When did this all happen you wonder, before meeting the awesome Funsters. I kept it a secret so as not to depress our meeting and the already made hotel arrangements. I mean why cry (oh I did cry plenty) and sorry for the delay in telling you, my dear, dearest Internets, please forgive me, but time has not treated me well the last couple of weeks…Image if you dare.

WHAT A MESS! With more, way more…way too much more to come.


and a Happy Halloween to y'all. So how has your autumn been going?

13 comments:

sheila said...

OMG, you poor thing! What a friggin mess! And yes, I agree about having to lose the tree to become green. And it sure sounds like a hell of a lot of red tape to get those panels. Good lord, it's like they don't really want us to make these moves. UGHHH

teahouse said...

Oh, dear!!! I hope there wasn't too much water damage...

And I found that photo of the tree nearly split in half to be strangely heartbreaking.

Snaggle Tooth said...

Sounds like another perfect case of "What Next?"!!
Sorry this happened to your home!
I'll continue to pray for you daily- n sorry you had to hush-up-

Maybe a ghost messed with your washer... Talk aloud to it n tell the spirit to "Leave all the appliances alone, please!"

Sounds like damage control will take some time after a lengthy dry-out period. Remember to get some white vinegar on surfaces to head off mold before it accumulates n spreads spores. Will save you a ton of trouble.

Time for a bilge pump?
OK- I wanna see how the enlightened blog folks can turn this into a positive experience you asked the universe for...

Deanna Schrayer said...

Oh Paige, I know EXACTLY how you feel. Remember my office makeover? That was not just a desire to have a better office; that was the Have To result of the water damage caused in said office, (Snaggle Tooth I really wish I'd known about the vinegar thing), due to having our back yard cleared of scary mature trees way back in April, (project began in January). After the trees were removed, (and yes, it IS a lot of racked), the torrential rain that followed had no place to go but our house. My office got the most of it. I spent about two weeks shop-vaccing at least 40 buckets of water out every day. Talk about stressful, not to mention the unspeakable pain it causes your back to lift that much water.
I so hope these troubles go away soon, and that you heal from this surgery and the next as quick as possible.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Oh dearie me! -sigh- Murphy's Law, if it can go wrong, it will.

Plus the Nov. Full Moon is Nov. 2.

^_^

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

A word of caution - Read ALL the fine print, about selling back to Power Co. and all that. I have never done it but have read "horror stories," of someone who did. Thinking they were going to be in great shape. And finding that fine print, had nasty surprises. :-(

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

"No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds, November!"

^-^

Aunt Amelia

... Paige said...

Thanks so much y'all. vinegar- the cure all for stinky feet, yellow toenails and now mold---and don't forget the pickles.

will double read the fine print IF we even get cleared.

yes the broken tree.

funny about the ghost suggestion...Beloved said he thought his Dad and Mom may have had a hand in it. Said they overheard me telling him that I didn't like the cabinets and was maybe gonna see if Erin would sand and paint them.

chalk this up to Autumn Trauma...one can't help but laugh

Jannie Funster said...

This happened before you meet up with us a the rock? You poor dears, I had no idea.

Laminate flooring does not usually take kindly to loads of water. Damaged, I guess?

We've had so many floods, it was a shock to not have one this year so far. Jim Funster has finally taken care of that I guess with his new drains and such.

It's ALWAYS something.

Home computer now dead. Can Jeff ressuciate her? And will I ever learn to spell ressussicate? We sure hope so.

Blue Bunny said...

my atumm advenchers so far iz been chased and bited by teh big doggy next dor, throeing up frum too mush kandy yestirdae and somebutty sttepping on my frunt paw wit a hi heels shoe. ouch.

Jai Joshi said...

Oh no! And when you were having such a fun time thinking about installing the solar panels. I feel for you.

I'm hoping things get better for you. Fingers crossed.

Jai

Blue Bunny said...

i hop you got yor flor moped up??

ox

cindy aka gooblink said...

Oh, Paige, that's horrible. I'm so sorry to hear of all your trouble. You did manage to pepper some comedy into the scene, though, and I hope you don't mind that I giggled. Until I read that you cried. Then I felt guilty and stopped smiling. Ach, this too shall pass.... I hope you have a much, much better winter.

Peace,
Cindy.