Minor disaster, major headache!

[squbrigg]

Yesterday, I began the day finding about 3" of water in my basement and shop! Not a good thing. Not a good thing at all!

I'm afraid I don't handle things well anymore, so the air in the house and surrounding area was deceidedly "blue" for a while!!!! My daughter, who had come home to visit the day before, awoke to language that she hasn't heard her father use before, and she was quite shocked, as was my wife.

The insurance folks sent an adjustor immediately and he took charge of recovery immediately, thank goodness, because my mind wasn't working well by that time at all! Restoration and recovery contractor was called and showed up and had a crew at work before lunch. I must commend them, they are excellent.

I am just sick about the whole thing. Thank goodness my carving tools are safe, and power tools unaffected for the most part. But what a mess, drawings ruined, ship plans, books, material, boxes of wood, stored boxes of toys, cloths, photographs, ...... and on and on the list goes. They have a start ...... vaccum up the worst of the water, removed some gyprock and insulation, but oh my ^*#%@&^#*, what a mess of my shop. My beautiful shop!!! I have no idea where to start or what to do! Overload on my poor battered old brain. I made it about half way through the day when my system just crashed and I had to lay down. Thank goodness for wives and daughters. They are managing well so far.

A most frustrating experience for me, I use to be good at handling such things, coordination emergencies situations and such. This is the first real big emergency I've had to deal with since the accident and the limitations showed up crystal clear. I am not the person I once was.

Sorry to vent like this. Everyone has their own problems to deal with and bad enough as this is, this could have been much worse. It is just that I am still in shock I guess at the loss.

I wouldn't be doing much carving for a while I guess.

Bob

[tucker1931]

Bob, so sorry to hear about the flooding in the basement, had it happen to me many years ago so I feel your pain there buddy. Take a day to collect your thoughts and then, onward and upward, things will eventually sort themselves out. Good luck.
Cliff

[SeaLeveler]

Sorry to hear about the water and photos.When hurricane Isabel hit here I had 3' in garage and me disabled lost 3 fish boxes full of power tools.Tony

[Joy]

So sorry for your problem. It will take awhile to recover from the shock. Just take it one day at a time.

[Dicky]

Sorry for your difficulties. Just take it slow and easy. Things will work out in the end.

[Paul_Guraedy]

Bob, very sorry to hear of your flooding. Like cliff, I had it happen to me many years ago. Vowed then that I would never have a basement again. Reading your post makes me doubly happy to live on the side of a mountain. In a situation such as this, it is best to look at what could have happened and didn't. It makes the loss a little more bearable. I hope that most of the damaged items can be replaced.

[toycarver]

Oh my, sorry about your basement and shop. It's a crummy thing, the good news is you have people around you that are making it more bearable. Hang in there.

[Donna_T]

Bob,
Bummer!

Our basement was dry for the first 15 years. Now it floods about twice a year. I've gotten everything down there that's keepable in plastic tote containers and everything on shelves or pallets. It's a mess still and I'm hoping for a large construction trash bin and four strong backs to help me remove everything that's ruined and I haven't been able to remove. Want to get that done so our kids don't have to when we're "gone." You're right...as time goes on, these disruptions and ruinations are harder to absorb and deal with gracefully. I, too, HATE basements (Paul). I'll bet heaven doesn't have basements and if it does, I figure they won't flood!

The flooding caused us to lose old records and papers, but I eventually looked at it as an excuse to purge excess baggage. Not exactly how I would have chosen to decide what to purge, but it happened.

Bob, I know you are frustrated and hurt by the loss of so much "good" stuff. The "gray matter" may affect how you cope and it may not do it as well it could before your accident, but your heart is still good, and it will come through for you. Let your family help. Remember, you can't change what happened, just how you deal with it.

Sorry for the suffering and loss...and frustration .... and the back breaking work that will follow.

Donna T

[TreeWizard]

As one who's basement floods most every time the sump pump has a problem, I know your pain. I now keep everything up off the floor at least 10 inches. One tip, with all the moisture in the air, run any power tools you have for 10 or 15 minutes to make sure all the moisture is out of the bearings and to be sure you don't have rust form between the stator and the rotor.

[Marci MN]

Oh nooo.. I feel for you!! And I'm so sorry that happened.

Heres a tip I've learned and had to do twice in my lifetime...

For your books, hang them upside down on coat hangers and hang your hangers on broom sticks or pipe ..anything to have them up higher than about four feet from the ground. Underneath put a fan blowing to dry them out as soon as possible. And every hour or few hours go and use your fingers to 'break' the pages loose to keep drying. Yes..they will be somewhat wrinkly...but you can iron them with a clothes iron later after they are fully dry. They wont come back perfect....but if its pattern books or how- to books you should still be able to read them. When they are TOTALLLY dry and ironed stack them on top of each other..that too will get those pages flattneed. And if some covers let loose.. there is a book binding glue you can use to glue them back up again.

I wish I lived closer, I'd be over to help.

Marcia