I title this post Space Madness, because I'm reminded of the Ren and Stimpy episode, where Ren has completely lost his mind while in space. Stimpy comes across Ren, who's posting his captain's log about his time in their space ship (of course, since it's the future, the log is being sucked from his brain). Anyway, I come downstairs to see Michael still awake, and writing a 14 page log, each page filled top to bottom, monitoring our water situation at 5:30 am. Oh wait, let me backup...
I believe I last posted on Tuesday. By Tuesday night I had come down with the flu. It was not fun. Michael had an after work party, and I had to call him to come home and bring me medicine. Since I was so sick and achy, I couldn't sleep, it was just a lot of moaning and groaning, not the good kind either, and a lot of stomach pain. However, around 2 am, Michael woke up, sat straight up in bed, and made a bee line to the bathroom. Seems we both have the flu. Drat.
Anyway, this continued to Thursday, Xmas morning. I was still sick, but Mike was actually feeling better. (He was feeling so much better, that he installed the Watchdog sump backup system. Of course, I slept through the whole thing. I really would have helped... Really...) But, I knew I couldn't make it to his mom's for Xmas, I felt terrible for missing it, but would have felt more terrible had I infected everyone.
So, Mike's leaving to go to her house, when he comes back in 20 minutes later. It seems, when he drove me to Firestone to retrieve my car after they replaced my flat tire, on his way driving home, he got a flat tire. So, his car is stuck in the garage, without any room to fix the flat. And it's a complete sheet of ice in the driveway, so he can't fix it there. Drat. He'll have to use my car. Oh, did I mention my car was in the street stuck in the ice and snow? Yea... So, after he was gone for about 45 minutes, I thought it odd since he said he'd be right back. I look outside, and see him shoveling. I get dressed, go out, and help him get out of the space. it seems all is right in the world again. Ha.
Friday we get up, I'm feeling remarkably better, and the chimney guys come bright and early at 9am. It's not such good news. We need a new liner, they show us a video where the whole chimney is collapsing upon itself, and I'm ready to throw up. Well, also, they tell us we need to rebuild both chimney's top 5 layers, since the bricks are worn away, and moisture is getting in. I'm not even writing down that quote...
So, now, after my minor meltdown, we're getting ready for his Dad to come over to celebrate Xmas. We were going to show him, his wife Kim, and her kids the house, and then go out for dinner. Meanwhile, it has gone from freezing to about 50 degrees outside, and since we have about 1 1/2 feet of snow on the ground, roof, etc, that can't bode well. As we're giving them the tour around 5pm, we get to the basement, where we see the storm drain overflowing. I've mentioned this drain in the past. It's saved our asses before, and is not being nice to us now. We then called our insurance guy, to add flood coverage before something happens, but we're told there's a freeze in Illinois, and we can't add anything for at least a week. Also, it seems Albany park is in the news again, flooding. Shocking! So, Mike tried a bunch of different things, and finally we decided we can't leave, and off he headed to home depot. As much as we NEED home depot, I have grown to hate that place. Anyways, we order takeout, and while he's at HD, I went to Michael's FAVORITE place in the world, Smoque BBQ, to get takeout for everyone. Seems we're having dinner at home. Well, Mike came back with a pump, and started by pumping the water from the drain into the sump pit. Yea, not working. Still coming in. Ok, where the hell can we put the water where it won't come back? That's easy, in the alley. Sure, it's not legal, but what the heck do you do in this situation?
Anyways,the water level is dropping, however, once the pump is turned off, the water comes back in. Oh, and it has started to rain. According to Michael's log, that started around 2:13. He's turning into Mr. Skilling, he's tracking the lightning and thunder too. I told you, space madness...
Anyways, I went to bed at about 1:30, I told him to wake me in an hour, we were going to do shifts, but he stayed up. During his SM time, he kept a log of everything that he had done, and what was happening with the water. He made some trenches outside in the ice, all around the house, so the water would funnel into the storm drain. Oh, he also found the storm drain under all the snow had searched for previously, and shoveled that out for the water to flow into. (Log time 2:49am)
So, when I woke up at 5:30, I couldn't believe he was still down here. I told him to go to bed, and now I'm sitting in the basement, on the stairs, monitoring the situation. The rain just stopped, but according to the forecast, not for long. In the past 1/2 hour, the pump actually started running dry (per the log, this hasn't happened in 3 1/2 hours) so I turned it off, and I'm keeping an eye on the water level. I'm not sure if he expects me to keep this log every minute, but I'm not. I don't want to get the SPACE MADNESS!!!
Update at 11:25am. Now it's pouring, and it's getting worse. Yikes. Mike just left to get another pump from home depot. We talked to our 2 neighbors, next door is ok, but the house next to them is badly flooded. This poor older couple is bailing buckets of water every 30 seconds. Mike is getting them a pump too. And, the rain isn't letting up... We think 2 pumps should handle the upcoming storm (we hope)! At least the drain is close to the sump pit, and I'm just sweeping the water into it. Seems to help. We're at least at a steady level now.
Update 3pm:
That Edwin Starr song keep going through my head.... Water... huuh .. What is it good for? Absolutely Nothing! Say it again!
That is how that song goes, right? Well, Mike came back with the pump, and it was dead. LOL. So, he went back and got another one, after fighting to exchange it. Now, we have 2 pumps running, and it's still backing up. So, guess where Mike just went off to? Yep. HD. I need to buy stock in that place.
So, now, we're getting an automatic switch to turn on and off the more powerful pump, so we don't have to be up all night again. Oh, also, he's going to rebuild the sump pump line, to bypass the cracked drainage tile. We'll basically have to dance the limbo if we want to use the back stairs, but, oh well. Oh, he's also stopping to get some ice cream, because, well, dammit - we need some ice cream...
Tonight we had plans to go to Everest with all our cousins. It was going to be a wonderful dinner, with wonderful company. Instead, we've basically spent the equivalent, if not more, on the latest bungalow adventure. Bummer.
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