Waterworks, Day 3

At 11:30 pm last night I woke up to a phone call: school would be cancelled for Tuesday because so many roads in the area remained closed. I must confess that I was pleased I wouldn't have to face a morning commute on an alternative route (my drive to school and my backup drive to school are flooded and remain so today). And it would give me one more day to take care of the residual trouble in my own basement. I turned off the alarm and went back to sleep.

When I went to bed last night, the basement was nearly dry, with just a few puddles left behind. As I write this afternoon, there is no water. But the tide had come up again this morning and so I was once again in the business of water removal today. Today's water wasn't nearly the nightmare that yesterday's had been. There was no water around the hot water heater, the furnace, the party fridge, or the washer and dryer. But a large puddle had re-formed at the north end of my basement; deep enough to use the submersible pump that had saved the day yesterday.

Today's work crew was me and......... my 7 year old. He was surprisingly enthusiastic about the job and I set him up to sit on the washer and hold on to the hose as it drained water into the sink. I managed the pump, ensuring that it was always under water. J.T. quickly realized that the pump was basically a water cannon and he held the hose above the sink, calling for "more ammo." At least he didn't call me a wench. When his enthusiasm for the task waned and he made mention of child labor laws in the state of New Jersey, I provided a bowl of potato chips to help him maintain his work ethic.

In less than an hour, the magic pump had the water down to a level that could be managed with the wet/dry vac. I used that to remove the rest of the water, emptying out the bilge 16.5 gallons at a time. I can see the source of the water now and I'll keep at it with the wet/dry vac every few hours.

So in the end, I have a new knowledge home repair and a more intimate sympathy for those whose lives have been effected by rising waters. And, of course, a few good stories to tell.