The Floodgates Open

Saturday afternoon there was a rainstorm. Not an ordinary rainstorm, but some crazy hurricane-like microburst of armmagedon unleashed on a part of our small town without warning.

Jeff was outside, diligently trying to get our pool open in time for us to take a Memorial day weekend swim. It was about day 5 of intense work on his part, shocking, vaccuming, algaecide – it was finally ALMOST clear.

And then this:

And this (the side of our garden leading down to the gate to the poolhouse)

The storm took us so much by surprise that Jeff didn’t even bother coming inside – he stepped into the poolhouse thinking he would wait until it passed.  Then I started getting text messages from him that he was stuck in the poolhouse!

Jeff: HELP!!!
Me: OMG it’s hailing!! Where are you? Hellloooo??
Jeff: This is ridiculous
Me:Where are you, still in poolhouse?
Jeff: It’s a f’king hurricane! I’m in the poolhouse.
Me: Where are you? Ok, it’s calming a little.. power just flickered though.
Jeff: Calming my ass.
Me: What the hell did you stay out there so long for?
Jeff: What do you mean where am I? I’m sitting on the nasty toilet waiting for Armageddon to pass.
Me: Why don’t you just run for it?
Jeff: It came on quick. At first it looked like a sun shower. OMG I’m going to die!!!
Me: No you are not, Just run to the house, I’ll get you towels..

A few minutes later after the golfball sized hail stopped he did finally make a run for it, and I met him in the basement with towels. It was then that we realized the basement was flooding.

After some frantic mopping and shop vaccing (for 5 minutes before the shop vac started sparking and burnt out!) the water table finally dropped – not a minute too soon because it was up about half an inch below our hot water heater.

A minute later I realized that water had gotten in through the exhaust pipe of the dryer and was in the dryer drum! Our fancy new front loading super high tech dryer!!!

In the meantime, my dad was trying to get to our house with his (operational) shop vac but the thruway was at a dead stop due to fallen tree limbs. The first alternate route he tried was flooded out and the other direction was blocked by a fallen tree.

It was total insanity/chaos but I’m so happy to report that we didn’t have any lasting damage.

Unfortunately for Jeff though ALL that crazy rushing water went straight down into the pool and dumped a few inches of silt at the bottom :(

After two more days of vacuuming though – our pool is finally open!

Here’s Jasper waiting for his first swim:

And yesterday evening after preschool.. even at 84 it still felt cold as you can see by Jasper’s face!

In other very exciting news we are heading up to Cape Cod tomorrow morning for my best friend’s Alexis’ wedding! We have all been looking forward to this trip for a long time, Jasper in particular can’t stop talking about “Auntie “Lexis’ wedding” and seeing his friend Leo, playing in the sand, being in the wedding (as a banner bearer!)

Hopefully I’ll be back on Wednesday with some great beach shots and cuteness overload of Jasper in his suit! Being the maid of honor I also have to give a speech – and yes, I’m terrified so wish me luck :)

 

 

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kate says:

Ariana, we haven’t heard from you in ages! Hope all is well with you and the little fam.

jbhat says:

Oh my goodness! Be so careful. Flash floods can be so dangerous. Is there anything the city/town can do to help divert floody water like that, I wonder??

Have a good trip, and here’s to very sunny skies while you are away. Omg, sorry, the worry wort in me has come out, hasn’t it!

jbhat

Stephanie says:

That was insane! Wow!

Have a great time on the the Cape!

Nina says:

Oh man, what a mess! I am glad you all are okay. I did laugh out loud reading the text message between you two! I think it made me laugh because it is similar in tone to how my husband and I would have been. Haha

Have fun this weekend at the wedding! Good luck with your speech and bring back lots of pictures. :)