March storm
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." -Matthew 6:19-21 (RSV)
Salvage
High-water mark on drywall
High-water mark on train set box (right), one of the few things that didn't float"Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground." -Isaiah 28:2 (NIV)
Three days after the power outage that stopped the sump pumps; two days after the flooding that destroyed the sump pump motor, the hot water heater, and the washing machine; a day after trashing carpets, bookshelves, clothes, toys, household files, research files, archival records, undergraduate papers, grad school class notes, dissertation data, books, Christmas ornaments, and boxes and boxes; and still airing, sunning, and machine-drying children's clothes and diapers, not to mention individual pages of journals from Peace Corps, we are tired and occasionally dispirited. But we find our hearts are not in our basement, and we are well.
...
Meanwhile,
"And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female." -Genesis 6:19 (RSV)
Yes, she really floated around the basement on the toybox, plucking stuffed animals from the water and christening the place Yucky Lagoon once she realized we didn't think the indoor swimming pool characterization so apt
***
Three days after the power outage that stopped the sump pumps; two days after the flooding that destroyed the sump pump motor, the hot water heater, and the washing machine; a day after trashing carpets, bookshelves, clothes, toys, household files, research files, archival records, undergraduate papers, grad school class notes, dissertation data, books, Christmas ornaments, and boxes and boxes; and still airing, sunning, and machine-drying children's clothes and diapers, not to mention individual pages of journals from Peace Corps, we are tired and occasionally dispirited. But we find our hearts are not in our basement, and we are well.
...
Meanwhile,
"And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female." -Genesis 6:19 (RSV)
Yes, she really floated around the basement on the toybox, plucking stuffed animals from the water and christening the place Yucky Lagoon once she realized we didn't think the indoor swimming pool characterization so apt***
9 comments:
Oh, Gretchen and Tom-- I'm so sorry. I really really wish I could be there to help. Given that we'll be in New York this weekend, I could come on Sunday for a couple hours to hang out with the kids while you clean-- but it'd be in the morning, when you'll be in church anyway, no? Let me know if that would be useful.
Let me know if I can help.
that's stinky. BUT, be happy you're renting and not owning! Events like this are why Laura & I got sick of home ownership.
oh no!! hope the salvage efforts work out... not sure how to help from here, but let me know if you think of anything! good luck!
my gosh! so sorry you're dealing with this. Thinking of you. xoxo
J, G, T, & G
oh no! i just saw this. if you want to bring the kids up here just let me know, i'm around. :(
Thanks, NT. The property management company has been good about dealing promptly with the damage, step-by-step, but if the black mold grows up the walls too much more before they can get the remediation people on it, we may be calling you...
oh my goodness! I know we don't store up treasures in our basements, but we do keep family history there. Hope the drying out goes well.
At least Edith found a silver lining...
I'm impressed by your sense of perspective and so sorry about all the things you lost down in Yucky Lagoon.
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