8.21.13

saturated carpet... every time I start to get it dry, it rains 

I'm so discouraged with the water/mold situation in the basement. I spent Monday trying to absorb water with towels. I spent yesterday trying to suck water up with the wet vac. I've spent today discovering more and more things that are growing mold. All of my furniture, books, stuffed animals... just about anything in the living room area that is paper or fabric, all of it has mold growing.

After losing so many things moving in with Darby...then losing lots of stuff when I left him in a hurry...then losing more things due to the fire two years ago... it feels like whatever was left is getting ruined now with  mold.

And today it rained for hours creating ponds all over the front yard, soaking through into the basement and saturating the carpet I spent the past two days trying to dry. Austin and I moved some things away from the wettest parts of the basement but we don't have the ability to move everything and honestly, I don't want to move anything with any sign of mold growth to the other parts of the house because we don't want to start mold growing anywhere else.

We took up rugs... moved that beautiful screen from my grandma's house because the legs on it are rusting... it's a losing battle. Austin doesn't have the tools he needs to pull the wet carpet up (and I'm not really sure I trust him to do it, not that big of a space). Anywhere there is the weight of furniture, the water comes up from the pad of the carpet so it's almost as if the entire room would have to be pulled up. For once he doesn't have anybody over at the house who can help tote things. It's just too big of a job for me and the kid.

This is where the water is seeping into my living room

Every time I'm in the wet part of the  basement for more than a few minutes I get dizzy and my throat hurts and it just overwhelms me to see that space that I loved so much, my cozy little refuge, be such a mess. And of course all the extra trips up and down stairs, the strain of carrying wet towels, bending over using the wet vac, helping Austin move furniture - my back is in a whole new world of hurt.

And the cat threw up today and created a big mess that I had to clean up while gagging. And of course, Austin doesn't seem to understand that bringing the dishes to the kitchen isn't enough... they can be put in the dishwasher instead of stuck on the counter or in the sink. And I need to make a run into town but don't have the energy or initiative to do it. Tomorrow. I'll go tomorrow.  We're out of ice cream so I need to go.

Ok. Enough of the moping over the Whine Cellar / Indoor Swimming Pool. Here are a few good things from today:

1. I've started watching Duck Dynasty. I love those people! What a sweet family!

2. I made a good dinner tonight - "golf chicken", yellow rice and broccoli. It was yummy and didn't take much effort. "Golf chicken" is this brand of stuffed frozen chicken breasts that I used to cook on the days my dad was playing golf and it was my turn to cook. They're a family favorite.

3. I *think* I've stopped Stubby from "dumping" in unauthorized locations. No matter how clean the litter box has been lately, he has been pooping on the floor in my mom's bedroom. I really think he was just being rebellious because he was mad that my mom left him - you know how animals do that sort of thing. I had deterred him somewhat by cleaning the carpet with vinegar but as soon as the vinegar smell dissipated, he was back to his nasty habit. Yesterday I bought some heavy duty febreeze and sprayed the carpet with that and since then we haven't had any poop to clean up. Maybe it's a lasting deterrent.

4. Austin has been sort of cooperative today and hasn't had any outbursts. For awhile there he was having at least one meltdown a day. It is no fun dealing with a grown person having tantrums. I've asked a lot out of him today and he hasn't complained. I couldn't have done it without him. He still hasn't cut the grass (too wet) or fixed the boat (too wet) or done some other things he was supposed to do but honestly, for every aggravation he's caused over the past month, he made up for it by taking care of things today.

5. I haven't had any extra mouths to feed over the past 24 hours. I'm glad we're the "kool-aid" house but it's nice to have the house to ourselves occasionally.

6. I slept great last night. I felt really rotten when I woke up but at least I slept well.

I know that all these floods and pestilence and stress of trying to keep my finger in the dam will pass. I know that it will get fixed, that it will work out. I know that anything lost is just stuff. Eventually my disability claim will be approved and the bank account will be healthier and I will be able to replace "the stuff". I'm grateful for a roof over our heads, even if the floor under our feet is a bit damp at the moment. I've faced much worse with much less and survived. Life goes on.

Hope your day was happy and dry! Love and hugs!