Always something going on, and then there is always Other Stuff:

Main event of the weekend occurred Sunday night and that set the direction for the remainer of last week and will do for some weeks ahead. This event was an over run bath tub downstairs last Sunday night.

It was a usual Sunday evening in many ways, up until that point.
I cooked supper after returning from a photography meeting. This was in fact my first attempt at getting to meet some people with the same interest. These were professionals and that event turned out to be a very interesting afternoon. However it paled into insignificance compared with what was about to happen Sunday evening.

After Supper I walked the dog which I usually do before a bath ,and then bed. I was already packed for my week working away in Indiana.

I returned from walking the dog to find a hot bath running for me, and in addition to that, a water filled bathroom, and everyone asleep.
(My advice is never fall asleep whilst running a bath).

An hour or so of filling the up the tub is usually more than enough water, this was no exception.

The first thing I thought to do was stare at the water in a frozen sort of , 'oh boy', 'what now' sort of way. Then to rush into action waking Hazel and delegating the act of putting towels around the room edges, whilst I started sucking up water from bathroom with the carpet cleaning machine. That machine was a saviour, as how else do you get inches of water off the floor.
However, the bedroom, bedroom closet, understairs cupboard carpets were all wet, and then some. I decided at around 3.00am that this was bigger situation than I could deal with.

The worst of the water was sucked up and poured down the sink, but everything seemed still very damp. The more carpet I ripped up, the more dampness I found. It was totally incredible to me.

I'm used to a house where walls separate rooms, and not a house where water can run from room to room, through walls, and under the carpet underlay further into a room without even soaking into the carpet.
Also I found that our house, it seems is lower at the front than at the back as all water ran through from the bathroom at the back of the house through to the front of the house.

I got one hours sleep Sunday night, then for me I was up at 4.45am to head to the airport for an early flight, to work in Indianapolis this week. I slept on the plane.

I set off believeing that a few rooms would need replacement carpet after a little drying out had been done.
Seems that a little more than that was in order.

Hazel's first task in the morning was to call the insurance company to come and assess the damage, and to get the place dried out. A renovation company were soon around doing their thing.

Hazel reported to me on the phone of dry wall being cut off a foot high in places and of doors and frames being taken off, and more carpets being lifted as well as the wood floor in the hallway being taken up. Did she call 'renovation' or 'demolision' I wondered.


The bedroom and the offending on suite bath.










The Hall way with Study door off to the right.
Water marks up the bannisters.






Water marks came some inches up the wood frames in rooms far away from the bathroom. All needing drying out. I live in a glorified shed that can be cut up and sliced up and dismantled with all too much ease.

So now most of our posessions from downstairs have been packed up in boxes and are being shipped off to storage.
My desk area and all computers are now moved from the Study to the Dining room and there are industrial drying machines and fans running constantly in the background.

The process of drying out continues, and then reconstruction will commence over the coming weeks.

Hazel heads off on the Royal Caribbean's 'Mariner of the Seas' Sunday morning, for her Cruise College. (I'm in the wrong job !!).

I will stay at home amid the chaos this week, working and looking after the kids.
Then the following week after Hazels return, I will travel off to work for a couple of weeks once again in Indiana.


On the lighter side.....

Not everything is BIGGER in Texas...


Left is a Tahoe Pine Cone

Right is a Texas Pine Cone.