Flooding Due to Overwhelm - There Are Worse Things

The kids were all home for the memorial weekend and for Princess Five's graduation. We had a WONDERFUL time. It was the best time I have had with them all in years as we did lots of activities and played games, took walks etc.

They all left on Monday and I was so tired I cleaned up some of the upstairs but ended up sleeping early as I was so tired. I spent time on Tuesday making all the beds, washing sheets, towels and cleaning bathrooms. I put a load of sheets in the wash and was dumping the diapers out of the garbage cans and cleaning the downstairs bathroom and had just finished when I came out of the bathroom to a flood.

I ran into the room and turned off the water. I tried to turn it to spin but it was so full that just made more water overflow. I hurried and called my friend the repair man and he was good enough to come after hours. I had forgotten that the flood I had a few years back was due to the load size switch being in-between the sizes and this caused it to flood.

He said the exact same thing he said last time about how hard it is to get the switch stuck in-between the sizes and then I remembered him telling me that last time and he also remembered that. He was so good not to charge me and stayed to fill and empty the machine out a few times just to make sure that was all that was wrong with it.

I actually told him on the phone to give me 20 minutes to suck up some water before he came. It flooded into the hallway and linen closet again and the carpet in the hall is looking rough on the edges but I am not going to spend any money replacing it as that room seems to flood. I should tile it but don't want to have to deal with taking out the hot water heater, water softener etc to do it.

In a few months, when I don't have anyone home and become and "empty nester" I may just get rid of the folding table that I have in there and maybe do some tiling. I have so many other projects going on that it won't be until my mothers stuff is finished but it is something I would like to do.

Princess Five is on a graduation tour with most of her friends so I was home alone and had to rip up the carpet, pull it out from under the full water softener and washing machine. I wasn't able to vacuum lots up as it had drained somewhat but the drain is slow and the carpet doesn't help but I have gone down ever few hours and rotated the three box fans I have going down there.

One blessing I had, was that the load I was washing were whites and I had bleach in it so at least the water smelled clean and I haven't had as much of a problem with any mildew smell as I was right on it. Another blessing was that I usually will put a load of laundry in and head upstairs, leave, or put it in before bed. If I had done any of those things, the entire basement would have been flooded with no way for me to deal with it myself. I am SO grateful that I caught it and was down there.

When it happened a few years back, I had left after starting it and one of the girls came home to get something she had forgotten or was leaving and went down to get something and called me at a recital telling me that there was water everywhere. So, I am SO grateful that I was there to catch it. Here is a link to that post.

I wrote on the washing machine in Sharpie so that no one will do that same thing again. I wish I had the funds to purchase a new one so that won't happen again but this one actually works very well except that thing happening twice now.

I have noticed that when I feel overwhelmed in my life, my house seems to flood. I was supposed to get some help from my siblings this week and next with my mothers sorting and things but none would commit to coming and I got frustrated but was feeling overwhelmed with all I have to do for my mothers stuff and in my own house and yard and now with Princess Five heading on to college, I will have to do everything without any help. I usually do but know that if I needed it, there was someone around.

I noticed a group text in the middle of the night after I spent much of the night pulling up carpet etc and was extremely sad to find out one of my first friends when I moved from the East coast to this town, her husband died unexpectedly. He was a good friend and we had done things as couples since we moved here and they remained close even after my divorce. It truly put my flood into perspective. There are so many worse things than having a flood!

I was able to visit my friend tonight and she had all her kids there and her sister. She is still in shock and I was able to take over some healthy and some not so healthy treats and a card. I am so sad for their loss.

The carpet in the basement is almost all dry now and I will continue to let it dry for a few more days and will need to find a way to attach the thresholds as the glue came loose and the nails pried up but I think I will be able to figure it out.

I am so grateful for my family, their health and all the things I am blessed with. Even having a washing machine is such a blessing along with hot water etc. Aren't we lucky to live in a place with computers, internet and modern conveniences. There are so many worse things!

Have a BLESSED Day!