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OUR FIRST FIELD TRIP FUN (Part II)

…we walked up our driveway.

In the dark we could see water running down our driveway.  We walked a little further and could hear the water as it was running down our steps.  We climbed the steps and saw WATER POURING OUT UNDER OUR DOOR.

I am keeping my cool but cautiously checking to see that everything is locked up securely (remember, it is night and dark and Mikee is far far away) and have the kids together as I open the door into our foyer.

WATER!!!

EVERYWHERE!!!

When you enter our home there is a foyer and to the right there are 3 steps down to a living room area …WITH 3 INCHES OF WATER.

If you enter and look straight ahead there are 3 steps up to a hallway …WITH WATER RUNNING DOWN THE STEPS.

On that level is the master bedroom with water leaking down from the ceiling in addition to the PUDDLES OF WATER COVERING THE FLOOR.

Also there is a TV room FILLED WITH A COUPLE INCHES OF WATER.

Where is it coming from?

Not sure yet but water was running down the steps that lead to the upstairs where the kids rooms are.  Running.  Like the sound of a river.  Upstairs everything is soaked.  I hear noise in the kids’ bathroom and as I open the door water is spraying with the force of a fabulous shower.  Spraying all over the place.  But not from the shower or the sink.  I cannot figure out the source.

I called to our friends who had just dropped us off if they might could swing by.  Greg comes in expecting a little leak.  Then he throws his hands up in the air and says we have to get the water turned off!

The was water in the entire house as deep as my sneakers and over the top.

Couple odd things… the pump wasn’t running (but we turned the power off on it anyway) and the water that was spraying was hot water (but our water comes from thermal springs and comes into the house hot anyway)

We were up on our roof in the dark with our flashlights and everything up there checked out.  We did get the water shut off.  It took a full 15 minutes (at least) for the water to stop running like a river through the house.

Thanks to Greg for coming and checking things out.  We had an offer to spend the night out but the fix-it guy was going to come in the morning and I was so tired and not wanting to pack up the kiddos so we opted to stay in the house.

We moved what we could and just let the rest sit in the water.

Our beds were like islands and we all slept with our shoes on.

Saturday morning I had a call that some friends were coming by to help.  How cool was that?!?

They were there before Antonio.

And they brought gifts… some Trader Joe’s dark chocolate (a very difficult item to come by down here in Mexico) and some fresh lavender to calm my anxious thoughts.  True friendship!  😉

With mops and squeegees and towels we managed to get the floors dried and moved what was wet into the sun and set a couple fans on to move the air.

While all this is going on Ginger Kitty had put on her bathing suit and was “swimming” in the several inches of water in the living room.  Gotta love that little Kitty.  Wish I caught her swimming with my camera.

On the roof to try and find the problem

Antonio had lots of helpers trying to find the leak

Even India came up to explore. Her first time up there.

The Clean-Up crew

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate and Lavender -good for the soul

Huge THANKS to our friends that came to help out.  We never called or asked.  They just showed up.  Thank you for spending your Saturday morning with us even though you all had other things to do.  🙂

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.– Melody Beattie

It is Wednesday now and I am still drying out the house.

I sure am loving all the Rubbermaid bins we keep for storage.  We did have a lot in boxes.  Several cases of books we brought down for the kids were destroyed.  Thankfully the damage is minimal.  Our floors are tile and stone.  The tile we mopped and dried but the stone absorbed a lot of water and I notice it is still wet.  My guess is that the surface keeps wicking up water from below.  And since the walls are cement and block, they absorbed a lot of water too.  So, we are working like crazy to get the house dried out.  Not sure how successful we will be.

What was the problem?  The hot water and high water pressure seem to have busted some hose on the toilet and that’s where all the water came from.  At  least it was an easy fix.  We thought a pipe had bust in the ceiling because that’s where we saw the most wet but it was spraying up from the toilet and soaking the ceiling.

The kids new school area because the old one...

...is in shambles

 

I have to tell you that we really do like Antonio who we trust to take care of things in the house.  Here is the best compliment I can think of… When Antonio fixes something, it stays fixed!

If you live on the lake between Chapala and Jocotepec, call Antonio.  (you can message me for his info)

{ 7 comments… add one }
  • Elly September 29, 2011, 7:16 am

    How many days passed before you were calm enough to write this blog? I’m glad you’re all safe and that you have the wonderful brotherhood that is always there.Where else, but in Jehovah’s organization, can a crew of workers show up without being asked and help to get us through life’s ups and downs?

  • Rebecca and George Duarte September 29, 2011, 8:10 am

    What a day, I would have been in tears not when the water was flowing but when the friends showed up really makes you feel loved for sure. Always like kitty to look on the bright side : )
    Love you guys

  • Debbie September 29, 2011, 8:10 am

    Wow! What an experience. So glad you had a crew show up to help you clean up. Jehovah’s organization is so wonderful!

  • DAD September 29, 2011, 9:50 am

    I HOPE THE ELECTRONIC STUFF WASN’T DAMAGED!

  • Lynette September 30, 2011, 12:08 pm

    oy vey!!!! so sorry you guys had to go through all that, AND with your hub out of town!!! seeems as though you have some wonderful support with great friends…whatever would we do without them?!! “-) sending love to your fam from nashville, tn <3 <3 <3

  • Deb Mojica October 1, 2011, 4:24 pm

    Jademi says she would be happy to share her books 🙂

  • Arlene and Byron Gilliland November 24, 2011, 1:53 am

    India, I loved your story re: the circus. Jackson had relatives that were in a circus. Of course they are dead now so he never met them.
    Camille, you are looking more like Mom every day! (That’s a compliment!) Have you decided whether or not you are going to stay in Mexico or come back to MA? I spoke with your mom the day she came home from rehab and she sounds totally different – no more pain in her voice! Isn’t that great!!!
    Please send me an e-mail at wagbag@bellsouth.net and let me know the answers to my questions. Thanks.
    Love you all, Arlene Gilliland

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