Saturday, February 13, 2010

You never know what the next phone call will be.........

Happy Valentines Day everyone!  Well actually it is the day before but I'd rather be early then late.  The Hubs sent me a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses, my all time favorite!  Aren't they just delicious looking?!




It's been a rather eventful few days.  We got a call from my brother and SIL who were going to spend the weekend at our lake house that the furnace had gone off at some point, the pipes had frozen and as the pump was on water has been gushing into the house for weeks and weeks.  As he was telling me about it I could feel my legs getting rather rubbery feeling so I plunked down in the nearest chair.

After calling my insurance company I spent the afternoon answering calls and questions as to what had happened.  Today we went down and it is just unbelievable.  The upstairs doesn't look as bad as the basement, which used to be a playroom, bathroom and laundry room before the whole ceiling caved in on it.


As you can see the ceiling fell down onto everything and it was soaking wet.





This is my dresser and it is totally covered with mold.  The wooden basket is one that my grandfather made for me many years ago.  I don't know if it can be saved or not.  I tried opening the drawers and the mirror fell off the wall onto my head as the sheetrock was all wet and couldn't support it.

This is a basket that is hanging in the pantry covered with mold.


These are the steps going down into the basement totally covered with slippery mold.



This is the back door going into the basement covered with ice.


This ice is under the deck, the water came out around where the fireplace goes.

So you can see we have quite a mess on our hands.  The upstairs doesn't look as bad but it has mold, water, the cupboards, counters, floors, rugs, furniture, everything is ruined.  The only reason it doesn't look as bad is because it doesn't have a sheet rock ceiling it's a cathedral ceiling so nothing fell down.  The windows won't open, the sliding glass doors out onto the deck are warped, the screens have all popped out of the windows and are on the ground, the new kitchen floor is ruined, the rug in the living room and bedroom is so saturated with water you had to wear rubber boots or you got your feet wet.

We took what things we could salvage like some of my quilts and wall hangings and they are now in the washer.  Also took some pictures hoping they will dry out and some things that were handmade that mean a lot to us.  Most pictures are all warped and ruined but the stove and refrigerator look like they are okay.  The biggest problem is going to be the mold.  The M word.  The water went into the walls so the insulation must be saturated and will have to come out.

Anyhow, that's the way that is.  It's like a tidal wave came through the basement leaving all manner of debris in its wake.  The beds upstairs are all wet, mattresses etc..  We'll have to have a dumpster the size of New Jersey to haul everything off.  But you know, after getting over the initial shock of it I couldn't help but be thankful that the phone call hadn't been something much worse.  A cottage can be replaced.  Things in it can be replaced.  I'm just thankful that it wasn't a call about one of my family members being hurt or sick or whatever!

So onto better things.  Last night was the Father/Daughter Valentines dance.  Son and Miss T always attend and have a great time going out to dinner and then on to the dance with all the other Dads and their kiddos in town.  I only got a couple of pictures so I hope Son got some at the actual event.




Guess I'd better go pick through some more stuff and see what I can salvage.  The quilts came out fine.  They had not molded yet, were just wet.  It's going to be a big job but there will be lots of help and I will get to be bossy.  :o)   

26 comments:

Andrea said...

Oh no what a mess!!! I am so sorry!! And if wet isn't bad enough all the mold!!! Who would of thought that mold could grow in such cold conditions! I am so sorry!!!

Miss T looks very lovely all dressed up!!!

Julie Harward said...

OH MY GOSH...THAT IS AWFUL! I'm so sorry about that happening, I hope the insurance will cover it all! What a shock to have to receive!
I love the beautiful roses and your son and grand daughter's pictures are so sweet!
I hope all will be well and even repaired by summer time! Come say hi when you can :D

Mrs. Mom said...

OH MM... my heart goes out to you on the clean up... But like you said-- things can be replaced. Hopefully it cleans up easy, and the nasty "M" word can be dealt with quickly and easily as well.

Miss T and Son look adorable together!!

Take care, stay warm, and know we'll be thinking of you!!

Jocelyn said...

Oh my goodness, how awful! I am so sorry to hear about this happening. Your roses are very beautiful.

Needled Mom said...

Oh yuck!!!!! It is unbelievable! I never imagined it would be THAT bad. I feel kind of "crawly" looking at all that mold.

Glad that you got such cute pictures of T and her daddy. I am sure they must have had a blast at the dance.

Happy Valentine's Day. R did a fabulous job on the flowers. He is still the romantic!!!!!

Tee hee....the verification word is "wormy".....is mold wormy?

Val said...

Oh bless your heart! I feel for you. That is not fun. I am praying for you.

Donna. W said...

That's just heartbreaking. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Alice Grace said...

OH, I am so sorry this happened! But like you say, things can be replaced, people can't! So count your blessings, and do what you can to salvage the precious things.
What a doll Miss T is, and her dad is quite good looking too!
Congratulations on those beautiful yellow roses! My favorites also!
Could you email your mailing address to me at my email address? I have your Pay it Forward gift ready FINALLY! It probably won't be too fun with all you have going on now, but maybe you will like it.
Hugs

Marcy said...

I am sorry to hear about the damage at your lake house. I hope that clean up goes smoothly and is all covered by insurance. I too am surprised that mold grew in cold conditions.

sue said...

Oh my... I am SO SORRY this has happend to you folks. we have "other properities" as well, and have had a few frozen pipes this winter (with a furnace that went off).. fortunately, Ed discovered it and was able to save us from "all of that"... you are right about "things" being replaceable and that's a great spirit to stand by.. but I can only appreciate the work that is ahead of you.... take good care.. we are all routing for you folks...

Mikey said...

I am so sorry about your house! That's some crazy damage!! We were reading it just in awe. But you're right. It's only stuff. It's replaceable.

Susan said...

Oh how awful!!!! I know this had to break your heart. Be sure and show it to us again after everything is restored and fixed up.

Love those Father/Daughter doings!!! Your 2 look great.

BG said...

Yellow Roses are MY favorite flower second only to lilacs. Yours are beautiful!

I am so sorry about your lakehouse!!! Being in the insurance business, I am betting you are well coverd but nonetheless, it doesnt replace heirlooms ect. I am giving you a big hug, you are one of the best people I know and I wish I could be there to help.

On a happy note, Louis (louey) arrived yesterday, dirty and muddy thanks to our nasty winter but he is a dream. Your right, Scooter is a bit 'miffed' but getting better :)

Happy valentines Day to my favorite horse lover and blogging friend

Susie said...

Just stopped in to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day. So sorry to read of the terrible mess at your cabin.
My heart goes out to you. Things are just things, but they hold little pieces of our heart. Glad no one was injured.
I think of you often and with much love..
xoxo

ms martyr said...

Oh gosh, what a mess. Thankfully you'll have lots of help getting things back to normal. Hopefully all the repairs/replacements will go smoothly. We just paid our homeowner's policy premium which my husband gripes about because we've never had a claim. I'm going to show him your post.

Carole Burant said...

Omigosh, what a mess indeed! It must have been devastating when you got your first look at the damage and my heart goes out to you at all the personal stuff you lost:-( It's as you say, though, at least it's just material things and that can be replaced. The mold is what you have to worry the most about. You should have someone check on your cottage on a weekly basis during the winter months or is that impossible? Thank goodness for insurance!!!!

Awwww, Miss T looks so beautiful and so grown up...I've always thought that was so awesome that every Valentine's Day they have a daughter/father dance:-)

Well, my friend, I must go read your previous post now, I'm so behind with visiting everyone. Yesterday I spent most of the day organizing my pictures. I have thousands in a box and decided now was the time to organize them...what was I thinking of! lol It's going to take me a month!!! Today I was gone to the auction and did some shopping. Was going to go visit mom but she & Ross were gone to his son's place.

Happy Valentine's Day my dear friend!! Love you. xoxox

Pony Girl said...

Oh dear, that is quite the disaster, I'm sorry to hear that! How long ago do you think it happened? I'm glad you were able to salvage a few special things. Like you said, at least everyone is okay.
Four years ago, after a really wet fall and then a big freeze around the holidays, I discovered at 6:30 a.m. that water was coming up through the carpet of my apartment (ground floor.) I had to have the carpet removed and move all the furniture up. It just kept coming in. It wasn't until that afternoon I noticed the neighbor's house had a busted pipe. Nobody was living in that house at the time. Water was just pouring out of the exterior wall of their kitchen. Maybe for days. It had saturated already over-saturated ground and that is what caused my place to flood. It took nearly a month to get new flooring and get my place back together. Then, last year, the same thing happened (broken pipe) but luckily I caught it early and my place didn't flood. I had to call the water company and they came and turned off the water at the street!!
Anyway, for years I even heard water dripping and I started having post traumatic stress about a flooding apartment! :) At least someone is living there now....
Hang in there!

Susan said...

Sorry about your lake house.I hope everything works out.The roses are beautiful.Hope you had a great day.Have a great week and God Bless.

Carroll Farm said...

Oh my goodness, good luck cleaning it all up, I hope that you are able to save everything that has memories attached to them! Let us know how it all turns out!

Sharon said...

Miss T and her dad are so cute.
I am so sorry about the cabin.
It sure was a big mess.
Wish I was closer I'd help you clean up.
Take care around all that mold.
Hugs & prayers

Dawn said...

I am so sorry about your cabin - what a shock for your brother and SIL to find! But glad they found it before any more time went by. What a horrendous mess! And the mold - that's the worst! Be sure to use face masks!

I don't envy you the cleanup - but hope the insurance covers your losses.

Hollie said...

OH NO! I'm so sorry. What a shock!

The photo of your son & his daughter is precious!

Renie Burghardt said...

Oh, my gosh, what a mess! I am sorry that happenned. That will be a huge job. Glad you have insurance on the lake house, and that you could save a few things. We check on our cabin once a month, since it's only 20 miles from the house.

Your son is a handsome dude, and T is beautiful! What fun they must have had at that dance.

I am getting quotes on a bit of remodelling on my cabin on the river. Want the kitchen wall removed, so it is a more open area to the family room, etc. and some work in the bathroom. A bit of modernizing, I guess.

I am sorry again that you've had all that damage. But you seem to be taking it well.

Loved your yellow roses! Have a great week.

Hugs,

Renie xox

Kerri said...

Oh, my heart goes out to you. What a dreadful disaster! I feel for you having to go through everything and throw so much away. It must be heartbreaking, but your attitude is so good. You always look on the bright side even when things must seem so dismal.
I'm glad at least some things were salvagable.
Little T looks so beautiful all dressed up and ready for a date with her daddy. What a nice idea the banquet is. She has a very sweet dad :)

palmtreefanatic said...

The roses Are beautiful and delicious looking;)

Woweeeeee What a nightmare of a mess! OMG!!! You will have your work cut out for you! I hope insurance will cover all this! so much work!

KC said...

OH MY GOODNESS..... I can't believe I missed this.. what a mess.. I'm so sorry.