Our War With Water

It finally felt like Spring.  You know the feeling - above 38 degrees, the daffodils are sprouting and some have even opened.  The yard still looked ugly - bare branches on the trees, spotty grass, lots of dead leaves, downed branches - but you are blinded by the yellow and the buds of forsythia.  

I love these daffodils!

Just as winter has finally (hopefully maybe) released us from its clutches, I was out in the back looking loving on the daffodils, the little buds on the rose bushes and hydrangas - It was beautiful and peaceful.

I noticed a funny wet spot in the yard and glanced over at the pipe that the sump pump pumps water through....and saw that the window well was FULL of WATER!!!!!!

My peaceful easy feeling was GONE!  I dumped the water out of the birds bowl and started bailing.  And bailing.  And bailing.  Then the sump pump came on and put water back!  I knew this was wrong and if this was going to continue nothing good was going to happen.  So I put in a call for a plumber (cause if it is water you need a plumber, right?)  Then I went a bought a sump pump to keep the water out of the window.  I brought it home and prepared to put it together.

I don't know who plots out the directions for these things - but if America is ever brought down, it will because of undecipherable directions.

So, what to do?  I called my next door neighbor, who has always said to "call me for anything." So I did. David came over and put the pump together, pumped out the water in the window and then said, "You know, this is not the problem and you don't need a plumber.  I can fix this - this is what I do."

And he got a shovel and proceeded to dig it out (and it was lots and lots of mud) and I dug a trench to move the water away from the house.  And in a couple of hours, the water was actually moving away!  A miracle!!!!!

Then David starting digging up the underground pipe - which had several problems.  It had been clogged with dirt, punctured with rebar from the garden beds, and somehow the cable guys (they are always easy to blame) had run cable thru it. I would not have been too surprised if an animal fell out.

So, we quit as the sun was going down and picked it back up this morning at 10am.  I had called another friend who cuts the grass and he was here at 10 - and all the pipe was pulled up and replaced.  A better trench had been dug so it angled out and down from the house - that does make a difference (who knew?)

David's wife and two year old son came over, Mom came out and chatted, I brought lunch for all, chased the little two year old around who brought his own shovel and was digging all over the place.  My two labs tried to help.  Amy came over and brought Buffy to add to the majority of non-helpers.  It was lovely.

And now, the water is draining away from the house.  The yard is not the best it has ever looked - and mom reminds me that this is the ugliest time of year, the beginning of Spring.  But I am happy.  And the best of all? The guys worked for beer.  What a deal.

This is the crime scene - after it had been repaired.

I hope everyone's beginning of Spring is peaceful and easier.

Love, Leslie