a lingering sort of limbo

What a rude awakening it was when Marc called on Saturday morning (May 2) to tell me that our house was flooded! It took me a couple of days to recover from the huge disappointment of missing out on the last day of our roommate's weekend.

We ended up staying in a hotel for 6 days while the house dried out -- it was just too loud and hard to walk with all of those industrial fans everywhere.

disaster clean-up guys ripping out the soaked carpet pad

The kids were thrilled about the hotel stay. (can you even believe Eva is still small enough to sleep in a crib?!) Some things were nice -- I got some reading done and completed a knitting project (fingerless gloves). Everyone enjoyed the nice breakfast spread every morning. But the boys were still sick enough when we went there that they weren' t up to swimming! what the? That's how I knew they were really still sick.

We ended up having to bring Jack to the hotel with us because he was freaking out and refusing to eat. Good grief. I did not enjoy the car ride with him -- he was so excited he was running all over the place, panting like a crazy thing and squeaking like a bird.

The boys taught us how to play B.S. and we played quite a few games of cards and Boggle.

The hotel really lost its appeal for me once they went back to school and I was shuttling them to and fro, as well as meeting work crews at the house to let them in. I had to hold my piano lessons at my students' houses. Oh, and then Eva got the stomach flu (which ended up actually to be strep) for two days and I was SO DONE.

We came home on Thursday to utter chaos, but at least it was home chaos.

A plumber came on Thursday and ended up spending the whole day fixing various things and discovering that we needed a new water heater! Oh joy.


The reconstruction crew came on Friday and today, but all that has been accomplished so far is the installation of new baseboards (what the? of course that would be my #1 priority -- NOT!) and new subfloor where the damage was worst.

All of our furniture had to be moved so the carpet could be pulled up and the floor repaired. Our bedroom is filled with things that belong in the family room.

The laundry room ceiling was torn out and there will be much drywall repair and painting. So, it looks like the chaos here will continue for some time. Strangers in the house, making all kinds of loud noises with power tools, etc. We have to move all of the furniture downstairs out to the garage.

But it could have been worse. My craft room downstairs was largely untouched by the water. We will get new carpet in the downstairs and new paint jobs in the laundry room and downstairs bathroom. Most of all, we have good homeowner's insurance!

As I was told in the somewhat reassuring literature the disaster clean-up guys left on the first day, "It will be okay!" Eventually.

{Many thanks to Laurie M. for sending me this card! I love love this sentiment and gave this in poster form to my mother for Christmas. Now it hangs on my fridge to remind me. I need it.}