The ultimate stress test
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 1:02 amI will try to keep this brief, but before getting into it, will tell you I think it will have a good ending.
As most of you know, my sister lost her husband in late July while she was undergoing chemo. A few weeks later her youngest daughter (already was on disability) almost killed herself with prescription drugs. She is out of hospital and staying with her mother for now. I have been trying to take care of them and work on sister's finances (she had no knowledge of her situation when husband passed away and it is not good). By mid Sept, I had convinced both of them to start counseling and thing were settling down a bit. I am hoping they may work out a way to live together longer term but not pushing that. It may be the only way for my sister not to loose her house and it could be good for both of them if they can get along.
We had 16 consecutive days of rain/floods in Sept. About the time the rain started, I discovered that a tree limb had gone thru the roof of an unoccupied house I had been using for storage. Had not check on it since June and from the amount of damage, it must have been leaking for quite a while. Older house with plaster walls - it's a wonder the ceiling did not fall in. No insurance available other than fire as the house was unoccupied. Most of the water had come thru the attic into a bed room and bath. It took three attempts over 3 days to get patch and tarps to hold water out until I could get a roofer and it was dry enough for him to work. Meantime, I managed to get most of the wettest items out of the room where leak was at its worse. If that wasn't bad enough, had to work in 85 to 90 temps as the A/C wasn't working either. Took that repairman 4 trips over a weeks time to figure out that the compressor was bad. I have not had the courage to go into the attic yet. Also do not yet know how much structural damage has occurred.
By last week, it finally quit raining long enough to get a new roof installed and the A/C compressor replaced. Those two items ran into the thousands. Then the relatively new A/C at my house went on the fritz. Four days to get it repaired but it was covered by warrenty.
On the fourth day of working on getting wet stuff out of other house, I came home to discover that my neighbor had decided to remove a failing 8 foot high retaining wall (his) to which my fence was attached. That left me with no fence across most of the north side of my back yard and not able to let Nicky out without a leash. He was not a happy camper, nor was I. Poor baby has been farmed out to friend or vet so much over past two months, he is confused about where he lives. But I had been bringing him home at night. Also could not get new fence put up in the rain. We went for a week or so without it while we stumbled around in the dark on this slick hillside. $750 later, we have a fence again.
All the rain eroded even more of my yard. Not sure there is any remaining top soil. I managed on Sat. to put some grass seed and straw down. May not be much hope short of starting back yard over entirely.
At this point, one would think surely nothing else could go wrong. Guess what - it did! Warning lights going off in the van. Got it to shop on Friday. Some kind of circuit board but thankfully it was covered so that repair did not add to the big bills already incurred with everything else.
Needless to say, my business is in shambles due to a combination of the economy and neglect on my part.
There were a few days here and there when I thought I was loosing it all together. But overall, I've come thru without killing anyone (ever try dealing with way too many workmen in too many places at once while trying to keep family members functioning).
I just kept telling myself that I was lucky as I had a roof over my head, a place to sleep, and did not have to worry about where my next meal was. I had put off doing something about the unoccupied house much too long and this situation got me back to work on it. The retaining wall was dangerous and I had been concerned that it could collapse on Nicky. Barring any more snakes, it will be safer for him. Hopefully I 'll also have a better view when neighbor finishes whatever he is doing.
It was as if my world had conspired to put me to the ultimate stress test and kill my chances of making the TN gtg. NOT SO. I passed so far and I'm leaving in the morning for the gtg. A little wiser, much poorer, very tired. But I'm looking forward to getting away for a few days to clear my head and maybe rest a bit. Am also eager to meet some of you fine ladies face to face. Tho it is only a relatively short one, this will be my first trip alone in many, many years. Will figure out "what next" with everything else when I return.
Dryer just cut off and it is getting late or early; 1:00 AM here. I need to get up early so I can finish a couple more things and get on the road.
As most of you know, my sister lost her husband in late July while she was undergoing chemo. A few weeks later her youngest daughter (already was on disability) almost killed herself with prescription drugs. She is out of hospital and staying with her mother for now. I have been trying to take care of them and work on sister's finances (she had no knowledge of her situation when husband passed away and it is not good). By mid Sept, I had convinced both of them to start counseling and thing were settling down a bit. I am hoping they may work out a way to live together longer term but not pushing that. It may be the only way for my sister not to loose her house and it could be good for both of them if they can get along.
We had 16 consecutive days of rain/floods in Sept. About the time the rain started, I discovered that a tree limb had gone thru the roof of an unoccupied house I had been using for storage. Had not check on it since June and from the amount of damage, it must have been leaking for quite a while. Older house with plaster walls - it's a wonder the ceiling did not fall in. No insurance available other than fire as the house was unoccupied. Most of the water had come thru the attic into a bed room and bath. It took three attempts over 3 days to get patch and tarps to hold water out until I could get a roofer and it was dry enough for him to work. Meantime, I managed to get most of the wettest items out of the room where leak was at its worse. If that wasn't bad enough, had to work in 85 to 90 temps as the A/C wasn't working either. Took that repairman 4 trips over a weeks time to figure out that the compressor was bad. I have not had the courage to go into the attic yet. Also do not yet know how much structural damage has occurred.
By last week, it finally quit raining long enough to get a new roof installed and the A/C compressor replaced. Those two items ran into the thousands. Then the relatively new A/C at my house went on the fritz. Four days to get it repaired but it was covered by warrenty.
On the fourth day of working on getting wet stuff out of other house, I came home to discover that my neighbor had decided to remove a failing 8 foot high retaining wall (his) to which my fence was attached. That left me with no fence across most of the north side of my back yard and not able to let Nicky out without a leash. He was not a happy camper, nor was I. Poor baby has been farmed out to friend or vet so much over past two months, he is confused about where he lives. But I had been bringing him home at night. Also could not get new fence put up in the rain. We went for a week or so without it while we stumbled around in the dark on this slick hillside. $750 later, we have a fence again.
All the rain eroded even more of my yard. Not sure there is any remaining top soil. I managed on Sat. to put some grass seed and straw down. May not be much hope short of starting back yard over entirely.
At this point, one would think surely nothing else could go wrong. Guess what - it did! Warning lights going off in the van. Got it to shop on Friday. Some kind of circuit board but thankfully it was covered so that repair did not add to the big bills already incurred with everything else.
Needless to say, my business is in shambles due to a combination of the economy and neglect on my part.
There were a few days here and there when I thought I was loosing it all together. But overall, I've come thru without killing anyone (ever try dealing with way too many workmen in too many places at once while trying to keep family members functioning).
I just kept telling myself that I was lucky as I had a roof over my head, a place to sleep, and did not have to worry about where my next meal was. I had put off doing something about the unoccupied house much too long and this situation got me back to work on it. The retaining wall was dangerous and I had been concerned that it could collapse on Nicky. Barring any more snakes, it will be safer for him. Hopefully I 'll also have a better view when neighbor finishes whatever he is doing.
It was as if my world had conspired to put me to the ultimate stress test and kill my chances of making the TN gtg. NOT SO. I passed so far and I'm leaving in the morning for the gtg. A little wiser, much poorer, very tired. But I'm looking forward to getting away for a few days to clear my head and maybe rest a bit. Am also eager to meet some of you fine ladies face to face. Tho it is only a relatively short one, this will be my first trip alone in many, many years. Will figure out "what next" with everything else when I return.
Dryer just cut off and it is getting late or early; 1:00 AM here. I need to get up early so I can finish a couple more things and get on the road.
rest, relaxation and a lot of laughs. carold
Get thee to the GTG. Have fun.