Crap We're About To Be Flooded (It Happened)

Brian I can't imagine what you're going through, I just hope the new life you have after all this will somehow be as much a gain as your loss

Did you see the one where the house was flooded and on fire (burning down) and there was a flooded out firetruck nearby?  Yikes!!!

Well, a little update.

We met with the flood insurance adjusters this afternoon and we are feeling much better.  I don't know how it is with adjusters for regular home owner's insurance, but these people are independent and really on your side.  They were a husband and wife team based out of Oklahoma and travel all over the country doing this. 

Got all my CDs and DVDs safely in a conditioned space.  We're due another round of heavy storms tomorrow.  Probably not as bad as Monday morning, so maybe it will just wash away some of the deposited mud.  Sunday, we'll bust open the stuck dresser drawers to rescue clothes.  I have some LPs and we have some books to box and get to storage.  Then there's posters and other wall art to rescue.  Our bikes, dishes, foodstuffs that were untouched, in particular my cases of Death Sauce.   After that, I think it's pretty much a matter of hauling everything to the curb.  My library room computer desk is a Rubbermaid plastic job, so all I have to do is hose it off. 

One step at a time and before you know it, I'll be back to annoying people in the other threads.




Edited by Slartibartfast - September 25 2009 at 21:41

 ^ yes we do

Slarti, jeez louise that's not good. 

Tori!.....

Cats are very resilient creatures and genetically programmed for self-preservation (hence the 9-lives thing) - I'm sure she'll show up once she realises the danger has past - fingers' crossed anyway.

Sunday was fairly uneventful.  After checking on the house, I went by the office to do some bill paying and update my electronic checkbook.  I use MS Money by the way which I understand is about to be discontinued.  Fired up my synthesizer.  Very pleased to see it still works despite having a corner that got wet.  I don't have a pic to share yet because I think I left my connector cord back at the office.  I picked up two sturdy plastic shelving units. Then we spent the afternoon taking a crowbar to our dresser units to salvage clothes and wash them at the mega laundromat.  Most of everything cleaned up nicely. 

Will be trying to use the truck today to move books and LPs into storage.  It hasn't been running smoothly,  Hoping the gas additive will do the trick, but I suspect there is more damage to the electronics that will cause it to conk out.  But maybe with a few trips to the storage unit the bad gas will be worked out and we'll have her running good again.

The road back to a "normal" life is going to be hard one.  I'll continue to use this thread to blog and vent.  It's really weird dealing with the basic logistics of salvage, dumping, and clean up and then we have to deal with getting new furniture and repairs to the place.  There is the possibility that we will qualify for a demolition and rebuild or a raising of the house.  I know this old house too well, it's not suitable for a raising.  It's going to be an "interesting" six months ahead.

Would really like to get back to doing some reviews and crossover team evaluations.  All in good time.

Thanks again all for your best wishes.


Edited by Slartibartfast - September 28 2009 at 19:02

Thanks for the tip.  I just got the surviving LPs and more books to storage, unfortunately all the books and LPs that came in contact with water are pretty much stuck together and "toast".  Granted we will be having a few sunny days.  Those CDs cases in my entertainment center are slimy.  On the plus side, three of the cases in the entertainment center did dry out reasonably.  Everything under Baku Llama is probably not salvageable.  A lot of our old photos fared well though the albums are wrecked.  By the way, we're having trouble with pictures that covered by plastic in the albums.  If anyone has tips on how to deal with those it would be appreciated.

The truck seems to be behaving well enough to use to transport items to the storage units.  We should be in our new apartment tomorrow evening.  I hope we don't get too spoiled having two bathrooms.  The house only has one small cramped one.

We've been really dead at work, which has been a sort of fortunate thing.  I'll be going in tomorrow morning though, some stuff has actually come up to work on.  If we hadn't been flooded I'd have been twiddling my thumbs anyway.  Still, so much work to be done other than work work.  Hopefully we'll be fairly settled in to the apartment after this weekend.

Thanks, all.

PS, would you believe The Incident is turning into the music that will remind me of this time?


Edited by Slartibartfast - September 29 2009 at 08:06

Day 10 Everything has changed and nothing has changed.
Spent a full day at work yesterday and then some.  Didn't get out until 8:30 PM.  Of course forgot to get my meds so I'm back at work picking up some things I had stored here including computer components.  Hopefully I'll be able to check back in from the apartment this evening. 

Picked up some Indian food from Zyka last night.  Makes you feel much better than you could know.  Had a good night's sleep on the air bed at the apartment.  I think my wife is still asleep.  Didn't try to wake her before I left.  Lots of moving to do today.  I we can certainly count ourselves lucky.  Between the house office, two storage units, two different hotel stays, a wrecked house, and now an apartment, we have never been truly homeless.  Well, its off to the house next to pick up a couple of appliances and some cords.  Let's see if I can make it back to the apartment before my wife wakes up.


Edited by Slartibartfast - October 01 2009 at 08:06

The cat is hanging out around the yard.  I still haven't been able get her, but I think she's eating the food I leave out.  We also have ravenous possums around...

I'll be taking her to the vet for a little boarding and petcare as soon as I can get a hold of her.  She's still fairly freaked out right now.  We're still a little freaked out, too, but settling into our new living quarters and taking care of the tasks at hand, of which there are many.  

Edited by Slartibartfast - October 01 2009 at 08:07