As I sit here at my computer, I am wondering if I have anything at all worthy to say. I have taken a long break from blogging...and now, I guess I am ready to get back to it. I am missing the fellowship of blogging with my bloggy friends...so I plan to take some time this week and visit each and every one of you.
Many things have been happening around here and some of them stink...and I do mean stink. Two weeks before we left for vacation...I began my usual laundry for the week...when I went back to the basement...a huge puddle of water was coming out of our drain...it could mean nothing other than tree roots! So, being that my husband was in Virginia, I had to take matters in my own hands and call someone. I called the company and they came out within a few hours. Thinking that I had all under control...well, when the guy came out...he was asking me things like "where is your clean out?" I replied with..."ummm, I have no idea, whenever we have had it cleaned out...they went through there." as I pointed to the drain hole in the dark corner of our basement. It was quite a balmy day outside...the guy was sweating up a storm and by this time he was causing me to sweat. He kept looking around...I kept insisting that this was the hole that they use...my husband was in the middle of teaching so all I could do was leave him a message...he quoted me a price...and I about lost my lunch...trying not to dig into our vacation fund wasn't going to be easy...and the last thing I wanted to do was tell my family that we couldn't go...so I waited to see if he would get to work. Well, he couldn't get the snake down the drain...he tried everything...then he came to me and told me that he couldn't get to it...he asked me what all of the cement patches in our basement were for (who knows with a 90 plus year old house)...meanwhile, every time I talked to this guy my price went up...another $250 here, $500 there...I was near $1000 dollars and was seeing our little vacation going down the drain. I told him that I could not make a decision like this without talking to my husband...and that my husband was away working. He decided to give the snake another try...he was sweating to beat the band...and my heart was in my throat. I told him..."please don't do anything that would cause damage, that I am not prepared for that expense." He shook his head in understanding...I just wanted the guy out of my house. Oh how I wished that I could have talked to my husband at that moment. Soon, I heard him pulling that large machine back up the basement steps...and $94 dollars later...I still had a clogged drain. (sigh)
So...that night, Brittany and I did what we could between calls to my husband. Oh, and by the way...I did find out that we do have a clean out. I just never realized that it was there...(another sigh), off to the hardware store we went and purchased something to clear the drain...this was a Thursday...the drain cleared with the chemical...and it was clear until Sunday...and then, we were backed up again...this time with sewage. So...we needed to get something to clear it...back to the hardware store we went...another chemical down the drain...our thinking was...if we could just patch it until we got back from vacation...it worked again...like a charm. We got through another couple days...and I began to wash our clothes again...and you guessed it...the wash water backed up. To make a long story short...we were able to baby the drain until we got back...called another plumber and under two hours...we have a clear drain...tree roots were clogging at 30 and 85 feet. We are running clear...
That same weekend, we had our first hard rain in weeks...we have had a summer with hardly a drop this year. Picking my husband up from the airport...wasn't a problem...but on the way home...it was raining so heavy that our van hit high water a couple of times and hydroplaned...I could see the look on my husbands face...we needed new tires. UGH! Was someone trying to tell us something? At that point I was beginning to wonder if our long awaited beach vacation was going to pass us by. My husband spent the next few days...searching for tires...and I reworked my checking account and came up with a budget for the tires which we blew...but what can you do?
So...here we finally were, brand new tires...a patched sewer, dogs in the kennel, bunny at Grammy's house and the car loaded. We hadn't taken the van on the expressway yet...getting up to speed my husband realized that something with the tires wasn't right...they were really bouncy...not something that you want to hear as you are about to head south through the mountains on your way to Florida. We almost turned back...but decided to go ahead anyway...but the tires were not balanced. We made it through and reached our destination just in time for Hurricane Earl to wreak havoc with rip tides and choppy waters...but it didn't stop us from enjoying the view. We had our tires balanced while there and now they ride smooth as glass...due to all the stress awaiting us here...it was a good vacation...got to float around the pool with my girl, got some sun on our very pasty skin...read a wonderful book from Karen Kingsbury. Brittany read 3 from Melody Carlson...and my husband read an over 800 page book. I made it through just one, not very long book. I don't know what my problem is...:)
Back home...our drain held up until payday...and it is great...but our van is having problems...that we are hoping will be covered under our warranty...we'll find out tomorrow...
My husband, doesn't feel like he had a vacation...with all that was going on...his job is killing him! I am feeling weary...and just haven't had a lot to say...but God is good! He takes care of us when we are low...when we are tired and weary.
I have more to write about...and trust me they are on the positive side of things...so I'll save that for tomorrow.
In the meantime...Be Blessed!
Joyce Marie
