Ice John's World

Today is the beginning of the summer (or summer solstice). However, it does not feel that way at all. It is a little bit cloudy and the temperature is only around 70s. Still more like a spring/fall day. Just hope that all the flooding goes away soon and no more rain. The basement has been completely dry now. The next step is to go through everything, throw away more stuffs and think about how to deal with the bare floor (all soaked carpets are gone). It just gives a headache to think all those things. Anyway, happy summer!

Look like somebody else' home has been flooded, too. Just found out that a raccoon family moved into the window well outside the basement. A mom raccoon and her 3 babies settled down there. The babies were very cute and it was so interesting to see the mom nurse the babies. All the 3 babies were so active that they kept playing with one another while the mom raccoon tried to sleep after feeding them.

The babies chased and bit one another playfully while the mom raccoon lay there and had her back facing the window. The quality of the pictures were not good since I did not want to turn on the light to disturb them and the window glass was thick. Just wonder how long they will stay there.

No tornado actually touched down close to where I live. But the 3-day continuous severe thunderstorm and pouring rain caused the river water level high and the city sewer system to fail. The dirty sewer water all backed into the basement from the shower, toilet, sink. All the carpets, furniture, books, everything was ruined. Spent the whole weekend on walking in the knee high stinky water and try to save something useful.

Both sump pumps were completely under the water but at least still worked. However, the water had nowhere to go so it just cycled back to the basement. The shut-off valve got rusted and could not be shut off so there was really nothing we could do. The rain finally stopped around Sunday late afternoon and the water started to recede. Good thing was that the sump pumps were not burned out even they had run nonstop for 48 hours. The water has almost gone but leaves behind all the nasty dirt and sewer. And the carpet has absorbed all the filthy water. Try to use a cart to carry some stuffs and it was like to drive on a wet lawn. Thanks to the weight train, was able to move most of the furniture out of basement and let them dry. Just saved all the computer stuffs out of basement and it was time to go to work.
I am exhausted now.