When It Rains, It Pours
By Wyatt Earp | August 1, 2009
God hates me.
Trees uprooted, fences down and homes damaged. Wicked weather left its devastating mark all across the Delaware Valley Friday.
People across the area are wondering what blew through with severe storms.
Trees were toppled all over. The worst hit were parts of South Jersey and Delaware. (H/T – FOX29)
Ya think? For me, the worst hit was the Earp Family of Philadelphia. You see, we’re missing a portion of our roof, so rain is kind of a “hot-button” issue over here.
The construction crew finished early yesterday, so they could put the tarps over the roof before the storms came. They did, and they secured them tightly. Unfortunately, this was the storm from Hell, and with the high winds, water got into the seams and crevices.
Our first clue that something was wrong was when the ceiling fan in the kitchen turned into our new shower head. We were eating dinner when the damned thing sprung three or four very large leaks, and turned the kitchen floor into Lake Placid. We got a bucket in there, and while the water was pouring in, it was contained.
A few minutes later, Kyle called from the basement – otherwise known as my Man Cave – and said there was a leak. That precocious child. What he meant to say was it was raining out of one of my recessed lighting fixtures. Add another bucket.
By the time our contractor made it here – about two hours later – we were dealing with close to ten leaks, some in the basement and some in the living room. Most were minor leaks, but when you’re having a freak out – like I was having – minor leaks seem major.
The contractor brought one of his guys, and they went on the roof – in the dark – and fixed the tarps while adding a few beams to let any further water flow downward – instead of pooling in the center, which was causing the spouts.
Captain America came over to help, as did the in-laws. The Captain described it as water “damage,” but not a water “disaster.” He was right. By the time the crew got the pools off the tarps, the leaks slowed and stopped. Joe, our contractor, said not to worry, that his guys would make sure everything is fixed before the entire job was completed, so that put us at ease. He does good work, and this storm wasn’t his fault.
So, I spent the rest of the night sweating in my basement with the dehumidifier – it got up to 82 degrees there – and using the in-laws’ carpet shampooer. It was great for sucking up the extra water.
The worst part of all this? I had to miss Randal’s Poker Night. It would have been great winning all of my family’s money.
Topics: All About Wyatt | 13 Comments »
August 1st, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I’m glad you can write this with a little humor, because if it was me, I’d be in a corner twitching.
August 1st, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Well, the bright spot is the carpet is clean
Glad you got a responsive contractor! Down here I’d have gotten diddly… Hope you get the job finished soon!
August 1st, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Good luck with the insurance company. I hope you have better luck that we have. The contractors are going to FINALLY start work here for actual roof replacement from the tornado that hit a month or more ago. The insurance company and them took a while to come to an agreement about the price of stuff.
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:42 am
Your misfortune is like a bad flash back for us. Hope the sun shines for you.
aunt noreen
August 2nd, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Another storm, I hope all is well.
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I’m building an Ark and gathering up animals two by two…
As this next storm is going, won’t be much longer till I’ll float on down your way.
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
RT – I posted after the twitching.
Old NFO – The plywood for the upper floor is supposed to go on Monday. That should stop the leaks.
Kim – Ouch.
Aunt Noreen – Some freakin’ sun would be nice!
Mrs. Crankipants – And guess what we’re doing at 1pm on Sunday, August 2nd? Bailing out. Contractor is enroute.
Smite – Good, grab a bucket!
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Loved the cartoon. Sorry it applies to you and your family.
Help yourself to something dry … like a large Martini?
The martini, “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet”
( H. L. Mencken)
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:20 am
Enjoy that skylight and indoor pool!
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 am
Don’t worry Wyatt, God hates me too
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Did you rent “The Money Pit” yet? You might feel a bit better watching it. Good luck. And by the way, I lost both games at Poker Night. We missed you.
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Alan B – Believe it or not, I’ve never had a martini.
Doghouse – It’s like being at the Hilton . . . without all of Paris’ STDs.
The Girl – Sweet! Look me up in Hell! Mention my name for a good seat.
Uncle Ray – Sorry I missed it. Was really looking forward to taking everyone’s money.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:16 am
[...] not once, but twice. Thankfully, they were places that were coming out anyway. And you folks probably remember the inside rain showers we had. No ones, fault. It’s just one of those things that happen when you don’t have a [...]