Indoors Rain

There was a ferocious downpour here Wednesday night (we got 4" in 2 hours).  I was  preparing dinner and heard an odd dripping sound.  Water was suddenly coming from my ceiling!  I ran to grab some plastic bins from the basement.  Just in time, too.  It got worse real fast, coming from 3 spots close by, but mostly from where I had a plant-hanger ceiling hook.  

Fortunately, the rain did not last as long as forecast, so it could have been a lot worse.  And I didn't sleep well later, listening for more rain.  I had a branch poke a hole in the roof (at a different spot) 10 years ago and had the plywood replaced and the whole roof re-shingled (it was 25 years old anyway).  

So in the morning, I called the original installer to repair the leaky roof.  First, they knew the roof, and second, since 10 years isn't long for a roof, I figured they owed me a decent price.

He said he couldn't get out to me until Monday.  That made sense, downpours get them real busy.  Maybe I should have called a couple other roofers, but at the moment I was fixated of having the original installer do it.  

I was fortunate that rain forecast for Thursday-Sunday didn't happen.  Monday morning, he called to say it would have to be Tuesday.  Thankfully he showed up Tuesday.

Funny story there.  When I pulled the original installation documents from my paper files, they were only 5 miles away from here.  I discovered (when he called Monday) that he had moved 2 counties away since then AND mostly just did work for businesses these days.  But, because he did the re-shingling, he would come out and fix it.  And because I still had a pack of the existing shingles, he agreed it was likely to be a quick job.

And he arrived Tuesday and did the repair.  There were 2 missing shingles.  He replaced those and 2 others (just to be sure).

He was friendly, and the cost was OK.  But he also pointed out the shingles had been missing for a while.

Mea Culpa!  I had found a couple of shingles on the lawn last year.  But my upwind neighbor has about the same color shingles and I thought they were his (blown into my yard in a windstorm).  Really, I looked at my roof from the front and back then and couldn't see any missing.  It was a bad assumption!  

Last month, I happened to use a flashlight in the front hall closet (near where last week's leaks occurred).  The ceiling was black with mold.  I should have called a roofer immediately, but I assumed that since my attic is gets very humid, it was just something to clean and repaint with anti-mold paint.

Well, I was wrong, and paid for my procrastination!

I have stipple ceilings.  I didn't ask for them when the house was built, but I generally like them.  Visual stimulation...  But they are more expensive to repair.  So "great", now I have stains in it in 3 places and there is a 4' mildly broken line in the ceiling.  Apparently, stipple is formed on a 4'x4' support and one edge is loose.

But it all could have been worse and on Thankful Thursday, I am thankful for that...

1.  The roofer went out of his territory to do the repair.

2.  The cost was low.

3.  The ceiling didn't actually fall down.

4.  It didn't rain more even though forecast to do so.

5.  The damage is fixable.

6.  I learned a lesson about procrastination.

Water Supply Leak

Great, my lawn has bocome a swamp in one spot.  It's right along where the water comes to the house.  I assume the pipe is broken.  No spouts or fountains, just WET SOFT LAWN. 

I know the yard after 34 years.  It isn't rain.  The County is sending someone over to look at it later today between 8 am and 2 PM.  Wow, the cable company does better than that.  I sure don't want to be up at 8 AM and sit around waiting.  But I have no choice.  

Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be a cost to me.  The leak is before it gets to my meter.  But I bet they will tear up the lawn to repair the pipe.  And that involves landscaping.

The pipe leak seems to be near the edging around my Saucer Magnolia Tree (the focus of my Spring love)...

If they rip up roots and it dies, I will weep.  I've spent years shaping it gently one twig at a time!  But it IS an evaluation visit.  And it is County water leaking, not mine (I only pay for what gets into the house).

But this could get really yard-messy...

Well, at least the County finally answered the phone!  I left messages 3 times before with no reply.

 This time I got a human, a time, and an admission the water leak is not my cost.  It could be a LOT worse.

Nice Stuff

Random Good Things - 

Scored actual Flieschmans bread machine yeast at the grocery store. And at a normal price!

Finally got the trailerful of yard debris to the recycling center where they pile it up to make free mulch next year.  I cut the stuff down and tied it down months ago, but the place is a mess after rain and it rained all Summer.  It was finally dry.  They offer free mulch loading Saturdays 8-Noon but that ended last week.  I have 2 more loads of debris to go.  I'm surprized I dont have a picture of that, but I will be reloading the trailer laer today and will try to emember to take a pic.

Nice to find the car hauled the trailer easily.  But the trailer hitch is awkward.  It is low, the safety chain hooks are kinna under the car, and the light connection is awkward.  I'll have to reverse the trailer ball on the mount.  That will raise it several inches.

 

If you mount the hitch upside down, and change the ball to the "new" top, you gain several inches.  It's a deliberate design feature.

The Nandina seeds I planted in the basement in February finally sprouted in September all at once.  I have 22 seedlings growing to plant.  I have 4 plants in the yard and intend to make a hedge of them along the drainage ditch as they are evergreen with lovely red seeds.  They are very hardy and well-rooted.  They reach 4' and stop there.  Perfect hedge. 

The Mews were all-together last night.  I'll be using this picture again on their blog next week.  Not many cat-bloggers read this blog,,,

But I just had to show one now.  It was amazing.

My normal water usage is about 8-10 thousand gallons per quarter year.  Last time, it was 13,000,  Not a great increase in cost, but I was surprised.  It has rained so much this year I haven't watered anything outdoors.  But things have dried out a bit.  But one part of the front yard is soggy.  And right on the path where the water from the street pipe comes to the house.  

 

 I think there is a leak in the water pipe.  There s some uncertainty here.  A front yard leakage wouldn't have registered on the meter on the house.  But increased water usage and a soggy area in the yard suggests a water leak.  I'll  be calling the water office tomorrow.

I have Lettuces growing again in the basement light stand.  And not just lettuce.  Radishes, Celery, and Bok Choy.  It was a joy to plant them.  Not much to show yet, but here are some pics of last year...

Ignore the ivy and look at the lettuces.   I planted 2x as much this year.  It is still not enough to meet my love of salads "with everything", but is sure does add to it.  I basically thnk that any veggie that can be eaten raw goes in my salad.  With one exception... Brocolli and tomatoes don't taste right together for me.Or cheese.  I like "crispy".

Have a Happy...