Basement Mess

After a fun weekend away we came home to a flooded basement, as our neighbor commented YUCK! My first response was despair, how were we going to clean this up when I needed to do laundry, get kids to Tennis the next day and battle this crazy heat? Sheff was so calm.
Daisy in front of a sea of water and towels

Deirdre & Sheff engaged, 11 years ago!
It reminded me of when we were first engaged and had a weekend up North when my tire blew out. We were on our way back to the cities after a fun weekend of winter camping, a first for me at the time. We were in my little silver Volkswagen Bug trying to do an icy hill when I got stuck and my tire burst. Sheff was calm and got out to check what had happened. I was flibberty gibbet, worried and cold. He got a sleeping bag and wrapped me up to watch him work. He figured out a lever system from a branch and got the car jacked up somehow. Then he found the spare and changed the tire. He got a bunch of dry pine needles and made a trail under the new tire. We then drove up over the hill with SHEFF doing the drive home:)

So, this is another mess he is tackling calmly, this time with lots of helpers. First we had kids bring down every towel in the house to soak up water while Dad drove to get the wet vac from a job sight. All the seven kids who can do so brought down towels and covered the floor. Then today after Tennis the kids set the oven timer and took 30 minute shifts to wet vac the carpet. They worked so hard! James, John, Annie, Mickey and Nate did 2 half hour shifts and I dumped four huge tubs of water. Then tonight Sheff is cutting and ripping up all the carpet. I told the kids how blessed they are to have example of a hardworking Dad, and how I expect them all to jump in and help each other as adults. Amazing to have so many to help each other out over time as they grow up.

A fun bonus we found full tile under the carpet and pad, so weight lifting, rip-sticking and trikes will have a home from now on! There is still a huge amount of work to do but we are on it!

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