Holly Happydays!

The real story of the flood so far:

It's snowrained twice in the lower drainland in the last 10 days or so. Once again, water is seeping into the basement from the (probably damaged) southeast corner of the foundations. I am going to have to dig up the drain tile at that corner and try to figure out what the @#$%^&*!!! is going on down there.

Of course this time, the water made a beeline for the floor drain in the laundry area (about 20' away) and left the building. Why the water didn't head out through the foundation drainage is an excellent question. Either there is something still wrong with our foundation drainage at that point ($$$$$!!!), or there is something wrong with our neighbor's drainage to the east (upslope) of us. I sincerely hope the foundation isn't cracked and needing re-sealing or repair. I can do it...but I don't want to.

At least we are no longer flooding Manny's front lawn.

This latest development will almost certainly delay our restoration reno downstairs. My insurer has asked me to get a statement from our plumbing contractor. I may have to buy Claude a case of beer. His statement, plus the pictures I took, ought to provide pretty strong evidence that the city pooched.

There's a cable drum in my driveway.

'Twas left there a week ago by persons unknown...although I did hear inebriated voices and giggling about 4:30 am that morning. Also thought I heard my name mentioned. Was too groggy to go out and witness the hilarity for myself...I suppose someone at the city took exception to my calling them out to fix their mistake - after I paid 1700$ of my own money to show them just how big that mistake was.

"If we do it for you, we'd have to do it for everyone." Darren, I may have to make it my life's work to ensure that those words haunt you for the rest of your career...

Don't even get me started on the issue of negligence. The city could have said something to me back in August. Something like: "we couldn't find the outlet pipe for your foundation drain and it's possible that whatever arrangement you presently have for drainage will be adversely effected by the new storm line we just installed, and the fact that we also filled in the drainage ditch." Had they said that in August, I would gladly have paid the 500$ or so that it cost to have Milani locate that pipe and dig it up in my driveway. Since they didn't even mention it until after the first flood occurred around October 20th, and then only to point out the impossibility that the water coming up through our floor drain was coming from their new storm sewer line (which was impossible, as the two weren't even connected - and I completely missed the significance of that statement then), I think they ought to at least be on the hook for some of what I paid (uselessly)to fix a problem the nature of which they didn't actually explain to me until this month. How about it, Delta? Wanna pay the 1200$ I spent having drain tile and floor drain augered and the sump dug up and the driveway dug up and the piping scoped with a camera (twice)? I know my Insurance is going after the Corp of Delta for the costs of the cleanup(s) and restoration that would NOT have been necessary in the first place if SOMEBODY had said something back in AUGUST and we had been able to get the problem remedied THEN for a mere 500$!!!

But I'm not bitter, or anything...even though I still have to deal with possible damage to the foundation.

Sigh. This will be resolved. There is a light at the end of the tunnel...of course, given my luck lately; it's probably just an oncoming train.