I did not plan to be up to see my birthday in.
But we had a severe thunderstorm today, and we had a loss of power for almost an hour.
Which meant the sump pump was not working.
which meant stuff started to get moved around.
Which meant the French drain got blocked.
Which ledto approximately 2” of water in the utility room, and about 1/2” in part of the finished basement.
Neither of them have carpet, which is good.
Almost everything is a couple of inches off the floor.
But not everything.
I had to clear the French drain, reset the sump pump, push water across the floor to drain, and mop or towel up the rest.
As for the things that were not lifted off the floor?
A few things had to be thrown out.
A big plastic bag of table clothes, napkins, doilies and runners requires me to be up doing laundry — washing and drying, to prevent mildew.
It’s not like when we had a tropical storm, the sump pump burned out, and in the two hours I was sleeping I got 4” into the basement — which then had carpet
Not exactly how I planned to see in my birthday.
I do have to teach in the morning.
I have one more load of wash to do,and then can head to sleep (I can put it in the drier in the morning).
My wife, who is giving a paper at a conference this weekend, is still in her office finish it.
But I have her permission to open my presents.
I have cuddled the cats.
We will go for a nice dinner in about 18.5 hours.
Maybe then I will get a cake.
And who knows what my students might pull in the morning when I have my two AP classes.
I don’t feel any older, just tired from the mopping up.
And at least for now we still have a somewhat functioning democracy.
So what’s a little water in the basement,eh?
Peace.