Friday Follies...
End of the week, nowhere near the end of our problems...
This one's gonna be short and sweet.
See, yesterday, our basement decided to flood yet again...a LOT. We started out with 1/2 inch, but it has migrated across the entire floor and is now a standing "lake" of about 2 1/4 inches.
Feels like being on the damn Titanic.
And our house is NOWHERE NEAR ANY FLOOD PLAIN in this city...so WTF is up with this?
Fortunately, I did move a LOT of things OFF the floor since the flood of LAST year (13 march 2013), but the water is almost over those pallets I made, so we're going to have to guess where to stash the stuff.
That's gonna be fun...NOT!
And naturally, using ANY bath or sink faucet AND the toilets is a no-no, so, survivalist that I am, we've taken to makeshift latrines I have "created" in the garage.

All the comforts of (a THIRD WORLD) home...thanks, Fort Wayne.

(yes, I am quite handy in that regard)
Well, we got TP, and lighting...and even a radio...all we need are some MAGAZINES!
Now, we DID call Korte yesterday, along with several other places, and those others had some interesting things to say.
One technician told us the city's sewers and run-offs (combined system) were flooded out...well, that makes sense, because the water in coming in THROUGH THE DRAIN.

It''s another indoor water feature. 

And when the Korte tech (Mike) snaked the drain about 75 feet and it STILL didn't clear whatever is causing the water to come in, he concluded that OUR pipes were clear enough...all the way to the CITY sewer system.

This was early-on. The floor is under 1 1/2 inches of water now.

We don't have raw sewage coming in (thank God for that), but most of the water is more clear than stinky...a good sign.
What we DO have is water up to the base of our gas-fired hot water heater...and that means if it keeps rising, I will have to turn off the pilot light and the gas feed to THAT...and hope it's not damaged.

Even THESE are almost floating now.

Wifey called the city and tried to explain the situation...and "they will send someone to check the sewer within TWO days".
Fat lot of good THAT'S doing with water (we already have) rising in the basement.
The CITY problem might not even be in OUR block,. but further down the line.
And I am praying the walls don't become damaged by the water...another thing to add to this growing list of "stuff".
Obliviously, I am taking pictures out the wazoo, but I REALLY wish I had boots to wade through that...have to go barefoot now - none of my shoes or boots can walk through that water...and it IS cold...not as cold as outside, though - small saving grace.

Nice reflections in all the WATER!

I suppose it could ALWAYS be worse...like if the place burned the hell DOWN, so a "trial by water" is preferred under those conditions.
Still, we can't use our bathrooms...no shower. No flushing, so it's outside in the garage.
Here it is...the 21st century, and we've managed to step BACKWARDS a couple hundred years.
The city will be hearing from us...count on that.

It is NEVER gonna reach...the comics.

We trust some company that can come out and pump out the damn basement, which IF the city run-off sewer doesn't stop backing up into our place, will only buy us some time, rather than dry us the hell out.
I have to say, all this is making me damn near physically ill...AND my brain hurts.
We simply shouldn't have to deal with this kinda thing THIS far from the rivers..
I DO know I need a pair of galoshes...pronto. You never know how much you NEED something when you don't have it.
Drying this place out will be a bitch...rugs are under water, and probably be tossed  Good news, no drywall, so mold will be minimal
But, it'a just all the ANGST you have to deal with...the waiting for someone to arrive, or the city "two-step".

This SHOULD NOT be happening.

All I know is that OUR drain should be clear...and it isn't. And water from OUTSIDE is coming INSIDE.
 I thought when the rain stopped yesterday, the water inside would recede...guess we got a LOT of run-off.
Not hearing about others having similar issues (just us...as always).
Well, can't do much but try and light fires under people.
Can''t effectively bail the water out...nowhere to put it.
Kinda-soirta feel like Steve McCroskey from AIRPLANE!

Looks like I picked the WRONG WEEK to quit SMOKING!

But we hope some place like Stanley Steemer could find some way to pump it out...as long as it doesn't keep coming IN.
(aye, there's the rub, he stated)
I am really at a loss here...and that bugs me too.
Prior to this yesterday, we had NO warning that anything like this WOULD happen...(as usual)

I guess THEIR problem is worse than OURS

The Korte tech told us over on Fairfield, the person living there had a geyser coming up from their toilet...they did not have a basement drain...just a waste stack outside, so in some respects, I think I'd rather have the basement problem than a fountain for a toilet.
One SMALL good thing...I dug around out in the garage and FOUND an old pair of wading boots in an old wheelbarrow.

They ain't pretty or new, but they WORK.

Not gorgeous - just functional, and that makes journeys to LAKE BOBBY G a lot more easier on the old tootsies. They seep a little inside (haven't found a hole in them...weird), but it's nice NOT to have soggy shoes, socks and feet.
That's not saying much, though.
And naturally, the weekend's here tomorrow - everybody costs MORE...this is damn frustrating
Have to keep watching the water heater...don't want the pilot light to go out and the basement fill with gas and then blow the hell up...that would really suck.
Like I said one problem on top of another.
(( UPDATE - 1255 HRS - We called a business called WATER-OUT - great people - know the job.

A modern-day "savior".

They just left after being able to pump 80% of the water OUTside the house where it belongs, which will buy us some time, and we can also see the city Water/Sewer Dept. trucks in the area, as well as a company called "Golden Rule"  - another water removal business, so we CANNOT be the ONLY ones going through this...more as it becomes available. It has gone from BOBBY'S LAKE to BOBBY'S POND.))
We'll have to see what happens...gonna be a really bumpy ride, that's for sure...
We are the only TWO BLOCK AREA with COMBINES sewer/runoff lines in this area (according to the city GIS maps)...that's kind of ODD...we need separate lines, apparently.

Have yourselves a good weekend.
Be well, make a difference to someone today and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.