It has been rough and educational weekend, especially today. We've learned that the Cresco sewage system cannot handle more than seven inches of rain in a twenty-four hour time period.
Yesterday we were in the path of a tornado twice. Cresco had a tornado warning, and the road upon which we were traveling after Rachel's softball game and Michael's basketball game was in the path of another tornado. We nervously drove home from Waverly, not knowing if our house would be intact when we got home, and not knowing if we'd even make it home. Rachel cried in the van and was concerned that she would die at twelve without ever being kissed. We texted Michael in the vehicle ahead of us, asking him if any boys on the varsity baskeball team would kiss his sister if death appeared imminent.
Last night we slept poorly due to the rain, thunder, and lightening. Rachel slept in the guest room, then came into our bed to sleep. I woke up around 5:50 to wake Michael up. He needed to head back to Waverly for more basketball games. Thank goodness he had such an early morning. As he walked in the bathroom, I heard him yell for me. Our tub and toilet were overflowing. We woke David up about 6:15, and we started to wet vac the bathroom. I drove Michael to school, stopped at the bank for money to buy half and half at Kwik Star, and returned home. David said we needed more than what we had to solve the problem. Yeah...that was going to happen at 7:00 a.m. on a Sunday. We started moving all our family room furniture upstairs. Not easy with all of the books.
After we had the furniture upstairs I started calling friends. Guyers gave us their wet vac, Kammerers gave us theirs. We realized we still needed more. We got Vitales'. Then the electricity went out everywhere in Cresco. Not kidding. So now, water is pouring out of our toilet and bathtub...I really mean pouring...it sounded like a river, and we have no electricity to wet vac the water. This is where we really began to lose the battle.
Rachel called a neighbor to see if the electricity was off there too. It was confirmed. After about 10 minutes, which David said felt like an hour, we had electricity again. Rachel's friend, Megan (a future Olympic softball pitcher...mark my words), came to help. She then got her dad and their wet vac. We swept water toward the patio door, and he sucked it up with three wet vacs, which the girls then helped to empty.
Word got out at the country club that we were under water, and more neighbors came out to help after brunch. Thank goodness for Rob and Julie Hughes, Kenny Tlusty, Jordan and Patti Guyer and their kids. It took all of us to sweep the water out of the bathroom, bedrooms, and family room into the wet vac area. (This is a much longer story...the refining that went on in order to be the most efficient was incredible.) It was coming out so fast that we couldn't keep up with it.
I went out to rent a sump pump at 10 a.m., when ACE opened. They were all gone. I bought one. We used it. It didn't seem to do a damn thing. Patti Guyer called their neighbor, who is in heating and plumbing. He gave us another sump pump, so did Kammerers. We had all three going. We finally were catching up to the flow, and the three inches of standing water in our bathroom decreased.
We used the wet vacs in all three of the bedrooms, the family room, bathroom, and storage room to finish the clean up. With the water pumping out, we took a pizza break and discussed our next strategy. The women decided we should clean with bleach, but David stopped us. He didn't think it was a good idea, because we might end up having to do the whole thing all over again if one of the sump pumps stopped or if the sewer back up became worse.
We took everything out of Drew's room so we could take up the carpeting. The flooring in the other rooms looks good, but if you step in certain places, water bubbles up. John, the flooring guy, said that we will know in time if that flooring has to be replaced.
I called my friend Michele, who works with the flood victims from southwestern Wisconsin. She gave us lots of tips to minimize the damage.
So what's our current status? Nearly 12 hours later, we still have 3 sump pumps going, we have bought and borrowed dehumidifiers (a total of 4), and fans. The sump pumps are keeping us even. We are running the central air to suck out the humidity.
Decorah is under water. I got a text and phone call from Luther asking all faculty and staff to come help sandbag. People are being evacuated. The country club is under water. See attached picture of some of the holes. We still are getting rain. I don't think we'll sleep much tonight as we monitor our bathroom. Tomorrow will be all about sanitizing the baseboards, floor, and anything else we can.
Oh my! It is pouring again as I write. I'm afraid to go look. Maybe if I stay in the guest room and don't make a sound, nobody will notice I'm here.
I cannot adequately describe what the day was like. While I smiled throughout the day, what else can you do?, I am no longer smiling. I'm tired and I smell, and I cannot take a bath or shower. I'm thinking of getting a room at Super 8 so David and I can at least wash up. The kids showered at the neighbors' house. I wonder if they'll rent me a room for an hour.
We'll keep you updated.
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