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Now is cleanup time.
Almost everyone except for those whose houses were completely destroyed are back in their homes.
The mess is incredible. There are huge piles of shredded cornstalks everywhere. A fine slippery mud coated everything, but it is gradually wearing away. Many houses have piles of ruined furniture, carpet, and insulation in front of them. Flatbed trucks are hauling cars disabled by the flood away. You know those guys are making money hand over fist. The smells of rotting vegetation, mold, and mildew fill the air. Now that things have dried out a bit, the smell isn't quite so bad.
We were extremely lucky. The water never came up into our place, just up to the underside of the floor. The only things we lost were some things in boxes outside in the shed. We have to replace the floor insulation and the ductwork, but that's not so bad. Our van has comprehensive coverage, so the cost to repair it should be minimal. Our digital cameras were in the van, but they are covered by homeowner's insurance. So much for them.
I suppose the real tragedy is for the great numbers of people who had no flood insurance. Regular homeowner's insurance will not cover flood damage, so almost everyone will have to replace things out of their own pockets. FEMA has disaster relief funding, but it is in the form of SBA low interest loans. I know that I can't afford another monthly payment, and I know many others around here have the same trouble. You'd think that a country which spends billions of dollars on foreign aid gifts to hostile nations around the globe would have free disaster relief funds to take care of its own people in times of crisis.
You'd think.
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Current Mood: sympathetic
Added on: 06/17/08 12:02
Comments (2)
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The last 24 hours have been...mostly boring, really.
The water crested a scant 3 cm from coming inside. I was waiting for the rescue boat when I noticed that the water level had dropped 3 cm over a 10 minute span. Still, there was a mandatory evacuation order, so I had to leave. During the boat ride, I watched the water flow reverse direction. I met up with my wife and dog, and we were bussed to a nearby middle school to spend the night in a gymnasium.
The American Red Cross volunteers were extremely friendly, helpful, and eager to feed you. I lost count of the number of times people came by with pizza, chips, granola bars, and especially water. If I had taken half of them up on their offers, I'd be in the hospital. Too bad sex doesn't come that easily (at least for me!).
The night was long and mostly sleepless. I don't think people have control of their kids anymore. If I had made noise after 10 PM in front of other adults at those ages, my parents would have given me a hiding I might still remember. No parenting skills these days.
We waited around all day waiting for news of when we could return home. The time was spent lounging, cracking jokes and watching other people. Finally we were told that if we didn't have relatives or friends to stay with in other counties, we should stay in the shelter rather than go home. Too dangerous with electrocution hazards and possible gas leaks out there.
Many went home.
We called my mom and stepdad, and they helped us get back to the house, get things we needed, and drive to their house for a few days. Our van is a mess, still drivable but with lots of mud and crap inside.
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Current Mood: tired
Added on: 06/09/08 00:05
Comments (3)
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The last few days we've been having lots of rain, and today the river has burst its banks. Water has risen to 4cm from coming in the doors, and it's still slowly rising. Helicopters are buzzing back and forth. We've seen a neighbor's car wash down the street. I think the water is about 1 metre deep and flowing swiftly. Hopefully the water actually crests before it comes in the house. Some of our neighbours haven't been that lucky. A few of them are not at home, and won't they be surprised when they find themselves unable to get there.
I might not be using the phrase "come Hell or high water" any more.
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Current Mood: anxious
Added on: 06/07/08 16:58
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May is going by much too quickly. Our unpacking is not getting done, and we are feeling a bit overwhelmed. It's too easy to just relax and enjoy the lower stress levels here.
We had to take a trip back to the old place last weekend. We discovered $300 USD worth of filters for our van were never packed. Thankfully we were able to recover them. Still didn't locate the transformer for my phone, so it must still be packed somewhere.
While we were there, I tried to check in with my son. It seems his mother kicked him out of the house for not revealing my house phone number to her. She has my cell number, so I wonder what her problem is? She gave me a number where he could be reached, and I called him. He's staying with a friend from school and his parents. JP is supposed to call me this week so we can discuss his situation. I hope he doesn't forget that I may be 5 hours away from him, but I'll still help where I can.
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Current Mood: contemplative
Added on: 05/20/08 10:20
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OMG!
We're here, that's about all I can say.
When the movers packed up our stuff, they did not list the contents of the boxes very well. As a result, we can't find much of what we need. They also left most of the wiring behind as well. Phone wires and unnecessary electrical cords are one thing, but special power transformers are quite another. The one phone we managed to locate requires a transformer we can't find. We don't know if it was left behind or if it's packed in a different box. So, we have a computer and our cell phones to use.
Despite the fact we got rid of over half of our belongings including about 80% of my library, we still had twice the load estimated by the moving company. They sent a big truck, and it almost wasn't enough! There were 2 Russian drivers, and they somehow managed to get it all in the truck. I was amazed. For some time there it looked as if they didn't have enough truck for the job!
Our new (to us, anyway) place is just stacked full of boxes and totes. Where we're going to put it all is anybody's guess. Just when did we become so materialistic, anyway? My mother has volunteered to drop by this weekend to help us organize it all. Here's hoping she doesn't run across certain, uh, sensitive items or literature... ;)
Meanwhile, I'm in so much pain it's not even funny. I've spent most of the last 3 days vertical, and it's made my condition much worse. It will take several days of bed rest to bring it back under control.
Still, after all this, it's good to be in a better place.
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Current Mood: numb
Added on: 05/02/08 19:18
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I'm not sure how I made it, but this blog entry is proof that I got through last weekend. My son and my wife began the weekend amicably enough, but by Sunday noon they were at each other's throats. I was hard-pressed to keep order. More than once I had to separate them and talk them down from making a real scene. It didn't help that my wife is in her rag week, and my son is a hotheaded 18-year old with no focus.
Part of the trouble is that my wife is the unforgiving sort. Once she forms an opinion about a person, that's the way she thinks about him. After six years of living with and trying to raise my son, her view of him is fixed and unflattering. She expects, and therefore gets, the worst from him.
The other part is, of course my son. His mother's influence has taught him to lie, BS, and exaggerate incessantly. It's almost impossible to get a straight answer from him about anything. He will say and do anything he can think of to escape blame, even when there is no blame to place. Because of that, he comes off as shifty and untrustworthy. He can unflinchingly lie, but he cannot keep track of his lies and therefore gets caught up in them. We were making good progress with him and his treatment, but all that came to an end when he turned 18 and chose to go back and live with his mother and half-brother. Now everything we had accomplished has been undone. He has no structure and no direction. I'm afraid he will become a leech on society, just like his mother.
Well, enough of that.
At least we finally know when the movers will arrive: Wednesday at 7 AM. My wife and I have an extra day to prepare.
Break's over! Back to work!
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Current Mood: exhausted
Added on: 04/28/08 16:28
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I can't believe it! We're bringing my son back to help us again this weekend. My wife actually suggested it. It would seem that after all the work the two of us did this week, there is still too much yet to do. I advised my son to really try to stay within the manners he was taught while he was here, and to not rise to the bait when he is teased about anything. (My wife loves to tease him about things, and he responds which eggs her on.) I may have to separate them. Children!
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Current Mood: tired
Added on: 04/24/08 21:37
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Happy Earth Day!
This past weekend we brought my son JP to help us prepare for the move. On the way to pick him up, we saw that the tollway had more than doubled its tolls! Very civic-minded, our local governments. Here we are in an economic recession, fuel prices at an all-time high with all other prices rising along with them, people can't afford to live in their houses, and the politicians squeeze the general population by raising sales taxes and tolls. Pretty soon no one will be able to afford to drive around here.
When we got there, it was obvious that JP's mother is over-feeding and under-exercising him. The boy (18 years) has gained at least 20 kilos since he went over there last December. I kid you not. He's big-boned, but he looks about 7-8 months pregnant! He claims to work out, but I fear his program consists of shoveling food into his face.
JP says he's in constant conflict with his mother, and I can believe it. They both suffer from RAD, and you can look that up on the Web, gentle reader. Suffice it to say, they are both self-destructive and anti-social. It is very stressful to be in their company for any length of time. He has forgotten the social graces and the house rules we taught him. Now he dresses like an idiot, with his jeans hanging half off his ass.
We got quite a bit done last weekend, even though the tension was very high. My wife is Polish, and she holds grudges a long time. While JP lived here, he was constantly at odds with her, and last weekend was just more of the same. By the time we returned him to his mother's house, we were more than ready to see him go. We have one more weekend to prepare, but my wife doesn't want to have JP back to help. I don't blame her. The stress levels were very high, and the move is stressful enough.
I know I could use some stress relief about now. Sure wish I had the time and money.
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General Blog Category: None
Current Mood: stressed
Added on: 04/22/08 14:25
Comments (2)
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Moving Day approaches, and it looks like there's even more to do than when we started! I imagine everyone feels this way, especially when it's been awhile since the previous move.
What's amazing is the sheer amount of crap I've accumulated over the last 15(!) years here. I thought the house was getting smaller, when all the time it was the pile of stuff getting bigger! Upon the suggestion of a friend, we contacted a church youth group which does rummage sales to earn money. They will take almost anything we want to donate! That will help clear out the house. We will be divesting ourselves of most of our stuff. That way, we will have room for new stuff at the new house! ;)
We just met with the realtor, and we think things will go well. We're listing at well below market price for a quick sale. Anybody in the market for a good real estate deal? lol
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General Blog Category: None
Current Mood: chipper
Added on: 04/14/08 15:52
Comments (1)
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Hello Everyone!
Things have been going on, so much so that I haven't found either the time or the energy to write here, until now.
Thanks to all of you who posted comments. Some of your insights were greatly appreciated.
Since my last post, my son withdrew himself from the local high school and went to live with his mother, who promised him many things but has yet to deliver any of them after 4 months; our dog Max had to be put to sleep, but we got a Chocolate Lab puppy we named Cadbury to fill the resulting emptiness; my father-in law passed away, and we went on a 4025 km (2500 miles) round trip to take care of matters; property taxes rose so high in my area that we are forced to move to Southern Indiana to live. That takes effect as of May 1st.
Eras end, and others begin. Life goes on.
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General Blog Category: None
Current Mood: contemplative
Added on: 04/06/08 12:21
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Yeah, here we go again. You know, I really should think of making entries when I'm happy or feeling good. For some reason, I only come here when I need to blow off steam. Sorry.
The problem today is my idiot son, and his worthless bitch mother. He seems to be his mother's puppet these days, sowing discord here at her behest. Now, he's refusing to do his pre-Basic Training workouts, which he needs to qualify for cash and rank bonuses. See, his mother doesn't want him to enter the Armed Forces at all, and if she can make his experience unrewarding, he might not go through with his career plans. Without the training offered by the Army, his career dreams will be much more difficult to achieve. Of course, she doesn't care about all that, and she'll take any opportunity to cause me distress, even at the expense of her son's future.
It has been said that some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them. My ex is one of those people. When Samuel Clemons wrote "No person is so useless that they can't be used as a bad example", he must have had her in mind. It's a pity that my son is as short-sighted as his mother, and can't see her for what she is.
God, I hate this.
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Added on: 10/15/07 06:51
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Hello again...
Hopefully I don't come across as whiny, or just another complainer. Events around here are keeping me in a sad, depressive mood, and I really don't have anyone outside I can talk to about it. Except YOU, of course! So, in an effort to unburden myself and maybe lighten my mood, here are the things occupying my time and attention these days:
1. Our dog Max, a good dog and beloved family member, is slowly dying of liver failure brought on by leptosporesis. All of you with dogs, have them vaccinated against it ASAP!! He's a fighter, but he's on borrowed time now. We dread the day I'll have to make that last trip to the vet. Each time we go in for whatever reason, we are relieved to find the day hasn't yet arrived. Today was one of those days...
2. My 17-year-old-going-on -dead son JP has been making life very hard for us. We are only concerned about his welfare and his future, but he's determined to fuck things up. Was I like that as a kid? I don't remember being like that...
3. Still looking for viable ways to boost my income. Not having much luck, and sometimes it feels like the walls are closing in.
Well, there's my vent. I feel a bit better, thanks. Once again, I hope I wasn't too whiny. That's really unlike me. No, really.
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Current Mood: depressed
Added on: 09/19/07 18:14
Comments (1)
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Hi Everyone!
My screen name is Ursoid, which means "bearlike". My nickname is Bear, and many people know me by that name. I can go by either one.
I'm easygoing, and I can get along with most people. If you're halfway civilized, we're already halfway there. I'm considered reasonably intelligent, and I can hold up my end of most conversations. I have a large build, but I am also disabled. Many people confide in me, much like they might talk to their teddy bear. I generally give better conversation than most teddy bears, though. Generally.
I'm married to a woman who is smart, funny, likes watching sports, compassionate...let' s say she's a great companion. She's also sexually frigid, unfortunately. That's why I came to this site.
I'd like to find a discreet sex partner to meet once or twice a month, whenever my budget can handle it. I'm convinced all the dating sites are either scams or platforms for spammers and associates for other websites. I'm hoping this site will help me find someone to relieve my sexual loneliness and have me feeling like a man again.
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General Blog Category: None
Current Mood: pensive
Added on: 09/03/07 18:44
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