JUST A SHORT POST...

Tomorrow will be one week since our basement was flooded by the bursting of a pipe.  Our insurance company sent out a water restoration company and they did a FABULOUS job.  In fact, our insurance company has given permission for them to also fix some of the other damage (ceiling tile replacement, repainting the wall where the wet bookcases stained the drywall, wrapping the pipes to keep them from freezing) because we KNOW they will do a good job and I don't have a "handyman" on call whose work I know.  So, tomorrow the water restoration company will be returning to finish up that work.

Dear Hubby and I are going through all of the damaged "personal property".  I had almost five full bookcases of hard bound books...and a good 65% of them are wet, swollen, moldy and softened...totally beyond repair.  I made a list of them today and will type them up to send to the adjuster.  I also have to send him pictures of the books before I can trash them.  I am waiting for a call from him to determine what I should do with some remaining books (about 10% to 20% of my collection) that don't look very wet, except maybe a tiny stain on the bottom edge, but some of them smell "funky" and I think they are getting mildewy.  There are not many books that have escaped unscathed.

Also, all five bookcases are ruined because they are particleboard...and particleboard swells when it gets wet.  Hubby's desk chair was SATURATED, and while it is now dry...the hydraulic up and down adjustment will not work...and with Dear Hubby's repaired quad tendon tear, unrepaired torn meniscus and arthritis...he needs the hydraulic adjustment.  Also, hubby's printer was wet and J has said that printers do not take well to water and it may be a goner too!

So it has been a mentally and physically exhausting week.  Adding to that, we have had a rather sudden and totally unexplained death of a family member.  I have not seen him in many, many years...but he is several years younger than me, with no known medical condition that would cause sudden death. 

Oh, and in case anyone is keeping count...since November (oops...Oct. 23) "Murphy and his laws" have graced our family with a:

1. Broken freezer....will cost about $500-$600 to replace and we lost a good $500 worth of food.
2. Broken garage door opener...will cost about $200-$300 to replace or repair.
3. Clogged sink....paid $850 to fix
4. Burst pipe...paid $283 to fix.
5. Flood in basement....$750 deductible.
6. Broken refrigerator...paid $220 to fix
7. Today the car is in the shop...will cost $900+ to fix.
8. Broken tub drain...our guest bath won't hold water (thank God my Dear Aunt had a shower cap with her)...which we have not even had looked at yet!  

 I feel like I am "treading water" in so MANY ways! Hopefully this will all be a memory within the next couple of weeks and I can get back to "my" normal.  Adding insult to my already high stress level, I have multiple doctors appointments in the next two weeks, have had some abnormal blood tests that may actually point to a diagnosis (after 14 years of seeing doctor after doctor) which is a good thing, but a blood test that is abnormal, unexpected, and upsetting!  Ugh....too much at one time.  Calgon, take me away!