Rain, Rain, Go Away

Two days after the latest round of storms

We had storms this past week. 

Now, there's a difference between "storms" and rain. Rain is the normal stuff that comes from the sky about four days a week from the last week of December until early June. There is a caveat though, sometimes it might be snow instead of rain in the early months of the year. But not always. 

"Storms" consist of a warm pressure system coming out of the Gulf, clashing with the cooler air from the Rockies. This brings thunder, lightening, wind and other annoyances. If that isn't enough chaos, tornadoes are known to spur from those storms. Even though it feels like it is all the time--tornadoes are rare. 

Anyway, we had storms this past week. What did that mean for the Sunshine house? I lost my batch of carrot seedlings. They floated out of my garden. I wish I was making this up. I figure a few months from now I will find a carrot growing in the grass. 

The lawn guy can't mow because every yard in town is a swamp. My grass is mid-calf high. I hear squeaking in the grass. Probably the snakes hear the squeaking too. 

My garage flooded. Now I don't mean a half-inch of water came a foot into the garage. I mean I checked the garage at 4 p.m. and it was dry. I checked five minutes later and water was coming into house, under the laundry room door, which is on the far side of our two car garage. 

In the five seconds it took for me to call for the young adults, the water was at least four inches. Polly and I began damming the garage door with everything we could find--bags of soil, an area rug (sigh, I liked that rug), Buck's car cover, paint cans, blankets, towels, etc., while Buck took the push broom and began shoving the water back into the driveway. By the time Marty came home at 5:15, water was no longer under the garage freezer and we were only standing in an inch of water. However, the rain hadn't subsided, we'd just gotten our barriers to be efficient. 

It finally stopped raining today and Polly and I began cleaning out the mess. I have thrown out some Christmas decorations, a suitcase and tons of boxes. However, I'm beyond pleased my antique children's books--which were at the back of the garage on a shelf near the floor, came through unscathed. They have now been moved to the back shed and are five feet off the ground.  

I don't think there's any lasting affects to our walls and foundation. Some of my projects are probably ruined (I had some furniture to refinish). We've now purchased inflatable water dams--which are a thing--for the next time this happens. Because, according to the locals, there will be a next time.