A Little Blown Away

"You might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind is a palace."

Frank McCourt

I read Angelia's Ashes many years ago and loved it.   I remember waking early just to spend a hour or so reading and weeping before anyone else began to stir.  My family benefited greatly by my reading this book.  I was so distraught over the poverty and hunger McCourt  described throughout his story I would fix enormous breakfasts (cooking through tears) just because I could.  It was one of those books that when you close the cover you find you have been changed.   I try very hard to not take anything for granted and to be thankful for all with which I have been blessed.

With all that said  I'm having to work a bit at finding the silver lining right now, but I know there is one.  Friday I finally hit the breaking point and needed to have my moment.  I knew I no longer had control of my surroundings and didn't (couldn't) talk to anyone.  I was either going to snap or start sobbing.  The best thing for me was going to be to just keep my mouth shut.  

I work with two wonderful women (I actually work with thirteen wonderful women) who can read "my deer in the headlight" expressions.   When I walked into school Friday one looked at me and ask how things were and said, "You are going to cry aren't you?"  She allowed me to walk by and I could feel her protection the rest of the morning.  

The second dear friend stood with me and listened while I explained how out of control I was feeling, tears pooling under my eyes.  This in itself helped me regain my composure and a sense of control.

We have been both literally and figuratively blown away here at Living Life.  After having two plumbers and my contractor in to tell me what I should do about the water seeping up through the floors, the insurance company finally took charge.  They sent a "clean up" crew in Thursday evening and within fifteen minutes had found the leak.  The leak was not in the shower in the master or the tub in the hall bathroom.  It was in the wall behind a sink in the upstairs bathroom.  

By 8:00 p.m. they had ripped off baseboards and wood flooring.  They brought in industrial fans and dehumidifiers.

By 9:00 p.m.  they realized there was too much water for the dehumidifiers, left and returned with equipment to pump the water out of the house.

   

A third plumber came in Friday morning, and after making five holes in the kitchen ceiling, one in the family room, one in my studio wall and one under the sink finally found a way to stop the leak.  

Tomorrow the plumber will return and reseal the marble shower and recaulk all the bathtubs.  The appraiser with be in to assess the damage.   The fans and dehumidifiers will remain for another week.  The clean up guys come in everyday to take moisture readings.   Once all is dry the reconstruction will begin.  

As I read the above quotation I remembered the time reading Angelia's Ashes and the impact it had.  I had my moment and I am back.  I still have little if any control over what is going on inside my home.     I do, however, have control over my mind and how I choose to handle the situation.  This I know all will be put back to normal in a month or so.

Oh, and you have to find the humor in every situation.  Friday morning I walked through the family room with a plate of toast looking for a quiet place for a bite of breakfast.   As, I passed through the collection fans my bread was blown off the plate and sent sailing through the air.   I constantly have that  much sought after windblown look.  Today.....I choose to laugh.

What can I say....it is what it is!

Fortunately it is only my house (how blessed I am to have a house), brick and mortar, needing to be fixed, and it can and will be.  I'm over it.  Nothing more needs to be said.

I may be in and out for a couple of weeks.  I will keep up with you though.  

I hope you can find a little humor in what ever bridge you find yourself crossing today.