Before I launch, wanted to mention Trent's discussion about the power of long-term savings. (Thanks, Simple Dollar.) Saving a little bit for a long time really adds up. We know this from example; we saved $25 monthly for the girlies' college, ever since they were little -- and by the time they graduated from high school, we had enough to pay for their first year of college, plus some leftover.
A few years ago, I began doing it again -- $80 monthly. It didn't seem like much to worry about -- who cares about that little amount! But that account now has about $2500 in it, and is still being added to. The power of slowly multiplying your savings. (Take heed, Daughters...this is why Mom -- and Dad -- harp on this subject! Partly also because no one urged us to do it when we were your age. Oh, if we'd only started at 18, instead of 30...)
* * * * * * * *
Now, the fun part.
I took Daughter #1 to an appointment in Boulder. Was on my way home when Husband called,"I didn't go to work -- we've got a little problem downstairs." In the basement. Where all the fabrics and my teaching quilts are. Where Brickworks' inventory is kept -- fat quarters, kits, books (at least the overflow), trims, embellishments.
The short of it: a pipe broke inside the wall, near the garden faucet. I was watering the garden for the past few days...but not doing any work downstairs, and all the staffers had the weekend off.
I didn't know it, but I was watering the basement at the same time as the garden.
The carpet was soaked, pretty much stem to stern. We had our own personal waterfall down the back wall...at least until the water was shut off. A huge patch of mold bloomed along the same wall. (The Servpro guy said he bet he was going to find plenty more mold, once they tore the wallboard off.)
Not only were any fabrics (and there were some - sigh) and cardboard boxes (ditto) sitting on the floor soaked, they were REALLY soaked. A side room closet actually had standing water in it.
Thankfully, as far as we can tell, my teaching samples are ok. They were in plastic bins, stacked up above, or in the German schrunk (wardrobe) that lines one wall. A few boxes of antique fabrics used for restoration may have a little wetness, but I'll take care of those myself.
The rest of the fabrics will go to a company who cleans and dries them. As an appraiser, I've seen and heard about quilts that have gone to cleaning companies like this -- I have better hopes for the fabrics, but I'd never trust them with a quilt I already know how to wash. (I've done it professionally many times for clients.)
We are still a little in shock. This happened so quickly. (Now I know how clients feel!) There are some silver linings to this cloud, though:
*We'd just renewed the policy. So our rates won't jump this year, at least.
*Nothing critical was damaged. Fabrics can be replaced. So can trims and such, if need be. The office, where the nicer furniture -- and more importantly, my research library and paperwork -- is located seems to be undamaged.
*Husband realized the problem before it REALLY got deep downstairs. One of our good friends ended up with 10" of standing water in her basement, after a careless neighbor left a running hose aimed toward her house foundation. We don't have that. In nearly all of the basement, we just have really wet, squishy carpet. And piles, here and there, of soggy fabric and/or boxes.
I am also really grateful that both the adjuster and the Servpro guy said they were dealing with a lot of similar claims, with broken pipes in the same area. (That people were discovering only because they'd started watering gardens.) We've had a crazy spring, with lots of extra snow and temperatures shooting up and down -- perfect for busting up pipes. It's nice to know we're not alone; hopefully that means we won't have future trouble on our policy, because we were forced to file a claim.
So far, the Safeco adjuster has been more than understanding -- and the Servpro guys were here within a few hours of when we filed the claim. I'll keep you posted.
A few years ago, I began doing it again -- $80 monthly. It didn't seem like much to worry about -- who cares about that little amount! But that account now has about $2500 in it, and is still being added to. The power of slowly multiplying your savings. (Take heed, Daughters...this is why Mom -- and Dad -- harp on this subject! Partly also because no one urged us to do it when we were your age. Oh, if we'd only started at 18, instead of 30...)
* * * * * * * *
Now, the fun part.
I took Daughter #1 to an appointment in Boulder. Was on my way home when Husband called,"I didn't go to work -- we've got a little problem downstairs." In the basement. Where all the fabrics and my teaching quilts are. Where Brickworks' inventory is kept -- fat quarters, kits, books (at least the overflow), trims, embellishments.
The short of it: a pipe broke inside the wall, near the garden faucet. I was watering the garden for the past few days...but not doing any work downstairs, and all the staffers had the weekend off.
I didn't know it, but I was watering the basement at the same time as the garden.
The carpet was soaked, pretty much stem to stern. We had our own personal waterfall down the back wall...at least until the water was shut off. A huge patch of mold bloomed along the same wall. (The Servpro guy said he bet he was going to find plenty more mold, once they tore the wallboard off.)
Not only were any fabrics (and there were some - sigh) and cardboard boxes (ditto) sitting on the floor soaked, they were REALLY soaked. A side room closet actually had standing water in it.
Thankfully, as far as we can tell, my teaching samples are ok. They were in plastic bins, stacked up above, or in the German schrunk (wardrobe) that lines one wall. A few boxes of antique fabrics used for restoration may have a little wetness, but I'll take care of those myself.
The rest of the fabrics will go to a company who cleans and dries them. As an appraiser, I've seen and heard about quilts that have gone to cleaning companies like this -- I have better hopes for the fabrics, but I'd never trust them with a quilt I already know how to wash. (I've done it professionally many times for clients.)
We are still a little in shock. This happened so quickly. (Now I know how clients feel!) There are some silver linings to this cloud, though:
*We'd just renewed the policy. So our rates won't jump this year, at least.
*Nothing critical was damaged. Fabrics can be replaced. So can trims and such, if need be. The office, where the nicer furniture -- and more importantly, my research library and paperwork -- is located seems to be undamaged.
*Husband realized the problem before it REALLY got deep downstairs. One of our good friends ended up with 10" of standing water in her basement, after a careless neighbor left a running hose aimed toward her house foundation. We don't have that. In nearly all of the basement, we just have really wet, squishy carpet. And piles, here and there, of soggy fabric and/or boxes.
I am also really grateful that both the adjuster and the Servpro guy said they were dealing with a lot of similar claims, with broken pipes in the same area. (That people were discovering only because they'd started watering gardens.) We've had a crazy spring, with lots of extra snow and temperatures shooting up and down -- perfect for busting up pipes. It's nice to know we're not alone; hopefully that means we won't have future trouble on our policy, because we were forced to file a claim.
So far, the Safeco adjuster has been more than understanding -- and the Servpro guys were here within a few hours of when we filed the claim. I'll keep you posted.