We are home safely.

We have been told we got between 9-20" of rain here.

It overwhelmed all my work. Huge sinkhole under the house and porch.

And raining now. Must get tractor.

We have it in perspective. Many families will be burying people this week. This is fixable.

I'm sorry. I can't do this and make airguns. A bit overwhelmed. Gotta go.

Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2014 07:54PM by barnespneumatic.

All the best, thinking of you both...

Thanks Jerry,

Nothing to do but just start fixing it. Make it go away. Could put the KIA in the sinkhole washed out under the back of the house and porch. Can barely run the tractor across the linear cravases cut into the driveway from house to shop. Like some underground aqueduct ruptured. Very odd. Have to wait til morning to understand that one. I did rebuild the berm that failed after the sand trap crested. That allowed the water to bypass two complete systems I have prepared and count on. They've quoted a min. of 9" of rain here. I prepared my systems before we left. I thought I was hearing the typical end of the world weather hype - and the possible outcomes MIGHT BE tornados. Nothing I can do to prepare against those. I didn't catch the prediction of Apocalyptic rains. Of course - my bad. My problem. I could have fought the berms during the storms. Probably been struck by lightening. Well - with injections, I'm fortified against the project.

Thanks for good thoughts Jerry.
Gary

Gary,

Here a few stats for Pensacola very close to you. "20 hours ago NBC News reports, ”24+ inches of rain in 26 hours, 6,000 lightning strikes in 15 minutes in Pensacola, Fla.".

So I am glad you were not there to get on the tractor and risk it.

The net also said the flooding was worse than any Hurricane in History for NorthWest Florida. So this should not happen every week at least.

Just think of it as your Welcome to Living in Florida storm. sigh

Glad you are both safe and have no major damage.

Larry

It's been a knee to the groin, a punch in the stomach, and a Sap to the back of the head - Welcome to Florida! Stooge!!

Then quite a few ask some version of ... "Well, what did you expect!?"

Thanks for checking on us, Larry.

Gary

Gary,

I guess nobody told you living in Florida is an adventure. We have critters that can kill you, some that will eat you, and storms that can wash or blow away everything. Hope your repairs go well.

Keith

Hi Keith,

Ah ... I was writing while you were posting. My comment about many asking what I expected here was not referring to your comment - ha. But your post confirms.

No - actually ... Nobody mentioned Florida being like this. Guess there is a total truth blackout among realtors and residents UNTIL you settle and pass the refund date. Then everybody is willing to talk, pretty much non stop - about the misery index, from that point onward.



Thanks for checking on us. We're as happy as a couple of Florida residents!

Gary

I would start building an ark ! As much water as you got in the year or two you have been there. Has your sound ( woodchip wall) held up ok? I can imagine some settling has accured but hope no washouts there. I had a really nice wood chip trail I maintained for a while but once the Raines wash it into the river 3 times I gave up ! I went for the natural look .

Hi Kurt,

Yes, the woodchunk wall seems to be "as built". Of course, I've mainly just been digging and repairing ditches so it might not even be up there anymore ....

I get a lot of advice to maintain the "natural look". Thatcwould be a tangle of dead trees, Yaupon brush, palmato, and vines. Lovely inviting look. I'm certain it will come to that. As soon as it breaks the remaining 10% of my spirit to fight back

Thanks for checking on us Kurt. We are safe. Free to dig and trench and backfill another day!

Gary

You do know that goats and sheep do a good job of keeping the natural look somewhat at bay! I have thought about it many times and even let some tame rabbits loose in my yard/ woods to keep the hawks away from chickens . They do pretty well all by them selves. I feel your pain with the water thing you will learn to either control and divert it or just deal with it eventually ! Mother Nature does what she wants. You'll be a regular pro with that tractor when your done ! Probably have a good 100 hrs on the meter by now too!

Hi Kurt,

Suited up to begin repairs. It started raining like heck again. Computer says 0% precip today. Guess 2" is considered 0 precip here.

Tractor has 62 hours. Hand shovel has the other 140+. Hshahshaaaaahaha.

Usually I just tough out the rain on the tractor. But today, I just don't have it in my to be in a pit while its raining. Call me soft.

Guess it will eventually switch to 120 f and drought.

Gary

I fully expect that it won't be long before defenses against rain storms that don't depend on sand/clay will be poured.

Keep your chin up Gary, it'll stop raining and you'll be around to "wildfire season" soon enough.

I suspect that when people talk to a real estate agent ANYWHERE, they're likely to get the most generic / white-washed version of the local conditions, no matter what those might be. Those moments that come later when the neighbors tell you "yup, last year about this time we got (insert horrible, dramatic weather condition here) always come at least a bit too late. That information would certainly be of use BEFORE the fact, but some perverse law of nature seems to prevent that same neighbor from walking up to you PRIOR to the sale and saying those same words. Murphys Law applies to all aspects of buying and selling property after all, it's the only really universal human condition.

Have not bought a home in 34 years. My trouble is that I do not just assume that I'm being screwed with each new person I meet. That's the human error.

It's fine. Ill fix it. And fix it again. One day there's supposed to be Justice.

Major bummer!!!

glad you are safe

FWIW....I read hat this was a "500 year storm"......so unless you live as long as Noah, you should be ok from now on