Never a dull moment.
When I was a kid, it was a phrase I heard often.
And it was always dripping with sarcasm.
I didn't understand it at the time. Although, in hindsight it makes perfect sense.
I guess with a large family, children simultaneously in high school and preschool, a big house and yard, a menagerie of pets, and a husband that owned his own small business, my mom was always putting out some fire.
Now, as a parent, with a house and yard, pets of all shapes and sizes, and a small business of my own, I totally get it.
Sometimes it really does feel like there's always something or someone to attend to.
This weekend was a perfect example.
A few days ago, I mentioned that my children were away on a trip.
Of course my husband and I were going to miss them, but we were also excited for a little quiet staycation time.
As luck would have it, our home alone adventure included our anniversary weekend.
And we planned to spend it relaxing, rejuvenating and romancing in our sweet cottage.
You know the one, the same cottage we recently renovated and redecorated.
Inside and out. Upstairs and down.
Sounds lovely doesn't it?
Yeah, we thought so too.
Until we noticed this.
All we know is that the washing machine door was open, the clothes were all over the floor, floating in several inches of water.
Update: We traded that menace of a front loader for a fabulous new top loading machine.
Water in the laundry room, workout room, storage rooms and worst of all, the family room.
The one we'd just redecorated, with a new sofa and accessories.
The one that looked like this.
Now, the laundry, workout and storage rooms were a mess, but they were all tiled. The water came right up with the shop vac.
The family room, however, was carpeted. With padding. Lots of padding, since the floor underneath was concrete and we wanted something plushy to walk on.
But that meant the clean up was a disaster.
At first, we vacuumed it with the shop vac, as well.
And it soaked up a ton of water. Gallons of it.
We turned on the dehumidifiers, the heaters, the air purifier and the fans. Unfortunately, none of them made a dent.
The huge visibly soaked areas were still sopping wet, but worse areas that looked dry, got wet, from underneath, as soon as we stepped on them.
So the next morning, I suggested that we pull up some of the carpet and padding, to expose it to the air. Maybe it would dry out quicker that way.
My husband is a super talented DIY guy, so I knew he could reinstall the carpet properly once it dried.
So after work on Friday, the eve of our anniversary weekend, he started pulling...only to find that everything was drenched, much further in the room than what was visible to us.
And that there were puddles hiding underneath it all. And we knew it was over.
It all had to go.
Then while he cut up the carpet and padding and removed all the tackless from the floor, I searched online for a suitable flooring replacement.
Not the most decorative option, but definitely the most practical, since we decided that we never wanted to go through dealing with that kind of a mess ever again.
It was also the quickest fix, since we could pull it off the shelf.
We found a pattern we liked at Lowe's and had several squares installed by Saturday night.
Instead of toasting in front of the fire, we fell asleep by 8pm.
We celebrated our actual anniversary on Sunday by installing the rest of the tiles.
It was a long, long day and by the end of it, we were both sore, exhausted and punchdrunk, laughing at the absurdity of the entire situation.
And instead of a cozy, candlelit, table for two, our celebratory dinner, of take out pizza and wings (after all, it was Super Bowl Sunday), we ate our meal in the den. Too tired to talk.
Happy Anniversary to us.
First, there was a ton of laughter...we figured that was much better that crying our way through this DIY.
I also got a new brown rug, one that matches the new sofa better that the old green one did, making the room much more cohesive.
Again, here's the old one.
And then the new. Not a bad consolation prize for a decor obsessed girl.
The color is hard to see well with the overhead lighting. This is a better representation. It's a warm cocoa hue.
The doorbell rang and these beautiful flowers were delivered from my daughter, wishing us a happy day from 2,800 miles away.
I'll admit, there may have been a few tears shed at that moment.
And most importantly, even though it wasn't an ideal anniversary weekend, we were together.
That fact is not lost on me.
Hopefully, though, we'll get a chance to have a proper celebration sometime soon.
Maybe this time we'll even leave our humble abode, and all those potential homeowner blues, behind.
Venture elsewhere for dinner, dancing, stretching out in front of a fire.
And a few relaxing, rejuvenating and romantic dull moments.
If we're lucky.
But I'm not counting on it.
Thanks for the warning, mom.
😉
Where do you stand on dull moments?
Oh my gosh it is always something another used a lot phrase lol! I love the new carpet squares it looks so pretty. This will be a memorable and fun to look back and laugh anniversary. Glad you could see the humor in this issue and find time to laugh. Happy Anniversary to both of you. Big Hugs. Kris
ReplyDeleteThanks Kris! Laughter really is the key, isn't it? It definitely helps reduce the stress. In the end it was only a flooded basement, but I'm so glad that mess is behind us now. Thanks for the hugs! xo
DeleteGosh, I was just SICK for you, reading ALL your comments of pain and adversity. I hope you get a chance to celebrate soon, in the right way. If we lived close, I would take you to lunch and give you a hug.
ReplyDeleteTracey, you are the sweetest! Thanks so much for the lovely comment. Truth be told, it wasn't all that bad...but boy oh boy, we're glad it's done and cleaned up now!
DeleteSo very sorry for all you had to do, did you manage to find out what happened with the washer? I'm sure you won't forget this Anniversary anytime soon, hopefully many years from now you'll laugh about it. The room looks great by the way.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! We really did laugh a lot and I do love the new look. So far we don't know what happened with the washer. It's a front loader and I think it was something electrical that caused the door to glitch and open mid cycle. We're definitely getting a new one!!
DeleteI am always wondering when the other shoe will drop!!! Things going well--shoe drops!!!Lol
ReplyDeleteOmigosh, Donna Marie, I'm the same way!! That's another saying my mom was fond of...unfortunately these old sayings stand the test of time, because they're true!! Hahaha!!
DeleteHappy Anniversary! And as grandma Cira would say “ It only happens to the living”
ReplyDeleteSo funny!! I can actually hear her saying that in the kitchen!! ♥️
DeleteOh no! What a weekend you had, and why do things seem to happen at the worst possible time? We had that happen once too, the storage area, laundry room and our family room flooded. We were able to save the carpet though.
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to laugh together, and for the sweet things from your daughters.
It looks nice!
Thanks Mari. I'm so sorry that you had to go through it, too. It really is a mess and a worry with the potential for mold and mildew. I'm glad you were able to save your carpet!
DeleteOh no! So sorry this happened on your romantic anniversary weekend! Thank goodness for your handy hubby and that you can laugh about it now. I can just picture the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Florence! It was a crazy weekend, and not particularly romantic, but we did laugh a lot for sure!
DeleteOhhh, bless y’all’s hearts! 😢 Definitely not a relaxing way to spend your big weekend! We went through something similar a few years ago, so I know that anguish all to well. So glad y’all made the best of it and the end result is just fantastic! Y’all deserve a weekend re-do!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mandy! It wasn't fun, but as you know it is what it is. I'm glad your mess is behind you and I hope it never happens again to either of us!!
DeleteOh my, that gives me a little PTSD (not to diminish in any way those who suffer from PTSD)! In June of 2018 I returned to our Texas house after a month at our Arizona house (hubby works in AZ, I work in TX) to find 3-4 inches of water throughout my entire house and mold everywhere. My icemaker line had broken very shortly after I left and run for almost the whole month. I had left the AC on 85 since I wasn't there, so that warmth just welcomed the mold. Fortunately we have good insurance and it didn't cost us financially, but it took 2 years and a lot of tears/anger/yelling to get everything fixed right (we had bad contractor after bad contractor, ugh!). I'm so sorry you had this happen, it is such a sickening feeling :-( I'm glad your husband is good with DIY, and you know the job is done correctly! It's good that you pulled up the carpet, water is really sneaky and gets places you definitely don't expect! Happy belated anniversary (ours is Feb 20 :-) - what a blessing that you can laugh about it now. I sure hope the next 'never a dull moment' is a very happy one for y'all!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh!! THAT is a real mess. Our flood was manageable and thank goodness we were around. I can't even imagine what you came home to and what you went through trying to remediate it. Water is a nightmare. It can get into places you don't expect and I was so worried about that happening, especially with all my allergies. I'm glad that mess is behind us now...and I hope you never have to go through it again.
DeleteLaugh or cry. It's a motto I've lived by for a long time that has served me well. That said, water damage is no fun. I'm glad you were able to get it sorted so quickly!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Sallie. You're right, water damage is no fun. I'm glad we were able to remedy quickly, too.
DeleteOh, Kim...I feel for you! We've had our basement family room flood twice. Both times from the sump pump. The first time, we had carpet. The water even went up into the walls. We had a contractor come and take up all the wet carpet and put down industrial fans and dehumidifers. They even had to drill holes in the walls to air them out. And then we had to have the basement redone. What we decided to do for our concrete floors was to have them painted and then just buy area rugs. Like the contractor said, it's not a matter of if the basement ever floods again, it's when. We never wanted to go through pulling up any kind of flooring again (or pay to have someone do it!), so painted concrete it was. However, now it's been about 10 years and the paint finish is wearing off in places. I'd love to have it redone with a glossy finish like you see in some restaurants, but that is way on the back burner. There are so many other more important things to get done in this house.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry this happened to you guys, especially on your anniversary! I hope that you will take a lovely day trip or go out to dinner or something to celebrate, even if it's belated.
Oh gosh, Melanie, that sounds like it was a real mess. Floods always freak me out with their potential for mold and mildew. It sounds like you had it cleaned up the right way. I also agree…it’s not if, but when. We’ve had two other small water problems down there, so we finally said no more. Thanks for your kind words, hopefully we’ll get a chance to celebrate properly very soon! Happy Weekend!!
DeleteHa! I think your room looks very nice. Where do I stand on dull moments - I would have no idea. Most of the time I feel like Rosanne Rosannadanna - its always something. Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is...and thanks Gina.
DeleteOmg. I am so sorry that happened to you guys. What a horrible way to celebrate your anniversary weekend. Yes, there is never a dull moment. You are lucky to have a handy husband to take care of this. The basement now looks great. Hopefully the two of you can go out to dinner celebrate your anniversary.
ReplyDeleteThanks Julie. It was a bummer of a weekend, but thank goodness it’s all fixed up now. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to celebrate properly soon.
DeleteI am so sorry about the flood! What a pain! I think your carpet tiles look better in the room. JMHO, and much easier to deal with if there is another leak or stain. I like the color, too.
ReplyDeleteRicki, I totally agree. It really does look much better. The old carpet was installed almost 20 years ago when the room was green. I wanted to replace it when we redecorated this summer, but it was that “one more thing” that we just didn’t have the effort and energy to deal with…and we decided to clean it and keep it. Hahaha…I guess the universe had other decorating plans for us and I’m grateful, I love the new rug. I just wish we didn’t have the mess that came along with the change! 😉
DeleteHi, oh yes, one thing after another, is it not the truth.
ReplyDeleteAll your hard work paid off, it looks fantastic.
And hugs to those girls of yours, how precious of them. Happy Anniversary!!! xx oo
Thanks so much, Carla!I know you get it... xxoo
DeleteKim,
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary ! SO sorry that this happened on a weekend that you planned to celebrate and relax....but it certainly always seems to go that way...At least that seems to be what always happens to me...I like the new carpet and i am amazed that it is carpet tiles!! Looks great! Okay, i am done stalking you for this morning but visiting you has given me some much needed joy this morning!! So I thank you for that, my friend!!! I promise i will not take so long to stop by again!!!
Hugs,Deb
Well that sucks! Glad you were able to find humour amongst the chaos. Happy belated anniversary! The rug looks great. We are about to begin basement renos and I suggested carpet tiles but my husband is not onboard. Were they easy to install and how do you like them so far?
ReplyDeleteHi Marie! I like them a lot...I'm going to do a post on them soon, but the short and sweet answer is they're great for our purposes, but they don't compare at all to wall to wall.
DeleteOh Kim, I am so sorry that you were flooded and on your special weekend. Glad you were able to take care of it and your new carpet looks great. xo Laura
ReplyDeleteThanks Laura! All's well that end well and in the grand scheme of things it's just a carpet. xxoo
DeleteHow awful to have to deal with something like this and on your Anniversary weekend. I have a fear of something like this happening at my house. I have the washer dryer in separate room off the den but it's all in the walkout basement in my house. We have a bi level and now after reading your post. I will be giving the stick carpet tiles a good look. I think they look very good in your den. You and your husband did a wonderful job getting all of the water cleaned and carpet tiles laid. Some fast work and all in time to enjoy some time to eat and watch super bowl on your anniversary. Everything is so much better done together, no matter what it is. Betsy
ReplyDeleteHi Betsy, the stick tiles are great. I have to say, I'm a fan. I'm not a fan of the front loading machine, however. Had it been a top loader, this never would've happened, since the problem was with the sensor on the door. Ugh...
DeleteNow I am worried. I just purchased front loader washing machine and front loader dryer. Never thought about anything like this happening with front loaders. I will be using it only when I am downstairs myself to keep an eye on it.
DeleteI think you should be ok. We've had this machine (an LG) for over a decade and never had an issue like this. Clearly it was just its time to go.
DeleteOh my gosh, Kim! How awful.....but it sounds like you made the best of it. I guess another old saying is, it could have been worse! Or maybe not??? Anyway, I'm impressed with how quickly you replaced that carpet! Now, no more excitement like that for awhile, okay?
ReplyDeleteYes, Amy, it definitely could've been. We're usually so careful with the washer, we have all the safety turn offs and we never do laundry when no one is home. Guess nothing is 100%, is it?
DeleteIn my family growing up it was always 'when it rains, it pours' - could almost work here as well :-) Poor you, Kim, but trust you to find the silver lining.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Absolutely, Amalia!! That certainly fits here!! Haha!!
DeleteMy thought always runs to what I sing when I'm trying to laugh instead of cry over something like this--Mama said there'll be days like this, there'll be days like this, my Mama said. The song came out the year I was married and in 61 years I've found many times to sing it! But my heart sank lower and lower as I read your post, what a mess! And on your anniversary, with anniversary plans! I have to give you a gold star for your gracious way of handling it and telling it to us. One thing for sure, Kim, after this I feel very confident that there will be many more years ahead of anniversary celebrations with your guy. You two are a force of nature! Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Dewena. I appreciate your kind words! I remember that song and it's so true, isn't it? I guess you can make plans all you want...and then your washing machine misbehaves! I suppose it's how you roll with it. Unfortunately, we've had some true heartbreaks that this was more of an exhausting bummer than anything else, but the timing wasn't great. Oh well, it's behind us now and we have a new carpet. I guess that's a win!
DeleteWell, that's just awful and I know exactly how you must feel because we had the exact same dull moment when our basement flooded too. Only we had to rip out all our beautiful engineered wood flooring. it was sad to see it go, as you must have felt too. Thankfully that fateful day didn't mark an anniversary. I hope you can somehow make up for the lost time and at least you kept your humour through it all!
ReplyDeleteWe actually opted for loose lay vinyl flooring that can easily come up and be dried if the basement ever floods again. We'll eventually soften it with some new throw rugs.
Did I somehow miss reading this, or did you ever find out the cause?
Oh no, ripping up the flooring sounds like a bigger task than we faced. Floods are no fun...and at this point we think it was something electrical. A sensor on the door, perhaps. We might never know...but it doesn't make me feel good, that's for sure.
DeleteNever a dull moment indeed! I'm so sorry you had to go through such a crazy process, and on a special weekend too! (so sweet of your daughters to remember you though!) And what a mess to have to deal with - but the new carpet looks great, I had no idea there was such a thing as stick on carpet, wow! Hopefully the washing machine issue will get resolved too. I remember that old saying - never a dull moment, and have had to repeat it myself once or twice! Blessings to you dear friend, so thankful you and your amazing DIY hubby were able to get it all taken care of :) Maybe this weekend you can get out and do something fun together :)
ReplyDeleteHi Marilyn, thanks for your kind comment. As you and others have noted, there were a lot of silver linings in that weekend, not the least of which was a new carpet. Of course, it would’ve been better if it had been planned…hahaha…but it is what it is.
DeleteOh noooooooooo, I'm so sorry that happened on your special weekend. Actually I'm sorry it happened at all. That's just wrong. I'm glad you found a replacement though. I'd be a total stress ball if something like that happened.
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary BTW, here's wishing you both many more happy years filled with laughter and love.
Thanks Michelle!! All in all, it wasn't too terrible...and I got flowers and pizza, another silver lining!
DeleteI am so sorry about your flood! And on your anniversary weekend to boot! Glad you two were able to laugh your way though it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Penny...at least we were together!
DeleteHI Kim, Love this story (not the flood) but the reminder! I am listening to the Creator zoom video from Thursday and thinking we would be friends or have fun as neighbors! xo laura in Colorado
ReplyDeleteHi Laura!! Thanks so much!! It's always lovely to make new friends! 🥰
DeleteOMYGOSH! What a weekend...full of unexpected toil and trouble. I am so sorry but, in the end, it looks like it turned out better than you hoped...and you have NEW carpet tiles and they match your furniture better. I had cocoa brown carpet in our lower level rec/movie room and loved it. It was warm and comforting feeling and didn't feel the least bit 'dark'.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers were wonderful and how nice of your other girlie to leave you a hidden surprise. Love to you- hang in there--you can always celebrate next year. xo Diana
Thanks Diana! Yes, there were a lot of silver linings...not the least of which is the fact that I get a BIG do over. And by big I mean no cleaning, no cooking and no DIYs. I'm not sure where this will take place, but even if it's a 24 hour getaway, I'm planning!! Hahaha!!
DeleteKim,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by!! I am so glad that I was finally able to display my parent's pictures and certificates...I hope you had a great weekend!!
Hugs,
Deb
Beautiful photos, Deb!!
DeleteAwwwww Kim, I do t know how I missed this post! What a way to spend your anniversary!! Thank goodness that you two are such a good team and found the best alternative for your flooring. Besides, your daughters shared happy surprises. I love that and you made the best of it. ❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteThanks Kitty. It wasn’t such a terrible day after all. Like I said, we were together and there were treats from the girls. Silver linings eased the pain!!
DeleteMerriest late, crazy anniversary! On the flip side, if you had not planned on going for the anniversary everything would have been ruined, prob worse than how you found it. Thank goodness you did find it....now again, clothes on the floor, washer door open and water all over, did the washer up chuck the clothes or shall we say, did it blow up?
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam! Ugh, yes, that washer...we're still not sure, but we believe it was an electrical problem. I'll keep you posted.
DeleteHappy Anniversary! This one will be more memorable, all the fancy dinners out blend together after a while.
ReplyDeleteWater has always been my nemesis in my homes. I dream of someday getting through a year without the shop vac!
Thanks so much, Helene...and oh no!! That's terrible. We've had a few, but this one was the worst. I am wishing you a decade of shop vac free years..starting now!!
DeleteI’m so, so sorry this happened! I’ve heard of many weird happenings with the front loaders. My brother and sil purchased a new range when doing some remodeling. Just a few months down the road, my sil turned on the self cleaning feature on the oven. Something happened and caught the kitchen on fire! Of course, it affected the whole house due to smoke and water.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed by your ability to clean things up and install the new flooring! I’m sure you were totally exhausted but you were blessed to find the laughter! Is your insurance covering what they should? Did they provide fans, etc for you?
The room looks beautiful and I’m sure you’re enjoying it now! How very sweet of the girls to honor you as they did. Try to find time for a belated anniversary celebration!
xo
Pat
Hi Pat, thanks for the comment. Your brother's fire store is truly terrifying. I'm glad they were ok, but honestly, I haven't used my self cleaning oven feature in two decades because it's not the first time I've heard this. As far as our washer goes, I'm so disappointed in it, but I guess it is what it is. We were exhausted, but it was manageable. Most of the credit goes to my husband, he really is the unsung DIY hero around here. He can do anything and he has a never quit attitude. I usually provide the comic relief and the supplies.😉 As far as insurance goes, we didn't involve them. We had dehumidifiers and heaters on hand, so we were able to dry it out ourselves and truth be told, the new floor cost less than our deductible. So we just handled it on our own. Thanks again for the lovely wishes and for sharing your cautionary tale. They sure don't make appliances like they used to!!! ox
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