Down came the rain!

Some good old spring 'gully washers' visited us on Sunday evening and night.  Lightening strikes, booming thunder, torrents of hard rain.  I was bracing myself for what I'd see in the foundation of the house.  Would it look like a giant swimming pool full of water .... or a wading pool?  Here is what greeted me Monday at about 1:00 p.m.

I walked all around the foundation front and west side, through a little wooded area and across the back and along a portion of the east side to where the sump pump is located.  I think it might be located under where the master bathroom will be when the house is completed (not sure exactly) ... anyway a temporary sump pump is put in place and it was faithfully pumping out some water.  According to Mark, he started the pump around 7:30 that morning after listening to the storm and being concerned what he would find.  There was some standing water in places, but it wasn't too bad.  Considering the storms we experienced, I expected a LOT more water all around.  However, several places (like by the sump) the foundation wall mud had collapsed into the bottom of the foundation area.  Mark explained it would be shoveled back out.

This was the center of the foundation - no water there, just footings showing.  Possibly a small puddle at a low lying area toward the center.

Another area showing some of the dirt that tumbled back down from the wall - results of pummeling rain.

This is right at the front door entrance area - mud fallen in there too.  I had visions of my foot sliding over the top and trapping me in the basement!!!!!  I stayed back from the edge.

This is the view from the front looking over to the east at the sump and the fallen dirt.

We were hopeful that soon pouring of the foundation could be begun, but this rain (there is more coming down from the slate gray sky right now) is delaying that step for a bit longer.  I have come to realize more fully that contractors are every bit as dependent upon the weather as a farmer!!!!!  Rains, storms, snow, ice, sub-zero temps - all kinds of events can delay building progress.

I was standing at the front toward the west side at the edge of the garage looking toward the back (north).  Some water there along the portion of the garage area but there is no basement there to be pumped, obviously.

A close up of the above photograph.  We had so much rain I expected to see more around this garage than is here.  I do believe, however, none is coming from any underground source!!!  Thankfully.  As you may surmise, I am slightly paranoid about being on an aquifer and listening to a constant drone of a sump pump.

Hope you are not getting bored with these photos.  Soon we should see walls .... and then 'sticks' will be erected.

It's about time for a fun pet photo -so here is one of Duncan, the docile white English Angora who claims me as his main provider of food - until recently when he was moved to Bee Keeping Daughter's garage until the new house is done.  He seems to be enjoying the extra people and attention of young children that he is pulling from the new location.  At a recent fiber fest, it was discovered that white Angora rabbit fur sells for $5.00 an OUNCE!  Hmmmmm - maybe he needs to be paying for his food with the fur that is brushed off of him every week.  What a fun pet!!!  

Until tomorrow,

Janet