Our Big Tent
What a day! I'm really tempted to call it a crappy day but I will hold my thoughts. It was definitely the hardest day to date through this ordeal.
Sam started work at 4:30 AM and got home around 9 so we got started. I thought we would work until about 1 when he had to go back to work but we were so close. Sam left and I kept working. Cass stood above the hole and cleaned off shovels for me. One scoop and the shovel was full of mud, heavy, terrible mud that we couldn't shake off. I shoveled alone for two hours. We were down about 7.5 feet so I knew we were getting close. I had tried really hard to shovel on the side of the gas line, closest to the house.
Somehow, the earth gave way under the gas line and the meter fell into the hole about 2' before I caught it. Gas was leaking out for the fall so I immediately called the gas company. They arrived within 10 minutes and he and I and Shelbie and Cass wrestled to prop up an extension ladder under the meter to prevent it from slipping anymore.
Upon further inspection he found that when the meter fell, it loosened the pipes going into the house and that is what he was concerned with and then discovered they used a flex tube for the gas instead of black pipe. So, the gas company had no choice but to remove the meter and haul it away. They also turned off the pilot lights to the furnace, water heater and fireplace. So, now, no heat.
Basically, I'm living in an 1800 sq. foot tent. Knock on wood, we have electricity.
I can't make this story up... Just before the gas meter fell, I had prayed that I just couldn't keep digging. I had reached my limit, I needed help or more strength. While the Gas Man was here, a man in a restoration truck drove down the street. He stopped and came up to me and asked if I was Kathy, I told him yes. He had said he was suppose to be here three weeks ago when the kitchen wall had water running down it and we found a hole in the wall. The siding was cracked and exposed the hole where the rainwater was coming in. I totally forgot about that problem. Odd that he chose today to show up. Anyways, I said, "Don't worry about it. I can't deal with that right now."
He said, "I can't leave you like this. Let me call some guys to come and take over digging. I have a crew of guys and no work. You don't even have to pay me. Just let me do that and I'm going to call to have a company come over and check the pressure in the gas line and see what they can do to fix the gas line inside the house." He was amazing. 20 Minutes after that the heating guy showed up to do the inside work on the gas line after the Gas Company left. This guys spent an hour just checking for interior gas leaks and re-establishing pressure in the gas line since the meter was gone. He was such a nice guy and very helpful.
Then...a man from an excavation company came by and he jumped in and relieved me from the digging for about 10 minutes...after 10 minutes, the guy from the restoration company arrived to dig, he dug for 5 minutes and we finally found the water line!!! 9' below finish grade! Sure enough, a soldered copper pipe!
At 4:30, my old Bishop showed up with a mini excavator! With the gas line out the way now, which I can see was a blessing in disguise, there was no danger to use the heavy machinery. Sam got home from work and the three of us, dug the trench from my house to the meter! We wrecked the sprinkling system but there was no way around that. We destroyed the cable lines but other than that, it went off without a hitch. It took us three hours to dig the 9' deep trench.
When he got done, he said we could come out to their Air BnB and shower and get cleaned up. It's been since last Friday since our last shower.
I feel really grateful for all the people who so willing and magically showed up to help me. It means so much to me that these men just saw the need and jumped right in. They helped me sort through all these little setbacks and problems.
The plumber will arrive on Wednesday but we can't get the gas situation fixed for several more days.
Earlier this year, we survived 2 weeks without heat in the dead of winter but we could at least use the gas fireplace. It's not nearly as cold this time of year but man, this house is a little chilly. We have one space heater so we will plan to just hang out in the same room and that should be just fine so I'm not super worried.
I'm not complaining but I am so weary and it's just been so stressful. I wish I wasn't so human and mortal. I have tried so hard to be positive and patient and faithful.
I almost forgot there is a virus going around. Covid has been the least of my worries. I'm actually going to need another quarantine to recover from this one. It's been quite the past 6 weeks. I'm not looking forward to the end of this when I experience the adrenaline dump and the reality of the stress of the past three months catches up to me. Ugh.
For now, we are literally praying hour by hour, either praying for help or expressing gratitude. I don't know what we would do or where we would be without prayer and faith.
I feel indebted to my old Bishop. He is like a brother to me. He never hesitates to help me or wait to asked. He sees the need and jumps right in to problem solve. I really appreciate he and his wife so very much. They will never know.
I'm so grateful for the number of people who have taken time out of their life, risked their 6' social distancing to help me and my kids. I could not have done this alone, not one bit, in any way. I don't know how I will ever repay my debt to so many.
Sam started work at 4:30 AM and got home around 9 so we got started. I thought we would work until about 1 when he had to go back to work but we were so close. Sam left and I kept working. Cass stood above the hole and cleaned off shovels for me. One scoop and the shovel was full of mud, heavy, terrible mud that we couldn't shake off. I shoveled alone for two hours. We were down about 7.5 feet so I knew we were getting close. I had tried really hard to shovel on the side of the gas line, closest to the house.
Somehow, the earth gave way under the gas line and the meter fell into the hole about 2' before I caught it. Gas was leaking out for the fall so I immediately called the gas company. They arrived within 10 minutes and he and I and Shelbie and Cass wrestled to prop up an extension ladder under the meter to prevent it from slipping anymore.
Upon further inspection he found that when the meter fell, it loosened the pipes going into the house and that is what he was concerned with and then discovered they used a flex tube for the gas instead of black pipe. So, the gas company had no choice but to remove the meter and haul it away. They also turned off the pilot lights to the furnace, water heater and fireplace. So, now, no heat.
Basically, I'm living in an 1800 sq. foot tent. Knock on wood, we have electricity.
I can't make this story up... Just before the gas meter fell, I had prayed that I just couldn't keep digging. I had reached my limit, I needed help or more strength. While the Gas Man was here, a man in a restoration truck drove down the street. He stopped and came up to me and asked if I was Kathy, I told him yes. He had said he was suppose to be here three weeks ago when the kitchen wall had water running down it and we found a hole in the wall. The siding was cracked and exposed the hole where the rainwater was coming in. I totally forgot about that problem. Odd that he chose today to show up. Anyways, I said, "Don't worry about it. I can't deal with that right now."
He said, "I can't leave you like this. Let me call some guys to come and take over digging. I have a crew of guys and no work. You don't even have to pay me. Just let me do that and I'm going to call to have a company come over and check the pressure in the gas line and see what they can do to fix the gas line inside the house." He was amazing. 20 Minutes after that the heating guy showed up to do the inside work on the gas line after the Gas Company left. This guys spent an hour just checking for interior gas leaks and re-establishing pressure in the gas line since the meter was gone. He was such a nice guy and very helpful.
Then...a man from an excavation company came by and he jumped in and relieved me from the digging for about 10 minutes...after 10 minutes, the guy from the restoration company arrived to dig, he dug for 5 minutes and we finally found the water line!!! 9' below finish grade! Sure enough, a soldered copper pipe!
At 4:30, my old Bishop showed up with a mini excavator! With the gas line out the way now, which I can see was a blessing in disguise, there was no danger to use the heavy machinery. Sam got home from work and the three of us, dug the trench from my house to the meter! We wrecked the sprinkling system but there was no way around that. We destroyed the cable lines but other than that, it went off without a hitch. It took us three hours to dig the 9' deep trench.
When he got done, he said we could come out to their Air BnB and shower and get cleaned up. It's been since last Friday since our last shower.
I feel really grateful for all the people who so willing and magically showed up to help me. It means so much to me that these men just saw the need and jumped right in. They helped me sort through all these little setbacks and problems.
The plumber will arrive on Wednesday but we can't get the gas situation fixed for several more days.
Earlier this year, we survived 2 weeks without heat in the dead of winter but we could at least use the gas fireplace. It's not nearly as cold this time of year but man, this house is a little chilly. We have one space heater so we will plan to just hang out in the same room and that should be just fine so I'm not super worried.
I'm not complaining but I am so weary and it's just been so stressful. I wish I wasn't so human and mortal. I have tried so hard to be positive and patient and faithful.
I almost forgot there is a virus going around. Covid has been the least of my worries. I'm actually going to need another quarantine to recover from this one. It's been quite the past 6 weeks. I'm not looking forward to the end of this when I experience the adrenaline dump and the reality of the stress of the past three months catches up to me. Ugh.
For now, we are literally praying hour by hour, either praying for help or expressing gratitude. I don't know what we would do or where we would be without prayer and faith.
I feel indebted to my old Bishop. He is like a brother to me. He never hesitates to help me or wait to asked. He sees the need and jumps right in to problem solve. I really appreciate he and his wife so very much. They will never know.
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| See that farthest shovel? That's where I spent 5 hours today!! This picture was taken after the gas meter fell. You can see the yellow gas line thrown off the the side. It's was so much nicer not having to shovel under that line. |
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| That green pipe you can hardly see is where the water line comes out of the basement...9' down! |
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| My old Bishop and friend. He rented the mini excavator, hauled it, paid for it and operated it while Sam and I stood by helping direct him around electrical, fiber internet etc. |
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| Sam and Shane had to cut the water line so the excavator didn't catch it and yank it out of the wall. This was Sam down there with the sawzall. These pictures really don't do the size of this hole justice. It makes me sick to look at and all the work it's going to take to put this mess back together. It's just a little overwhelming. |
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| I hate copper! |
I'm so grateful for the number of people who have taken time out of their life, risked their 6' social distancing to help me and my kids. I could not have done this alone, not one bit, in any way. I don't know how I will ever repay my debt to so many.
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