Swimming Pool

I have decided to turn my living room into a swimming pool! Pretty cool huh?

Prime Waterfront Property

Finally got power back. Hurricane Irene created a 9 foot storm surge which got into my home and created a real mess. The last week has been nothing but dragging damaged items out of the house and garage. Finally had an insurance flood adjuster come out to do a preliminary assessment. He said it will be another week to ten days until he is back for a full assessment. For now I am trying to get the air-conditioning folks out to replace the flexible ducts under the house that are full of water and not moving any air. The pic below is one my stepdaughter took out the back patio as the water was rising. I am posting this by email since I don't have my laptop with me so the pic is probably small.

Flooded!

Latest report from the house - water has risen and is 2 feet inside the house.  Separate garage totally flooded.  Car sitting in driveway under water.  Several trees down, one crushing the large garden shed and another taking down the power lines.  Our house was built in the early 60's and has never flooded until now.  I'm already mentally totaling the damage - MANY things in the garage like riding lawnmower, trimmers, chain saws, power tools, bikes, fishing gear, sails, outboards, etc. etc.,  in the house furnace, central air, hot water heater, chest freezer, washer, dryer, fridge and of course furniture, carpet and who knows what all else salt water will damage like wiring, etc.  Going to be a BIG mess.  I'm going to try to drive down there tomorrow to assess the damage after the storm moves on through Baltimore.  And to think I have been cussing the National Flood Insurance Premiums that I have been making every year.

It's going to be a mess!

This is a cellphone photo I just received from my 24 year old stepdaughter.  It is looking out our bedroom window at the water that is against the house and rising from the storm surge.  She is frantically moving stuff higher in the house.  The remnants of the eye are at the house now so I am hoping the wind will soon shift and the water will recede.  Our home is located on a tributary of the Pamlico Sound so the strong winds from the East are piling up water on the West side of the Sound/Bay.  I was hoping the weaker than expected storm would not cause any problems but the direct hit made up for it.   Power has been out since yesterday evening.  It's very frustrating not being there.  Now the whole mess is heading up this way so it's going to be a rainy one for sure.  Looks like Nationwide will be getting a call this week.  (Oh, and I just got a text that a tree fell across my nice garden shed that you can see in one of the previous hurricane pics that I posted a day or two ago)