Lightning strike just made my smoke detectors go off.

[jpinard]

I'm not sure if my house got hit - I feel like crap today so I'm laying low. But a lightning strike hit or terminated right near the top of our hosue and made all the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors go off at once for almost 2 seconds. Theories? And no, my house isn't on fire. But I'm so damn depressed as half my pond has shed it's sides and dumped them in the middle of the empty crater that was my unfihinsed pond. It took me 9 fricking years to make this thing and then to watch it wash away... but no, or yes, I did not just lay down. I went into that malestrom - and fought it. I even went on the roof with aluminum ladder to tell the sky just how pissed I was at their shitty timing - ok, also to if see my gutters were clogged (1 of 5 was) since all the rain was cascading off the roof and torpedo bombing the side of the pond next to the house. Loaded covering wjhatever its called to sdrape over the drees and add stone weights. WHy couldn't it get hut/humid/muggy in two weeks when I have an shit-critters chance in homeroom of being done?

Now I've got to make a friggen DAM just to make he sides hold. Arrggghhhh

You know, our weather people really suck too. I'm gong to fricking bed

[Bill Dungsroman]

I'm not sure if my house got hit - I feel like crap today so I'm laying low. But a lightning strike hit or terminated right near the top of our hosue and made all the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors go off at once for almost 2 seconds. Theories? And no, my house isn't on fire. But I'm so damn depressed as half my pond has shed it's sides and dumped them in the middle of the empty crater that was my unfihinsed pond. It took me 9 fricking years to make this thing and then to watch it wash away... but no, or yes, I did not just lay down. I went into that malestrom - and fought it. I even went on the roof with aluminum ladder to tell the sky just how pissed I was at their shitty timing - ok, also to if see my gutters were clogged (1 of 5 was) since all the rain was cascading off the roof and torpedo bombing the side of the pond next to the house. Loaded covering wjhatever its called to sdrape over the drees and add stone weights. WHy couldn't it get hut/humid/muggy in two weeks when I have an shit-critters chance in homeroom of being done?

Now I've got to make a friggen DAM just to make he sides hold. Arrggghhhh

You know, our weather people really suck too. I'm gong to fricking bed

God I love jpinard SO MUCH.

[Jason McCullough]

You should write for harpers.

[Machfive]

I think that storm is passing over Detroit right now, because we just saw a truckload of lightning and it started raining like it was fixing to flood the planet.

[wumpus]

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2474/whatthepf0.jpg

[Sol Invictus]

I can't make out what jpinard is saying. Can someone translate?

[jpinard]

Basically it was a rant that the we've been hit with a week of high heat, wicked humidity, and a series of thunderstorms which has nearly wiped out 9 years worth of work - in that my main pond walls collapsed. If that doesn't sound bad to you, imagine a 14' in ground swimming pool where all the sides look like a New Orleans ruptured levee.

I'd been trying to muddle through the heat to get some beams cemented in place so this very thing wouldn't happen (which would hold the new framework for the pond). Passed out 3 nights ago and my wife had to come home early.

One of the problems is one side of the pond is just a few feet from the house, and since one of the eavestroughs wasn't working the torrential downpour was like a waterfall on the side.

So last night I wanted to complain as I was very depressed that I might never get my pond back together this summer and I take extreme risks with my health going out in this heat/humidity. So all in all, killing myself the last weeks was a big far waste.

Well, it's 7:30 am - I've had one hour of sleep (right after I wrote this last night), and I'm going to try to somehow MacGuyver up my pond so we have something left after today's oncoming storm.

Sorry, just feel really overwhelmed and frustrated as my pond = my source of peace/healing, and right now it represents really ugly chaos.

I have to beat this storm, or maybe I'll work through it? Can you still work with cement in the rain? Like if I cover the newly (if I get to it) cemented post holes with something, will the cement still be OK? If its raining I won't even need to add my own water, and for once, cement dust wouldn't be a problem.

http://www.jeffpinard.com/storm.jpg

[Veefy]

What is the purpose of the pond (if you don't mind me asking)? I gather its not for swimming.. and is some sort of landscaping project...

[Talisker]

Could be worse, jp -- I just went downstairs, and the basement carpet is squishy. Sump pump is running fine, but there appears to be seepage through the foundation under the fucking carpets.

Moments like this, I wish I was a renter.

Oh, and after the 5-6" of rain last night, they're predicting more thunderstorms 'round noon and again this evening.

[Funkula]

Dude, that sucks. Best of luck to you and the frops. You can pull through this if you join forces!

[Mike O'Malley]

What is the purpose of the pond (if you don't mind me asking)? I gather its not for swimming.. and is some sort of landscaping project...

He's raising frops, see his earlier thread about his neighbors.

[Omniscia]

Back in August of 2001, a big, tall pine tree in our front yard got hit by lightning. The next day you could see a long scar running down the trunk of the tree, and a semicircle of pitch radiating outward from the base.

I'm pretty sure there must have been a small EMP burst or something involved, too, because the UART chip on the computer -- which was completely unplugged -- was fried and every device with an infrared remote (the TV, the VCR, the garage doors, etc) turned on simultaneously. I was videotaping the dog's reaction to the storm, and the video camera shut off right as the lightning flashed, and wouldn't turn on again for 10 minutes.

[Talisker]

Anyone have a ShamWOW the size of a king mattress I can borrow?

[VictoriaWong]

I have to beat this storm, or maybe I'll work through it? Can you still work with cement in the rain? Like if I cover the newly (if I get to it) cemented post holes with something, will the cement still be OK? If its raining I won't even need to add my own water, and for once, cement dust wouldn't be a problem.


Your cement will probably be weaker than cement made normally, and obviously it won't dry/set very quickly...

[Pjerrot]

Look at the positiv side.
It gives you the chance to do it right.
I mean - leave a laminated note under the pond.

[JMR]

Back in August of 2001, a big, tall pine tree in our front yard got hit by lightning. The next day you could see a long scar running down the trunk of the tree, and a semicircle of pitch radiating outward from the base.

I'm pretty sure there must have been a small EMP burst or something involved, too, because the UART chip on the computer -- which was completely unplugged -- was fried and every device with an infrared remote (the TV, the VCR, the garage doors, etc) turned on simultaneously. I was videotaping the dog's reaction to the storm, and the video camera shut off right as the lightning flashed, and wouldn't turn on again for 10 minutes.

Every time I get envious of those awesome Midwest thunder storms I'll think of this quote and be thankful we don't get them here in California.

[Talisker]

I'd trade a fried computer for a soaked basement.

[Jon Rowe]

it has been storm tastic here in madison this weekend.

[id4698]

Sorry Jp. Keep your head up man. Who knows what will come from this...

[Talisker]

Yay, more thunderstorms about to roll through. I've never feared rain like this before, but goddamn, if we have another night like last night, I'll probably have two feet of water in my house.

[Omniscia]

Every time I get envious of those awesome Midwest thunder storms I'll think of this quote and be thankful we don't get them here in California.

This was in New England, though. We've got nothin' on those Midwest storms.

They sure are pretty, but it does suck to be in the middle of grocery shopping when the tornado sirens go off.

[Machfive]

Yay, more thunderstorms about to roll through. I've never feared rain like this before, but goddamn, if we have another night like last night, I'll probably have two feet of water in my house.

You're making me thank my lucky stars that of my 2 or 3 hairline foundation cracks, only 1 of them drips water, and it's a tiny trickle at that.

[Talisker]

My wife tells me she tried to get her ex (she kept the house when they divorced) to have the cracks sealed before he carpeted the basement, but he said it didn't need it.

Hasn't been an issue until now, I guess. I didn't know it was a potential problem until this morning.

[Machfive]

Oh, christ, what a dumbass. If you finish a basement, the first thing is you take EVERY measure to ensure you're water-tight. The last thing you need is moldy carpet or mold growing behind drywall or something.

If the cracks are still small, look into high-pressure injection as cheap way to fix the problem without a backhoe or thousands of bucks in bills. I know a few places that do it in the Metro area, but have no idea about the west side of the state.

Maybe call Glenn Haege and see who he'd recommend in your area?

[Talisker]

I've already put out feelers to a family friend who owns the largest construction companies in town for a recommendation.

Hoping we can get it patched up without setting us back too much coin; I'm bracing myself to find out that this won't be covered under our homeowner's policy, such that I'll have to pay to replace the carpet as well.

[Machfive]

Most homeowners policies don't cover "flood" damage, which always includes water intruision into the basement, unless you carry flood coverage, which is damn near always additional.

Make sure you get someone who specializes in high-pressure injection. There are some places that say they do it, then they bait-and-switch and try and get you to do the super-expensive foundation repairs that are usually overkill.

[Drastic]

Needs more updates. What is the status of the frop bog??

[Talisker]

Most homeowners policies don't cover "flood" damage, which always includes water intruision into the basement, unless you carry flood coverage, which is damn near always additional.
Yep, that's what I'm expecting.

Make sure you get someone who specializes in high-pressure injection. There are some places that say they do it, then they bait-and-switch and try and get you to do the super-expensive foundation repairs that are usually overkill.
No worries on that count, as we don't have the cash for the super-expensive repairs anyway :)

[Talisker]

In related news, a 3.5hp wet/dry vac is $50 well spent when you need to get large amounts of water out of your carpet.

[wumpus]

I DEMAND FROP BOG STATUS!

[jpinard]

The frop bog is still OK. Stones have collapsed from the embankment and we have ~ 3" of lateral support before this side drops toward the pond bottom. We're using tarps and wood to try and hold the soil back.

http://www.jeffpinard.com/bogpond.jpg

[Tankero]

When is the Hivemind going to assume responsibility and send in QTEMA crews to the disaster sight?

We've dallied for far too long; this crisis needs to be resolved effectively and at once!

[Alan Au]

See, this is exactly the sort of stuff you should expect when you live on one of Saturn's moons. You should be happy that the oxygen recycler is still running.

- Alan

[jpinard]

See, this is exactly the sort of stuff you should expect when you live on one of Saturn's moons. You should be happy that the oxygen recycler is still running.

- Alan

Ohhh the irony there hehe :-) Since I do look like an astronaut out in this weather. Mountain packpack and my liquid Oxygen tank inside feeding me 5 Liters of O2 for 3 hours at a time before I have to recharge it.

[Machfive]

We should get QT3ers together for like an EXTREME Home Makeover kinda thing, but instead of building JP a new house, we help him shore up his frop bod and pong.

Or we could be like Oprah, "EVERYBODY GETS A FROP BOG!"

[wumpus]

I <3 that damn frop bog so much.

[Bill Dungsroman]

It is no longer merely jpinard's frop bog. It is Qt3's frop bog.

[Talisker]

We should get QT3ers together for like an EXTREME Home Makeover kinda thing, but instead of building JP a new house, we help him shore up his frop bod and pong.
If you drive over from Detroit, I'll buy the beer.

We should do a Michigan QT3 gathering one of these days anyway :)

[Machfive]

That would require having enough money to fill up the gas tank. I don't think I'll be making any trips outside of the D till at least next year. :/