It's been a wet week in Lake Normal, here in the middle of the prairie...
I've been a bit, um, "swamped" lately. We got lots of wind from Ike, but the killer for me was the 8 inches of rain within a couple of days. (Four in a matter of hours on Sunday.) Fortunately the power remained on and the sump pump worked.
Unfortunately, even with the sump pump running almost constantly, the basement (including the carpet) got damp. There's a point when the groud is just too wet and the moisture cannot move away fast enough even with a sump. Fortunately, that point occurs very rarely.
I've been running the dehumidifier and the central air (set at 72, which is way lower than usual but I wanted it to run quite a bit), using fans to get the moisture up into the air. The carpet (100% petrochemical, no padding) didn't have enough water in it for the shop vac to work well, so it was mainly a matter of time. Since yesterday, it doesn't seem damp but I think I'll keep up the regime at least through tomorrow, and then I'll open up the house Sunday during the day if it's not damp outside.
This was adding insult to injury, since I've been fighting problems with my right arm since July. I went on anti-inflammatories and a brace in late July/early August, and then started PT in late August. It's helping, but, well, I really *need* my right arm to work reasonably well. Emptying the dehumidifier, moving fans, using a shop vac, mowing (since the grass just *loved* all that rain), and the general run of work and household chores seem to be making it harder for the arm to heal. I may have to have the "shot," which I really rather dread--I'll know next week.
Of course, dancing and knitting are very limited now, which sucks, as is non-work computer time. (I'm actually avoiding hardback books since gripping and holding one open seems to stress the tendons.) I can still walk and watch films, thank God, or I think I would either have exploded or murdered someone. (Why yes, I'm jest a tad cranky at the moment.)
I am grateful for the nice weather this week and that the Normal is running the Beyond Normal Film Festival this month. So far I've seen _Mongol_ (directed by Sergei Bodrov, Germany/Russia/2007/126 min/drama/rated R) and _The Singing Revolution_ (directed by James Tusty & Maureen Castle Tusty
USA/Estonia/2007/94 min/documentary/Not Rated). _Mongol_ was excellent, and seeing it on a wide screen made it even better. I liked _The Singing Revolution_ as well, but there were places where I thought they wandered a bit.
Tonight--a walk and then _Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day_, (directed by Bharat Nalluri, UK/2008/92 min/Comedy/Rated PG-13) which is reported to be quite entertaining. My desk at work is a disaster, but I am leaving on time tonight, dammit!!! It will be there on Monday.
Unfortunately, even with the sump pump running almost constantly, the basement (including the carpet) got damp. There's a point when the groud is just too wet and the moisture cannot move away fast enough even with a sump. Fortunately, that point occurs very rarely.
I've been running the dehumidifier and the central air (set at 72, which is way lower than usual but I wanted it to run quite a bit), using fans to get the moisture up into the air. The carpet (100% petrochemical, no padding) didn't have enough water in it for the shop vac to work well, so it was mainly a matter of time. Since yesterday, it doesn't seem damp but I think I'll keep up the regime at least through tomorrow, and then I'll open up the house Sunday during the day if it's not damp outside.
This was adding insult to injury, since I've been fighting problems with my right arm since July. I went on anti-inflammatories and a brace in late July/early August, and then started PT in late August. It's helping, but, well, I really *need* my right arm to work reasonably well. Emptying the dehumidifier, moving fans, using a shop vac, mowing (since the grass just *loved* all that rain), and the general run of work and household chores seem to be making it harder for the arm to heal. I may have to have the "shot," which I really rather dread--I'll know next week.
Of course, dancing and knitting are very limited now, which sucks, as is non-work computer time. (I'm actually avoiding hardback books since gripping and holding one open seems to stress the tendons.) I can still walk and watch films, thank God, or I think I would either have exploded or murdered someone. (Why yes, I'm jest a tad cranky at the moment.)
I am grateful for the nice weather this week and that the Normal is running the Beyond Normal Film Festival this month. So far I've seen _Mongol_ (directed by Sergei Bodrov, Germany/Russia/2007/126 min/drama/rated R) and _The Singing Revolution_ (directed by James Tusty & Maureen Castle Tusty
USA/Estonia/2007/94 min/documentary/Not Rated). _Mongol_ was excellent, and seeing it on a wide screen made it even better. I liked _The Singing Revolution_ as well, but there were places where I thought they wandered a bit.
Tonight--a walk and then _Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day_, (directed by Bharat Nalluri, UK/2008/92 min/Comedy/Rated PG-13) which is reported to be quite entertaining. My desk at work is a disaster, but I am leaving on time tonight, dammit!!! It will be there on Monday.