WBRepo-Ship of Thieves-Remember the Magic Pt5

[EllaEnchanted]

The Digging of the North-South West Eastwood Canal

Sukie and I left the house at about 9:30 this morning to go shopping.

It is pouring today, with flood warnings for areas near rivers (we are not near a river, but it was really pouring down).

There was water about 2 inches high outside our back door. It was coming in over the threshold.

It wasn't always like this. This started last spring.

The land under the El tracks gets very muddy when the weather is wet, so we decided to do something about it.

I had a truckload of sand/gravel mix delivered. We had hired Sukie's friend Corey (the infamous dog sitter) to spread it out.

He ended up doing nothing but whining, so Sukie told him to leave. Sukie then paid a guy wandering down the alley to spread it out.

He did a really good job considering that it was an enormous amount of labor. However, he left a "hump" towards the end next to the alley.

Now we have a convergence of issues.

To deal with the basement flooding, I had our downspout rerouted to not go into the catch-basin, but out along side our garage and to empty under the EL.

So --- what we started experiencing was that went there was a heavy rain, the water came off the roof, sloshed out under the El, hit the hump, then came back and collected behind the garage and along side the house.

The water was getting 2-inches or more deep.

Behind the house we were experiencing "Lake West Eastwood."

Sukie had the idea this morning, while we were standing in the garage, that we should dig a channel, from the the downspout, though the "West Eastwood Hump" and to the alley.

It was pouring down, and we were soaked, but there we were, him with a hoe, and me with a shovel, digging the West Eastwood Cut.

I took the spare dirt and gravel and started building an earthen dam outside our back gate, to prevent the water from rushing out of the downspout and then back towards the side of our house.

Many shovelfuls of gravel later, this was working. The dam was preventing the water from rushing back. However, Lake West Eastwood was filling rapidly.

At one point I considered whether we should build a resort on the edge of the lake and could we have water skiing.

Over an hour later, the channel was completed. Sukie with hoe in hand, and me with my shovel, made the last cut through the West Eastwood Hump.

Water started to flow out to the alley and towards the sewer.

Lake West Eastwood started to drain.

We were both completely soaked and our legs coated with mud. I had blisters on my hands from digging.

You have met us. Now picture us doing manual labor.

Sukie was an absolute mad man and kept shouting, "Dig deeper!"

I'm pleased to say that no human life was lost in the building of the West Eastwood Canal, and our marriage is still intact.

We finally left the house at 11:00 AM to do our shopping.

So much for my Saturday.

Considering your experience with the Panama Canal, you guys are naturals! And it only took you one day!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Be nice Michelle! You might need to send them to your sisters house!

Too funny, Bubba!

But probably true!

 

[ibouncetoo]

Ah, those weekend Ian/Sukie adventures. I will stay tuned for the next installment!

.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Ah, those weekend Ian/Sukie adventures. I will stay tuned for the next installment!

.

I LOVE the Ian and Sukie Adventures......every weekend outing with the two of them is quite the anticipated adventure.

 

[Tink rules]

Sister moving to a place where it has no weather...

Besides... she's the golden girl... guarantee she will go home to full electricity and only 2 branches in the pool....

The 52 inch flat screen will be just fine...

(sibling rivalry was an issue when we were growing up...Not that I want anything bad to happen...but when it does she still comes out shining... i come out with the shovel and the poop... )

 

[Tink rules]

I told my sister to look at it this way...

Another house to decorate...

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Sure... one trip to Panama and you two think you can build a canal!!!!!!!

LOL!!! That was really really funny.

 

[Tink rules]

& she will be the FIRST one who will WANT to go back to work...

She will tiptoe through the glass down town and she will work in an office with no electricity next to a window that is blown out...

(& she'll insist that nothing happened...)

 

[ibouncetoo]

Hi Miss Tammy!

.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

LOL!!! That was really really funny.

Yup, it was!

Hi Tammy!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Sister moving to a place where it has no weather...

Besides... she's the golden girl... guarantee she will go home to full electricity and only 2 branches in the pool....

The 52 inch flat screen will be just fine...

(sibling rivalry was an issue when we were growing up...Not that I want anything bad to happen...but when it does she still comes out shining... i come out with the shovel and the poop... )

Perfection is hard to compete with.

 

[ibouncetoo]

IAN...this is for Sukie....he'll know why!

.

 

[Tink rules]

I'm afraid to ask Jackie...

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

Hi everyone,
We got a VERY late start, didn't get here until 1:30 a.m. and didn't get to sleep until 3:30! This is a beautiful place; the fog has just finished burning off and we're going down to lunch. Tonight we're going to the Improv, I think we're going to have spa appointments tomorrow. The best part, though, is having "sister time". Hope everyone is OK; Michelle is your family alright? Don't have time to read, just posting to say Hi!

 

[HollyTyler]

You have met us. Now picture us doing manual labor.

Sukie was an absolute mad man and kept shouting, "Dig deeper!"

I'm pleased to say that no human life was lost in the building of the West Eastwood Canal, and our marriage is still intact.

We finally left the house at 11:00 AM to do our shopping.

So much for my Saturday.

Ian, I just love hearing about your Saturday adventures! I have a vision in my mind of you and Sukie out there in the pouring rain, muddy, digging, Sukie yelling, etc. and can't help but wonder what your neighbors must have thought. You must have been an entertaining sight! But......it was a very great idea and sounds like it solved the problem, so great job!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Morning kids!

Hey Deb....what size is the package of the BristroMD 5 day plan? I'm going to have to make sure there is room in the office freezer (usually not a problem...just a couple of stray Lean Cusines in there...

I've been spending some time over on the W.I.S.H. forum this morning. Peg found a group of 'petites' who started a thread. Short women UNITE!

I have to buy a weeks worth of food to hold me over till the Bistro food arrives. I'm trying to NOT make this a week of 'one last taste'. Very tempting to have some fried chicken, pizza, pastrami and ribs. But that's the reason I did the five day plan, so I could have one of my 'treat' foods on the weekend (but in a smaller portion than usual!!). Think I should bring some FISH/SEAFOOD home from the store, need to start throwing more of that into the dinnertime mix.

Well, must clean up and head out for errands...though I'd rather take a nap.

.

Jackie, I just realized that soon we'll be eating the same thing for every meal except for weekends and substitutes (I don't eat fish). That's weird, but pretty cool.

You asked about the size of the package.....the outside box is approximately 16" x 16" and 20" deep. The individual meals are in bags about the size of 9" x 8". I hope that helps.

 

[HollyTyler]

LOL!!! That was really really funny.

Hi Tammy! Great to see you pop in!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Hi everyone,
We got a VERY late start, didn't get here until 1:30 a.m. and didn't get to sleep until 3:30! This is a beautiful place; the fog has just finished burning off and we're going down to lunch. Tonight we're going to the Improv, I think we're going to have spa appointments tomorrow. The best part, though, is having "sister time". Hope everyone is OK; Michelle is your family alright? Don't have time to read, just posting to say Hi!

Cheri, where are you staying???? Pictures please of the beautiful place.

 

[iankh]

IAN...this is for Sukie....he'll know why!

.

Nice A_s_s

 

[iankh]

I LOVE the Ian and Sukie Adventures......every weekend outing with the two of them is quite the anticipated adventure.

We don't plan for these things to happen. They just do.