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.
I can hardly wait until later in Oct when it's my turn to go! I love Typhoon Lagoon, it's got the best wave pool ever!Unfortunately it goes into rehab just as we arrive.Figment is my daughter's very favourite character too. This is my 4th Oct trip, but the 1st one that I haven't booked a few of the special events. I haven't even booked one. Way too expensive and few that even interest me. Thankfully there's lots of free seminars to attend and I love the booths too!
I can hardly wait for this cruise too! Of course, I keep reading about all the recent hurricanes 
Hi Miss Kathe 
Blew that on a $4.00 ticket...lost 
Cracks me up! But seriously, I've found it works just as well as Gatorade. 
)
